# Why do companies give? Research uncovers what motivates corporate giving

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/09/26/why-do-companies-give-research-uncovers-what-motivates-corporate-giving/
- Published: 2025-09-26T12:00:35+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**Fireside Fundraising has published its latest research, Why Companies Give: In
Their Own Words, based on interviews with people in a range of roles inside companies
with the aim of learning what motives corporate giving.**

Fireside set out generate new insight into corporate giving, aware that individual
giving has a wealth of data and behavioural insights over several decades to inform
it. It was conducted with an assumption that [companies are not giving as much as they might](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/09/17/most-british-businesses-do-nothing-to-support-charities-reports-caf/).

The consultancy conducted in-depth interviews with 20 people within companies, from
shareholders to marketing assistants, “to hear directly what motivates corporate
giving”.

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They asked:

 * **Why do companies give?** What do individual charities do that inspires companies
   to take action – to put their brand, bank account and business on the line to
   try and make positive change?
 * **Why don’t companies give more? **What do individual charities and the sector
   as a whole do that puts companies off? What are the behaviours, perceptions and
   problems that lead a company to hold off their investment? 

Andy King, Director of Fireside Fundraising, explains:

> “The research gives corporate fundraisers hard evidence. We can finally prove 
> what’s needed from us, and how it differs from other income streams. We haven’t
> built this on what companies say in polished CSR statements: it’s based on what
> they say when you’re not in the room.” 

The research provides the charity sector with:

 * A clearer understanding of what does and does not drive corporate giving
 * Insight into what makes partnerships flourish once secured
 * Practical ways to improve corporate fundraising programmes
 * Tools to challenge internal assumptions and shape more effective strategies

The research was carried out by Lesley Pinder of Compass and Andy King of Fireside
Fundraising.

![Lesley Pinder and Andy King, in front of two windows covered in coloured post-
it-like sticky notes with writing on.](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2025/
09/Andy-King-and-Lesley-Pinder-2025.jpeg)

Lesley Pinder and Andy King

They then published the findings earlier this month with a live online event hosted
by [Fundraising Everywhere](https://www.fundraisingeverywhere.com/event/why-companies-give-in-their-own-words/).

![Fundraising Everywhere event details for WHy Companies Give: In their own words.
With photos of Andy King and Lesley Pinder, and event timings.](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.
cloud/2025/09/image.png)

The research was launched by a free-to-access event on Fundraising Everywhere.

You can download a copy of **[Why companies give: in their own words](https://www.firesidefundraising.com/whycompaniesgive)**
by registering for free with Fireside Fundraising.

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   16 April 2025)**
 * **[Research finds corporate/charity support delivers 37x return](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/07/15/research-finds-corporate-charity-support-delivers-37x-return/)(
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 * **[Corporate fundraising partnerships in March 2025](https://fundraising.co.uk/2025/03/07/corporate-fundraising-partnerships-in-march-2025/)(
   7 March 2025)**