Make a Difference - Q4 - Dec 2018

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Make a difference

“We all have something we can contribute” Eilis Murray Philanthropy Ireland P2 CREDIT: SELF HELP AFRICA

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IN THIS ISSUE

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Giving back Why volunteering is good for you

Fundraising 5 ways you can support your favourite causes

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Community focus The gap between the capacity of government and the potential for our communities ONLINE

Effective philanthropy – What impact do you want to make?

Have you ever asked yourself, ‘What difference is my donation making?’ Or, ‘Why am I making this donation?’ Giving in Ireland is evolving. These are questions we are increasingly asking ourselves. By addressing these questions, our giving can be more strategic and contribute to real social change.

Strategic giving is not always about cash donations. We all have something we can contribute. We recognise the value of the three T’s of Philanthropy; Time, Talent and Treasure. Whether volunteering time, sharing a skill or influence, or making a cash donation, we all have the potential to be philanthropic.

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here are four questions we all should ask ourselves when approaching our giving strategically; Why do I want to give?

What do I want to give to? What

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causes do I want to support? And, How do I want to give?

Giving while living ‘Giving while living’ describes the practice of donating your money, skills and time to make a difference during your lifetime. Famously associated with US billionaires, this approach can be applied by all of us, to gifts of any shape and any size.

There is real value in embracing the ‘giving while living’ concept.

It provides opportunity to address the many needs and challenges society faces today, and to see the impact of our giving. Many also

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use it to teach their children and grandchildren about the value of money, measuring impact as the return on social investment.

Drive for impact It is this drive for impact that transforms reactive charitable giving into proactive, strategic philanthropy. Whether donating a large amount, giving via direct debit, or throwing change into a bucket at the local supermarket, we can all be more alert to the impact our giving can make. Giving in a

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Eilis Murray CEO, Philanthropy Ireland

strategic way can multiply impact.

Getting started All philanthropy is personal. Take time to reflect on what you have to give; time, talent or treasure.

Consider your own values and key areas of concern. Decide how you want to give - you might want to discuss your options with family or friends for further guidance or to involve them.

Learn about the causes working on issues of concern to you. You might even decide that ‘giving while living’ is not an option and you would be more inclined to

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consider legacy giving. There are many ways to give well. Take time to consider them.

Giving in Ireland will continue to evolve. Planned gifts, small or large, can make a real difference to the cause you care most about. Planned giving has the potential to tackle some of the most prevalent issues we face as a society.

By placing emphasis and focus on what you want your giving to achieve rather than just on the act of giving itself, you can multiply the impact of your gift.

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Inspiring school children to boost Ireland’s STEM skills Employees value an employer who is caring, with strong morals. Serving the local community gives Fidelity associates a deeper sense of meaning in their work lives.

Being a good corporate citizen is the ultimate winwin because not only do local communities get access to skills, mentoring and charity fundraisers through your efforts, but you also become much more attractive to customers and employees – old and new.

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hat is certainly the case with the CSR programme run by Fidelity Investments, called Fidelity Cares, according to the company’s Head of Technology in Ireland, Lorna Martyn. They have supported child protection charity, ISPCC and help teach school children STEM subjects, among

other CSR initiatives.

“Our programme isn’t designed to bring the company a gain, it’s driven by us having a strong moral compass. We are privately owned, so we can serve our customers and communities rather than shareholders,” she says.

Inspiring school children Teaching IT skills is a crucial part of the company’s education outreach programme to bring STEM subjects to more pupils, particularly girls.

Scoil Bhríde, Mercy Secondary Girls School near Fidelity’s Galway office has recently become one of only 40 in the country to teach computer science, so the firm fitted it out with new laptops and a fibre optic

broadband connection to support their progress.

Providing equipment is useful, but so too is helping a wider selection of children become immersed in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The first two years of the Futurewize programme, funded

by Fidelity Investments, which promotes STEM subjects in schools through a partnership between Junior Achievement Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), was, originally, a privately-financed operation.

