Learning How to Impact the Community Through Strategic Corporate Events

It’s no secret that many employees and individuals expect corporate America to be more socially responsible and invest in initiatives beyond the balance sheet. Strategically planning community impact events will help your organization achieve corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and build deeper bonds with your people and consumers. 

By prioritizing the community impact of an event in innovative ways, your organization will build meaningful relationships with communities and combat environmental, social, and governmental (ESG) issues. 

Examples of community-building initiatives as part of a broader corporate meeting or event include assembling care packages for troops overseas, partnering with local shelters to donate needed products, and cleaning up trash in local markets. The list is lengthy, but what’s important is to find meaningful ways to make an impact that is aligned with your goals and culture. In addition to fulfilling CSR expectations, motivational team-building activities focused on the community will foster camaraderie that increases productivity in the workplace. In fact, 64% of employees believe volunteering with coworkers strengthens their work relationships.

How to Design Events with Community Impact

Some strategies that will help you shape your corporate event experience and drive meaningful outcomes for both your business and targeted communities include:

Identify Community Needs

If you don’t already have existing charitable initiatives to work toward, do some homework to discover community-wide challenges that your company could combat with its corporate event. Some tactics for finding local issues that align with your organization’s initiatives are:

• Work with your event partners who have experience in specific markets
• Talk to your hotel who has a pulse on what current needs are
• Do a quick scan of local news reports and local charitable organizations 

After compiling initiatives that make sense to focus on during your event, poll attendees to gauge what they are the most passionate about.

Encourage Your People to Volunteer

Approximately 28% of people say work-related commitments keep them from volunteering. Maximize participation by incorporating optional volunteering opportunities into your corporate event, such as:

• Community clean-ups
• Tree-planting
• Care package packing stations
• Mentorship opportunities
• Food, clothes, or toy drives
• Blood drives

In addition to benefiting the community, encouraging volunteer opportunities will also increase employee satisfaction, directly affecting talent retention. Employees who participate in employer-sponsored volunteer programs are more satisfied with their jobs, creating a deeper connection and engagement.

Focus on Inclusivity & Accessibility

Designing more inclusive corporate events will significantly impact your overall brand experience. By accommodating varying abilities and different learning styles, you will make your event’s offerings feel welcoming to diverse groups. The same applies when incorporating community events. Consider different abilities to allow those who are willing to contribute, which goes beyond just physical abilities. Consider those who may not do well in loud, chaotic environments or those who are sensitive to outdoor activities and heat.  

Measure & Communicate Impact

Set clear, measurable goals during the early planning stages of community impact events. For example, you should quantify the desired level of impact by setting numerical targets, such as the number of volunteers, items donated, trees planted, or money raised for a local cause. Then, post-event, share success stories and data to showcase results and inspire others to support the community.

An experienced event planning agency like CPG will help organizations develop the right event strategy for their community impact and CSR goals, ensuring the best possible results.

Types of Corporate Events That Drive Community Impact

The community impact of an event will look different for each corporate event format. Beyond incorporating into a larger event, brands can make an impact with specific community events as part of their overall event strategy, including: 

• Fundraisers and Charity Drives – Host events to support local causes or collect donations. For example, a benefit gala may raise funds to renovate a community center or expand a food bank.
• Educational Workshops and Seminars – Offer resources or training to community members. For instance, a tech company may host free coding workshops for young students seeking mentorship and skill development.
• Environmental Initiatives – Organize clean-up drives or tree-planting events. For example, a "Green Fair" would foster eco-conscious behaviors and beautify the local area through recycling drives and sustainable living activities.
• Disaster Relief and Recovery Events – Support recovery efforts after natural disasters. For example, donation drives or care packages can equip community centers with the resources to help affected individuals.

Encourage different teams to get involved in the planning, such as Employee Resource Groups, DEI teams, or education teams. 

Request Input From Your Employees

Harvard Business Review conducted interviews about employees’ experiences in corporate volunteer programs. During this time, employees stated that volunteer initiatives were most fulfilling when their companies considered their input when deciding which causes to support. That's why it’s important to survey your team to gauge their preferred formats.

Innovative Engagement Strategies

Community impact events thrive on participation. Familiarize yourself with the types of corporate events that engage employees and strategies that will promote meaningful participation, such as:

• Incorporate Interactive Experiences – Include workshops, live demonstrations, or service projects throughout the event.
• Rely on Engaging Storytelling – Invite speakers with enticing personal stories that inspire attendees.
• Include Various Participation Options – Use digital platforms to increase outreach and give attendees different ways to interact and submit their input.
• Create Shared Value – Use the power of shared moments to create belief and connection and ensure everyone involved, including partnered organizations and attendees, benefits from the event.

Ensuring Authenticity 

Even if they positively impact a community, an organization may still have challenges if they are not prioritizing authenticity. In fact, only 9% of people say they always believe corporate claims about being socially responsible. It is essential to be genuine, transparent, and intentional—some steps that will help you achieve that include:

• Sharing clear goals and outcomes with appropriate parties.
• Partnering with credible local organizations to build trust.
• Committing to ongoing support beyond the event.

Sharing content and results from the corporate event will greatly enhance your organization’s image if you ensure the event reflects your philanthropic mission authentically.

Drive Positive Change With Purposeful Event Planning

Community impact events offer a unique opportunity to align corporate goals with ESG efforts. Businesses will leave lasting positive impressions by rethinking their event strategy and prioritizing community impact. 

Partnering with CPG Agency, an experienced experiential agency, will ensure your event is strategically designed to benefit your organization and the communities you serve. Whether you need help setting and measuring corporate event goals, aligning CSR objectives with ESG issues, or engaging attendees, our team will help you deliver the largest community impact with your corporate event.

Reach out to CPG to learn more.