“Make money by doing good” – a series of Webinars to show you why and how

January can be a new start professionally, as well as personally, and businesses are no different. This series of webinars is designed to help businesses work out how they can support the causes they care about, whilst helping drive growth and giving them a competitive edge.

More than ever, customers expect the people they buy from to stand for something. Consumers and clients expect businesses to understand, and be able to demonstrate, what they do for the environment and for their communities. Now, one in three consumers will start shopping with a new company that supports a social issue they agree with, and more than half of consumers are willing to pay extra for products and services that contribute to positive change. Businesses need to attract those customers, not lose them to their competitors.

As the government increases the burden on larger firms to measure their impacts, we can be sure those obligations will trickle down to smaller businesses, whether through formal procurement processes, or simply increased expectations. This presents a ‘burning platform’ for many businesses, and the ones who can’t explain their social and environmental impacts may soon find themselves left behind.

In 2020, businesses of every size have been fighting to stay afloat and to grow, despite the challenges of a once in a lifetime global pandemic. The business has had to come first, and doing good, whether for the environment, for charity or for community often feels like it needs to wait ‘til another day.

“Make money now, and we’ll do good later” feels like a justifiable and sensible option. But, given that most business owners we meet say that they’d like to see their own business as a being about more than just making money, that feels like a shame. And if waiting for another day means slowly losing your customer base to a competitor, it’s a disaster.

Thankfully some of the fastest growing businesses are showing that you can still be profitable whilst doing good. Not only that, but doing good can actually be a source of sustainable business growth.

Rod Hebden has 14 years of experience developing impactful partnerships across private, public and charitable sectors to tackle social and environmental challenges. He brings experience with major national and internationally recognized brands, and has worked with companies ranging from start-ups and SME’s to the largest international tech firms.

Webinar 1

Make money by doing good - Thursday 21st January 2021, 10am - 11am

Register for "Make money by doing good"

As the pandemic changes life and business as we previously knew it, there’s a huge opportunity for companies of all sizes, and across all industry sectors, to rise to the challenge of meeting their community’s needs. Happily, doing good can also lead to being more profitable, not less.

The impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic are having far-reaching effects on business as well as our communities. On top of the immediate health challenges, the consequences of lockdown and social distancing measures will have inevitable economic, emotional and social impacts on individuals, families, businesses, communities and the country as a whole. For businesses, many have been in a fight to survive, but in 2021 we know that we need to rebuild and grow to be successful.

In the initial phase of the crisis, we’ve seen lots of great examples of local businesses going the extra mile to look after their communities – and in turn, benefiting from customer loyalty and new income streams.

In this webinar, you’ll explore how your business can benefit by putting the good you can do for society at the heart of what you’re known for. We’ll share the latest evidence of how this can benefit your business, along with real world examples of businesses who’ve already started that journey. We’ll then help you start to think about how you can do the same for your business and how you can use that as a springboard for growth in 2021.

Webinar 2

The business case for sustainability – why you can’t afford to ignore it - Thursday 28th January 2021, 10am - 11am

Register for "The business case for sustainability"

The demand for environmentally sustainable business practice is increasing rapidly, whether that is from government regulations or customer expectations. That means that whether you are an international manufacturer with a complicated supply chain, an independent caterer or a digital solopreneur, customers and clients want to know that you are operating environmentally responsibly. Last year, nearly 3 in every 4 consumers surveyed ranked “environmentally friendly business practice” as one of the most important company attributes. Meanwhile, just last month, the UK government increased its climate change targets, aiming for at least 68% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of this decade (benchmarked against 1990). 

We know the UK can’t meet its targets without business playing its part, which will inevitably mean increased regulation and financial incentives to go ‘green’. Combined with customer expectations, understanding and tackling you own environmental impacts will become ever more urgent.  Fortunately, many innovative businesses have already shown that getting ahead of the curve environmentally can not only manage your risk, but can also have significant upsides, from decreasing costs, creating market differentiation, and even developing new income streams. But that change has to be authentic, as customers are becoming quick to spot superficial ‘greenwashing’.

This session will give you the latest insights, tools and practical steps you can take to start, or advance, your sustainability journey.

Webinar 3

Working in partnership - share the load, and increase your impact - Thursday 4th February 2021, 10am - 11am

Register for "Working in partnership: Share the load, and increase your impact"

When partnering with charities or good causes, businesses can access new skills, create new products and income streams, and become associated with a cause which shows more powerfully than any amount of beautiful website prose what their values are.

When they are well thought through, with a shared vision, partnerships can deliver far more together than they can working alone, both for their businesses and the cause they choose to support. But partnerships can often take up time and feel like hard work to set up and maintain. 

So, what is the secret to creating solid partnerships that generate an engine for growth, and for good?

This webinar will give real examples of partnerships which go much further than cash donations in return for a positive press release. We’ll help you begin your journey to translate your values into the activity that attracts the partners you need, to compliment your skills, resources, and make a real and recognisable impact in your community.