“So far, we’ve had 128 associates teach 2,500 children in 40 schools and 68% have been girls,” says Martyn.

“We give our people the time to

Lorna Martyn Head of Technology, Fidelity Investments Ireland

train to be able to then go on and teach six-week programmes in schools in their area of expertise. It’s so vital we get children interested in the STEM subjects – particularly girls. Between just 10% to 15% of IT graduates each year are female, and only one in four graduates in STEM subjects are women.”

Sharing moral values Graduate associates are encouraged to offer administrative support to the company’s main charity, the ISPCC. The whole company get involved in fundraising and in the past two years have donated over €130,000.

The result, she believes, is a huge morale boost throughout the company because supporting local

communities empowers associates to feel great about giving something back and brings with it a far deeper meaning to daily working life.

Sean Hargrave Fidelity Investments Ireland recently won the inaugural Women in Technology award from Technology Ireland in recognition of their support to women in technology.

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How your business can improve children’s learning skills ABP Clones has been involved in local initiatives for decades. Now the company has linked up with St Tiarnach’s Primary School in a scheme to improve pupils’ reading, with already striking results.

Marie Claire Baxter HR Manager, ABP Clones

This year, for the second year in a row, ABP Clones is taking part in the Time to Read campaign, in which their staff volunteer to help second year children in St Tiarnach’s Primary School with reading.

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uelled by their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy in conjunction with Business in the Community, it has had a striking effect on both company and school alike, with both citing any number of benefits for everyone who has been involved.

And it has had a marked effect on the pupils.

“This is designed to help children with their reading skills by engaging

with volunteers, while it gives the volunteers the opportunity to work with children and encourage their love of reading,” says Marie Claire Baxter, HR manager of ABP Clones.

“At the start of the programme each volunteer is matched with two children, who they read with for the duration of the programme.”

Local community This latest initiative is part of a CSR strategy to become involved with the local community that stretches back over 60 years. “It’s about giving back to the community,” says Marie Claire.

“We do a lot of work with the third level through the ABP graduate programme and engage with

Majella Beggan Principal, St Tiarnach’s Primary School, Clones

secondary level schools with the Angus Beef Society, so it’s our chance to do something new at a primary school level. And it was so successful last year that we’re doing it again.”

Amazing results Indeed, the effect on the students involved has been striking. “We’re delighted and relish the opportunity to continue our relationship with ABP,” says Majella Beggan, Principal of St Tiarnach’s Primary School.

“The results have been amazing.

The children were tested before they began the programme and again afterwards and every single one of the 10 pupils involved had improved a year in their reading age, while four improved by two years.”

Books funded The books are funded and provided

by ABP and pitched at the level of the students. “The investment of one consistent half hour per week with a trained adult is immeasurable,” says Majella. “From a reading age point of view and building and fostering relationships, communications skills or a language, this permeates through all aspects of literacy.

There has also been a marked improvement in the children’s attendance: this has been a positive and affirming initiative and we are thrilled to be involved again.

We are also delighted to be associated with ABP, not least as it is Clones’ main employer. As a border town with a high disadvantage

status, this initiative is only to be welcomed.”

And both parties agree that once it was underway and the logistics involved sorted out, everything has run smoothly. “Parents, pupils and everyone at the school has been genuinely amazed by the positive progress,” Majella says.

Virginia Blackburn

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Read more at abpsustainabilitystory.com/ in-the-community/localeducation-initiatives/

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Think volunteering isn’t for you?

Think again!

Nina Arwitz CEO, Volunteer Ireland

Have you ever considered volunteering but never taken the plunge? Volunteering is a great way to get involved in your community and make friends or develop skills.

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reland is a nation of volunteers. We’ve always been great at giving back and with over 1 million of us giving time for others each year, that shows no sign of slowing down.

