Tips for finding the best CSR or ESG software

Corporate giving has never been more critical than today. As social responsibility gains traction in the corporate world, two terms frequently emerge during discussions: corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). CSR aims to hold businesses accountable for their social commitments in a qualitative manner. ESG criteria help to measure or quantify these social efforts.

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Several years ago, CSR issues, such as measuring carbon footprints, and developing socially responsive company policies and ethical supply chains, were important to some employees and customers and quite a few environmentalists. Still, they were not a business objective for most organizations.

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A relatively recent shift has employees, consumers, and investors alike choosing companies that align with their values. Social change, advances in technology, and the ability to prove return on investment have pushed ESG to the forefront.

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Research shows that CSR can improve employee engagement and influences their attitudes and behaviors by strengthening their organizational pride. In addition, consumers are increasingly aware of the values held by the companies they choose to patronize. Studies have found that around 77% of consumers are motivated to purchase products or services from companies committed to making the world a better place. Finally, a report by the global public relations consulting firm Edelman found that 93% of U.S. investors expect the companies they invest in to increase the prioritization of ESG.

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Corporate responsibility of the past

In the past, corporate responsibility often took the form of a company donation. In most cases, the company would make a financial contribution to an organization or a nonprofit cause that was important to senior executives. Unfortunately, while awareness of this type of donation can generate goodwill among consumers and a sense of pride for employees, it does little to engage either.

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Corporate responsibility today and in the future

Thanks to advanced technology and increased public awareness, corporate responsibility has evolved. Today, corporate giving is driven through employee and customer engagement. Social impact platforms empower employees, customers, and communities to work for social change through giving and volunteering.

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The right CSR and ESG software will give you the tools you need to engage customers and employees. Your software should be flexible, allowing you to pick and choose the features required to highlight your brand’s values. Tools such as donation matching, peer-to-peer fundraising, or volunteering can mobilize supporters who are passionate about a cause and fuel positive change. You can also encourage giving by rewarding leaders with charitable gift cards, such as GiveCards, which enable them to give their reward to the nonprofit of their choice.

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Your CSR and ESG software should be an all-in-one integrated platform that allows you to use the system to track results from multiple tools. An integrated platform should be user-friendly, compile the appropriate data, and allow you to access that data in real-time.

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For instance, launching a payroll giving campaign that is integrated with your existing payroll system can empower your workforce to make a difference on a weekly or monthly basis. A payroll program encourages employees to give a small part of their paycheck to causes that are important to them. A payroll giving campaign is easy to implement with the right software and is a safe and cost-effective way for employees to donate to nonprofit organizations. Managing a payroll giving program should be straightforward — your software should allow you to automate payroll deductions and track pledges from your dashboard.

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Tips for choosing the right software:

🎯  Define goals

When considering CSR and ESG software, it's critical to assess your goals and needs today and in the future. Your corporate giving strategy will influence the tools you need now, such as workplace or payroll giving, but your strategy will likely grow and evolve. Therefore, your software should accommodate growth in your corporate giving strategy, including the incorporation of other tools such as volunteering, matching donations, events, sponsorships, or rewards and recognition.

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💰  Determine budget

Like most sound business decisions, your budget plays a role in finding the best CSR or ESG software for your business. Good software is invaluable. Working with software that is clunky or doesn't perform as expected often creates more problems than it solves. Additionally, while there is a cost associated with quality software, a CSR and ESG platform can positively impact employees and their commitment to your organization. Research shows that engaged employees are happier and enjoy their jobs more, which can benefit your organization in measurable ways.

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💟  Select causes
Gaining the support and enthusiasm of your employees is critical to the success of any corporate giving strategy. Therefore, choose thematic cause areas for your giving strategy that aligns with your employee's interests, values, and passions. By personalizing your corporate giving strategy and tailoring it to meet the core values of your employees and their communities, you can make a positive social impact. At Goodworld, we believe personalization is critical to engagement and enable companies we work with to donate to over 1.7 million nonprofits.

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🤝  Prioritize support

While developing and implementing a corporate giving strategy can be rewarding and beneficial for your organization, employees, and communities, it can also be challenging without a professional strategy and campaign support. Your corporate giving strategy should be easy and not create issues or headaches for your staff. Choose a partner that can provide the strategy and campaign support that you require.

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The Goodworld difference

Our mission is to provide you with tools you need to change the world. In addition, we want to help you build a better culture, a brand that your customers love, and a workplace that instills pride and dedication in your employees.

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Corporate giving is essential for success in today's business climate. We are committed to providing you with the highest quality software and industry-leading customer service to help ensure the success of your CSR and ESG strategy. Our software is cost-effective, quickly implemented, and suitable for organizations of any size. We offer a wide variety of tools to engage both customers and employees, enabling you to develop multi-faceted social and environmental impact programs.