Money Goods Services Total SMEs focused on giving via donations, which accounted for 60% of all SME giving ($5.2 billion donated by 67% of SMEs). Sponsorships by SMEs accounted for 22% of SME giving (to the value of $1.8 billion, given by 23% of SMEs). In contrast to giving by large business, SMEs least preferred partnerships with NPOs. Funding community partnerships accounted for only 18% of SME giving ($1.55 billion) (see Table 3). Table 3 SME survey - giving by type (value) Money Goods Services Total Compared to the largest businesses that employed more than 1,000 people (corporations), SMEs and mid-tier businesses tended to give money on an ad hoc basis. Typically, a decision on whether to give and how to give was made following an approach by an NPO. Corporations, on the other hand, were more likely to see giving as a component of business strategy, beyond what many business leaders interviewed termed ‘the right thing to do’. Corporations managed their giving to generate deliberate (business) outcomes for themselves as well as benefits for the community, and especially generating positive social impact. As noted earlier, positive social impact is the result of policy or action that strengthens or improves the wellbeing, life chances, or quality of life for individuals and communities, and the environments in which they live. A social impact, or progress towards it, can frequently be measured. Understanding progress towards achieving social impact was in line with how many businesses (large enterprises and corporations in particular), managed progress towards achieving other business outcomes, and aligned with a managerialism focus on being able to track and understand the investment outcomes of business inputs and outputs. The research concluded that outcomes from giving pursued by business included: more engaged employees an attractive employee value proposition, and stakeholders that were more engaged with company strategy and its role in the community. Community benefits of business giving included: positive social impact stronger communities in which the business operates, and
Money Goods Services Total SMEs focused on giving via donations, which accounted for 60% of all SME giving ($5.2 billion donated by 67% of SMEs). Sponsorships by SMEs accounted for 22% of SME giving (to the value of $1.8 billion, given by 23% of SMEs). In contrast to giving by large business, SMEs least preferred partnerships with NPOs. Funding community partnerships accounted for only 18% of SME giving ($1.55 billion) (see Table 3). Table 3 SME survey - giving by type (value) Money Goods Services Total Compared to the largest businesses that employed more than 1,000 people (corporations), SMEs and mid-tier businesses tended to give money on an ad hoc basis. Typically, a decision on whether to give and how to give was made following an approach by an NPO. Corporations, on the other hand, were more likely to see giving as a component of business strategy, beyond what many business leaders interviewed termed ‘the right thing to do’. Corporations managed their giving to generate deliberate (business) outcomes for themselves as well as benefits for the community, and especially generating positive social impact. As noted earlier, positive social impact is the result of policy or action that strengthens or improves the wellbeing, life chances, or quality of life for individuals and communities, and the environments in which they live. A social impact, or progress towards it, can frequently be measured. Understanding progress towards achieving social impact was in line with how many businesses (large enterprises and corporations in particular), managed progress towards achieving other business outcomes, and aligned with a managerialism focus on being able to track and understand the investment outcomes of business inputs and outputs. The research concluded that outcomes from giving pursued by business included: more engaged employees an attractive employee value proposition, and stakeholders that were more engaged with company strategy and its role in the community. Community benefits of business giving included: positive social impact stronger communities in which the business operates, and
giving_australia_2016_report_-_business_giving_and_volunteering.docx