Volunteering is essential to Irish society From simply checking in on a neighbour to fundraising for a particular cause, people across Ireland make a real difference in their communities every day. Think of the first responders, the befrienders, the football coaches, the youth mentors, the mental health campaigners, the tree planters, the refugee welcomers, and the people simply helping an elderly neighbour with their weekly shop – what would we do without them? Volunteers are at the heart of local communities and make Ireland what it is today.

Volunteering is good for you Giving back doesn’t just strengthen communities – it has real benefits for the volunteer too. Volunteering has been proven to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of volunteers, with many reporting improved mental health and an increase in confidence.

People also find that volunteering is a great way to develop skills and meet new people. Most of all it creates a sense of belonging to the community, and it can be great fun!

Volunteering is for everyone It might sound clichéd but there really is something for everyone.

Choosing a volunteer role that’s right for you depends on your passion and interests, your skills and the amount of time you can spare. While many people’s perception of volunteering might be committing to one organisation for a set amount of time, volunteering has evolved a lot over the years. New ways of volunteering have emerged to accommodate the changing motivations of volunteers such as: • Microvolunteering – this is volunteering that just takes a few minutes. For example, transcribing a letter from the 1916 rising.

• Virtual volunteering – this is volunteering that can be done online from the comfort of your couch. For example, helping edit a website or design a charity card.

• Event volunteering – this is volunteering at one-off events and festivals.

• Family volunteering – for example, bringing your kids along to a beach clean-up.

So there really is something for everyone!

Embracing corporate social responsibility can gain loyal customers Businesses in Ireland are making vast steps to improve their corporate social responsibility, which has so far been credited with attracting new talent, retaining them, and promoting a loyal customer base in often an overcrowded market.

Moira Horgan Head of Marketing, Business in the Community

The business case: Although many firms in Ireland already have relationships with local charities, it seems that something happened in 2018, which spread the word of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at a faster rate than ever before.

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oira Horgan, the Head of Marketing for Business in the Community (BITC) Ireland, explains why.

She says: “I think this year saw a coming of age in sustainability; we had 43 businesses sign up to our low-carbon pledge alone.

“Increasingly, consumers and staff want transparency, and want to know that their beliefs are aligned with businesses they interact with. So, the business case for CSR is undeniable when we look at attracting and retaining customers and talent.”

Indeed, a 2015 study by Global Talent found that almost half the workforce (46%) wanted to work for a company that had a positive impact on the world.

Benefits to employees’ mentality and work ethic So what are the main attractions for employees when it comes to

corporate social responsibility?

Moira thinks that volunteering plays a huge role. She says: “We know from HR managers that morale improves among employees the more they work in the community, so volunteer days often leave a positive impact. With the focus on wellbeing, mental health and stress as a priority these days, getting to know the community where they work can boost productivity and loyalty to the company.”

CSR improves customer loyalty Indeed, loyalty seems to be a takeaway from both a talent and a consumer point of view according to Moira. “In Ireland in particular, we have found that customers see company employees the unofficial spokespeople for that company, and customers are more likely to trust what they say,” says Moira. “If the employee is happy and loyal due to the differences they are making in the community, then that often makes the customer happy and loyal also.”

from the arrangement, and most importantly, they only work together if the right skillset can be provided.

Moira gives the example of IT businesses setting up a charity website, or law firms helping asylum seekers. She said: “The key for a successful business and charity partnership taking a strategic long term view and making sure its mutually beneficial."

Your corporate social responsibility strategy should be a long-term partnership Moira continued: “The most important thing is to assess what the business wants to get out of it, such as reducing absenteeism or promoting key causes among staff.

Then, find a compatible partner and constantly set targets and measure your successes.

And Moira’s final tip for a great community engagement strategy?

“Always ask staff what causes they are interested in supporting – you will be surprised.”

Gina Clarke

Business benefits of helping the community One thing Moira advocates is that both the business and the charity partner are getting an equal return

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Sustainability is a win-win for companies and the community The public wants to know that companies are working in an ethical, responsible and balanced way for the good of society and the environment. Businesses must do more to prove their sustainability credentials.

