14 corporate partnerships supporting good causes
Melanie May | 19 October 2021 | News
From Phoenix Group funding Childline for four days during October, to Morgan Stanley’s new two-year partnership with The Felix Project, here’s a round up of recent news on corporate partnerships.
It's #IUADDAY next month and we've got so much planned! Sign up to learn more about dementia but also have some fun and be in for a chance of winning football match tickets or a trip to the spa! https://t.co/pujFQL1XJJ 💙 pic.twitter.com/eNNrCT92gr
Advertisement
— Insurance United Against Dementia (@InsuranceUAD) October 14, 2021
Zurich Community Trust & the Insurance Day of Giving
In support of the upcoming Insurance Day of Giving, Zurich Community Trust (ZCT) has launched a matched donation campaign. The Insurance Day of Giving will be held on 4 November, organised by Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD), and providing the industry with an opportunity to get together and raise funding for, and awareness of the cause. ZCT will be matching funding donations made upon sign up to the day of the event, in addition to matching any staff donations made by participating insurance firms, up to £100,000.
Phoenix Group, NSPCC & Samaritans
Phoenix Group funded NSPCC’s Childline service for four ‘Unforgettable Days’, spanning across World Mental Health Day (8, 9, 10, and 11 October). Following the four Unforgettable Days, Phoenix looked at how many contacts were made, what themes came up throughout the days and some anonymised case studies to help it gain a deeper understanding of key societal issues and help to secure a life of possibilities for everyone. Earlier this year, colleagues at Phoenix Group also voted for a two-year partnership with Samaritans.
War Child UK, Groovy Gecko & YouTube Music
War Child UK, together with live-streaming experts Groovy Gecko and YouTube Music, hosted an exclusive music industry panel day at Abbey Road Studios on Monday 11 October, as part of their new event series Day Of The Girl, highlighting the challenges girls and young women face around the world. Agency Groovy Gecko supported the event for the charity with Groovy Gecko producing and managing the live stream, enabling attendees to engage virtually, from anywhere around the world.
The Felix Project & Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley has announced a new two-year charity partnership with The Felix Project. The new partnership was voted for by Morgan Stanley’s London employees following a week-long poll. The partnership will see employees aiming to raise £500,000, which will be matched by the Morgan Stanley International Foundation, to raise a total of at least £1million. The funds will help The Felix Project run their new East London operation for the next five years, covering rent, utilities, and rates – as well as recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers to work alongside the warehouse team. The funds raised will also support The Felix Project’s education work in local schools, and together they will launch a new employability scheme, to create employment and training opportunities that will address the growing youth unemployment issues in London.
XLP & Cain International
XLP, an urban youth charity working with children and young people across nine boroughs in London, has entered a new three-year partnership with Cain International, a private investment firm, which will commit more than £250,000 to the charity as it takes the role of lead sponsor for the organisation. As a part of this role, Cain will be working closely with the charity to support not only its fundraising initiatives, but also its work on the ground by dedicating time to its mentorship scheme.
Impetus & Tilney Smith & Williamson
Tilney Smith & Williamson has announced its first ever corporate charity partnership – with Impetus – committing to a £100,000 annual donation for three years and providing pro bono and volunteering opportunities for staff. The firm’s partnership with Impetus opens the door for staff to make a difference in their local communities and act as ambassadors for the financial and professional services sectors to attract a broader spectrum of people. There will be opportunities for Tilney Smith & Williamson staff to volunteer, take up pro bono work, attend or run knowledge sharing events and of course, fundraise.
Small charities & Neighbourly
Neighbourly has launched its new Seeds of Change programme, bringing together support from Southern Co-op, RSA Insurance, Cadent, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Danone and M&G to help small charities and good causes have a bigger positive environmental impact for local communities. Seeds of Change will enable businesses to donate volunteer time and / or grants to small charities and local causes across the UK, helping causes to create green spaces for local communities and reduce their CO2 emissions. Seeds of Change will enable national businesses to direct targeted support to communities where environmental changes are needed the most, by engaging and supporting local causes and community groups in these areas. Micro-grants will be directed to local causes for planting and environmental activities, using an existing seed-fund of around £100,000 from a selection of Neighbourly partners.