When it comes to sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility (CSR), it's no longer enough for companies to simply 'abide by the rules' or engage in isolated acts of philanthropy, says Marian Troy, Head of Corporate Affairs at energy company, SSE Ireland.

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hat approach to corporate sustainability might have impressed customers and communities in the past, but now they are — rightly — demanding more.

These days, organisations have to continually demonstrate what they are doing to be ethical, responsible and balanced. What's more, any

company that views sustainability as a box-ticking exercise is bound to fail, because the real-life stakes are just too high. “We have to do all we can to help achieve economic, social and environmental wellbeing for current and future generations,” says Troy.

Win-win for employee-led programmes It’s clear that SSE is taking its commitment to operating sustainability seriously, striving to set industry-leading standards. The company has achieved Business in the Community Ireland’s (BITCI) Business Working Responsibly Mark — the gold standard in CSR — and is also an accredited Living Wage employer.

Yet, as lovingly crafted as a sustainability strategy might

be, it's no good if the people in an organisation aren't behind it.

Employee-led programmes are important in this regard because they get staff motivated. SSE allows its team members to take at least one day a year away from their job to volunteer for a charity or community group of their choice.

It's an idea that's been a big success, with up to 85% of employees taking part in a given year.

Programmes such as these can be beneficial in many different ways, notes Mia McCarthy, Head of Sustainability at SSE Ireland. “As well as being a fantastic opportunity to make a positive difference for our communities, they give people a chance to network and strengthen relationships with colleagues from other parts of the company,” she says. It's a win-win, in other words.

Meeting environmental challenges Then, of course, the public wants to understand how companies are responding to today's environmental challenges. To that end, SSE has launched a campaign to encourage its customers to make small everyday choices that can make a big difference to the environment. Plus, for the last 10 years, it has contributed over €7 million to more than 2,500 community initiatives close to its 29 onshore wind farms in rural Ireland, supporting a range of energy-efficiency and social sustainability projects.

The company now wants to focus on the development of Ireland’s offshore wind resource, explains Stephen Wheeler, Managing Director of SSE Ireland. “In addition

to making the single biggest impact to Ireland’s climate action and renewable energy targets, the development of offshore wind projects can reinvigorate coastal communities and create sustainable local jobs,” he says.

The time for talking is over.

Businesses have to step up and prove they are serious about sustainability.

Tony Greenway

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Read more at sseairtricity.com

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Your donation may be worth 45% extra to the charity

Alan Coyne Co-Founder, iDonate

The importance of giving Deirdre Garvey CEO, The Wheel

Although Christmas can be a wonderful opportunity to spend time with your family, indulge yourself and share gifts, for some it is one of the most difficult times of the year.

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any of the most vulnerable people in our communities will turn to charities for support this festive season, which makes this a very busy time for some charities.

As well as the extra pressure on their services, charities also have to focus on fundraising at this time of year. In fact, for many charities the money raised at Christmas will support their work throughout the year.

Ireland’s 10,000 charities make a difference to millions of lives here and around the world. They play a vital role in our society, and at some point, you or your loved ones will benefit from their work.

In our communities, charities provide essential services in areas such as health and social care, housing, educations, poverty relief,

the arts and sport. Across the world, Irish charities support some of the poorest and most vulnerable people and often, they literally save lives.

Charities come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they bring together people who care about a cause so that they can make a difference.

Whatever it is that you care about, there will be a charity working on it.

Here are just a few ways you can support your favourite causes this Christmas: • Donate to a charity. If you can, commit to give something every month. Regular donations help charities to make a bigger impact.

• Leave a legacy. Include your favourite charities in your will and make a lasting impact.

• If you are sending Christmas cards, buy them from a registered charity. If you choose not to send cards, donate to a charity instead.

• Support a local social enterprise.

Social enterprises are socialmission focused organisations that engage in trading activity.

Buy your Christmas gifts from a charity shop. Some charities also provide recycling services for old mobile phones, computers, print cartridges and other items.

• Get active for a good cause. Most of us want to shake off a few pounds after Christmas. Sign up for a charity run, trek or another challenge. It will motivate you to keep your New Year’s resolutions, while supporting a good cause!

Charities can only make the difference they do because of your support. Find causes close to your heart, support them and give hope to those who need it most this Christmas.

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ach year charities in Ireland are losing out on millions of euros of funds due to the lack of awareness of the Charitable Donation Tax Back Scheme.

The Charitable Donation Tax Back Scheme allows tax relief on qualifying donations made to eligible charities and approved bodies. If you make a single donation of €250 or more or multiple donations totalling €250 or more over the course of a year, the charity or approved body can claim a refund of tax paid on that donation by the donor. Under this scheme, a charity can claim the refund for the past four years also.

How to increase your donation How it works is surprising simple.

The donor signs and returns a CHY3 Certificate form (available on www. charitytaxback.ie ) and returns to the charity. The charity takes care of the rest. It’s really that easy.

For example, a donation of €250 is worth €362.50 to the charity. When the donor completes the form, the charity can then claim the extra €112.50. There is very little that the donor needs to do other than sign a form. Get in touch with the charity if you have donated over €250. They will gladly assist you with completing the forms.

Encouraging small-scale Ethiopian farmers to collaborate for optimum Ray Jordan food production CEO, Self Help Africa

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’m writing from Ethiopia, a country where one-third of the population lives below the poverty line, mostly in rural areas.

For over 35 years, our focus has been on helping these people to increase the quantity and the quality of food grown on their small farms.

Putting money into the pockets of impoverished farmers enables them to invest in the health, education and welfare of their families. We don’t see our work as charity – instead, we believe we’re investing in these families so they can work their own way out of poverty.

Helping independent farmers grow But our work doesn’t begin and end on these family farms – there’s little point in helping farmers grow more food if they can’t sell their surplus in viable markets. Helping farmers to work together in cooperatives, so that they can store, transport and find good markets for their produce is vital in the fight to end poverty in Africa.

Farming is essential for survival Up to 80% of the people in Ethiopia and across much of sub-Saharan Africa rely on small-scale farming for their survival. We’ve worked with 350,000 of these families, helping them to grow more on their land and, crucially, increase what they can earn from it.

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Gap between the capacity of government and the potential for our communities

Tina Roche Chief Executive, Community Foundation for Ireland

Ireland is still developing its’ understanding of and commitment to philanthropy. While charity can be seen to relieve the pains of social problems, philanthropy attempts to solve those problems at their root cause.

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n a time where charity governance and transparency has been brought into question, we can see a rise in the number of philanthropic donors engaging with established trusts and foundations. This ensures their funds are being distributed to reputable causes aimed at addressing some of Ireland’s most pressing social issues. The evolution and growth in the amount of donors that work with foundations like The Community Foundation for

Ireland reflects the value placed on philanthropy and the potential it has.

While Ireland is a nation that prides itself on generosity and volunteerism, by international standards, levels of large-scale giving has been traditionally quite low, even though there is a huge potential for giving in a more structured way.

Central Bank estimates put net household wealth at €727 billion at the end of 2017, that’s 1% above the 2007 pre-recessionary peak and almost 70% above the level in 2012.

Irish households are wealthier now than they have ever been.

50% of all private wealth in Ireland is owned by the top 5% of households That distribution of wealth is highly concentrated, however, data from

Credit Suisse in 2017 suggests that the wealthiest 1% of households owned 33% of all private wealth, with the top 5% owning about 50% of that total.

Donors want to tackle the root cause of problems rather than just writing cheques The Community Foundation for Ireland has, through the generosity of our donors, given out more than €45 million in grants to date.