Parkinson’s UK & SmartOutdoor
SmartOutdoor has donated £70,000 worth of advertising space to Parkinson’s UK for an awareness raising campaign. The donation is supporting a new burst of the charity’s multimedia Time for Can campaign, which first launched in November 2020. The new awareness campaign features people who are living with Parkinson’s highlighting the daily struggles that they face from their symptoms – from difficulty eating and sleeping, to depression and a reliance on a carefully managed medication regime. The space donated is as part of an ongoing partnership with Parkinson’s UK, and includes prominent locations, such as above motorways, on main A-roads and even hand sanitiser screens in service stations.
NHS Scotland & Alpha Solway
Scottish firm Alpha Solway has partnered with NHS Scotland to donate £100,000 to support charities across the country. NHS Scotland has launched a charitable initiative that will see Alpha Solway give £50,000 for charitable causes in Dumfries & Galloway and another £50,000 to ones in Shetland. NHS Scotland will distribute the donations via a specialised portal to various charities across the two regions, helping communities recover from the effects of the pandemic. The first charity to receive a slice of the funds is Action for Children, which has received £5,000 to fund summer activities at Upper Nithsdale Family Service.
Sported & Nissan GB
Sported has been chosen as one of two charity partners for Nissan GB’s Nissan Possibilities Project, the company’s new CSR initiative to create more opportunities for under-represented communities. Nissan GB will be working with the Sported network of 2,600 community clubs to help create better participation opportunities for young people with disabilities. In partnership with the Richard Whitehead Foundation, Nissan GB will fund the provision of running prosthetics to young people with leg amputation, limb-loss or limb difference. The Foundation will also provide support and advice. Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts also joins Nissan GB as a Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador.
Barnardo’s & Deichmann
German shoe retailer Deichmann celebrated its UK 20th Anniversary by harnessing its charitable endeavours and giving back to families in need across the UK. Together with Barnardo’s, the brand’s ‘Best Foot Forward’ campaign helped to raise £185,205.24 in funds and included a school shoe donation scheme. ‘Best Foot Forward’ is the company’s biggest UK charity initiative with the shoe donation scheme as the first of its kind in the UK for the retailer. The nationwide campaign was supported by celebrities and their families, including TV personalities Sam and Billie Faiers, Jacqueline Jossa, Lydia Bright and Jake Quickenden, to encourage families to get involved with fundraising activities, including Barnardo’s annual Big Toddle sponsored walk, of which Deichmann was the headline sponsor.
Heart Research UK & Bo+Tee
September’s National Heart Day saw global activewear brand Bo+Tee working with Heart Research UK on its Heart of Scotland appeal. Bo+Tee marked World Heart Day by donating 10% of all profits on www.boandtee.com alongside the Bo+Tee app to the Heart of Scotland appeal.
Children’s Society & Rubies
Rubies has donated thousands of costumes and accessories to the Children’s Society. The stock includes Star Wars, DC Comics, Power Rangers, Paw Patrol and more. The costumes are being sold through the charity’s eBay store and a number of its shops, with funds raised going towards its work.
Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity & Smyths Toys
Smyths Toys has partnered with Rays of Sunshine Children’s Charity, providing toys and a donation. Rays of Sunshine has delivered over 127 sets of sensory bags to 53 hospitals, hospices, and community settings across the UK since 2019. The partnership with Smyths will enable the charity to further enhance these services by providing children with an additional specialised box of fidget toys. Smyths has also donated an additional £50,000 to help fund a calendar of hospital ward wish initiatives that will improve and enhance hospital environments and provide play resources on paediatric wards across the UK.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.