We see first-hand the transition of philanthropy from more than writing cheques to looking at social problems at their core and working with organisations to provide innovative solutions to longstanding issues in our society such as homelessness, inclusion and diversity, youth unemployment, domestic violence and mental

health.

Donors in Ireland are moving towards a strategic philanthropy model by providing larger and often multi-annual grants to organisations that are aiming to tackle systematic problems at their root cause.

Could you give a little more?

Our capacity to give more significantly and strategically is hugely expanded in a wealthier society. But, to date, that capacity has not been leveraged. On the opposite end of the scale, the need for community investment is growing exponentially. We now understand that community is complex and is an ecosystem that requires resources, skills and leadership.

There is a gap between the capacity of government to

deliver and the potential for our communities to develop. But there is a larger number of people who can give more than just a little in the moment and who can be moved to give strategically over the long-term.

There is a real need for such people and their engagement in philanthropy. Government bears the main responsibility to alleviate social issues but no government is effective without the participation of people. There is more to be done and philanthropy has a crucial role to play.

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Small businesses and corporate social responsibility: how to start

So many SMEs are already engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR), but just aren’t calling it that. The ‘corporate’ in CSR makes it sound like it only applies to ‘big business’, but often we find that SMEs are doing as much to enhance their communities and respect their environments as multinational corporations (MNCs) and large indigenous companies (LICs).

Elisha Collier O’Brien Policy Manager , Chambers Ireland

If your business donates to charity, supports a local team or club, offers employees volunteering time, is adopting environmentally-friendly measures or organises fundraising for charity then you’re already doing ‘CSR’!

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f not, don’t panic, it’s not too late to get involved in responsible or sustainable business practices. For the last decade, many businesses were so focused on survival that they are only now considering how they might be able to do more in their communities and think beyond the immediate.

Promoting CSR in SMEs is a top priority For us as a business organisation, raising awareness about CSR among SMEs is vital. They are the overwhelming majority of

businesses at over 99% and the state’s biggest employers with 70% of employees in Ireland working for an SME. This year, in Chambers Ireland’s 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards an SME, Earth’s Edge beat off stiff competition and won the ‘Excellence in Volunteering’ category against large indigenous companies. This was a first in our awards and was a real achievement by this small Irish company, who proved that size doesn’t matter when it comes to responsible business practices.

Getting started in CSR or ‘socially responsible’ business can be intimidating, but there are five simple considerations to help you get started on this journey.

Look at what you are already doing Don’t assume that because you don’t have a programme in place

or a dedicated CSR manager that you are not doing anything. Think about the environmental measures you are taking, whether or not you have supported staff in charity work or fundraising, whether or not you take on student placements

Take a look at the five pillars of CSR and think about where your business can make changes The five pillars are: Environment, Community, Workplace, Marketplace and Communications. You don’t have to tackle them all at once, but the headings are a great way of mapping where you stand and setting out areas that you might not have thought about before. There may be some areas that really align with your core business and these are a great place to start. Also, there is a wealth of detailed information online about policies businesses can implement under each of these headings.

Engage with employees Talk to staff about your ambitions and see if they have any ideas as employee engagement is important for the sustainability of CSR in a business. Many of them might already be working with a charity in their own time or have causes that they are really passionate about, so may have great ideas or useful experience. See if any of them are interested in becoming ‘CSR champions’ within the company and if they will help to set goals and engage others.

Take small steps and set realistic goals You don’t have to take on too much or try to do everything at once. For CSR to be a sustainable part of the business it should be manageable for you and employees. Long term commitment to CSR is far better

than a few months of over-zealous efforts.

Communicate your work Once you start to engage in socially responsible business practices, make sure you aren’t hiding it from the people that will care the most; your customers, staff and trading partners. Today’s consumers are increasingly interested in the impact businesses they engage with are having on the environment and society, they want to hear about the positive things a company is doing in this space and will likely thank you for telling them.

Chambers Ireland are providing CSR guidance to SME’s. Find out more at chambers.ie