Without question, our radically changing environment has impacted how we embrace brands operating for the greater good. It is now imperative for business to think differently about corporate citizenship. Shannon de Laat and Daniella Macri, co-founders of The Virtue Project - a comms agency specializing in mission-driven brands and organizations - share their insights and advice for doing so successfully. 

The Virtue Project panel

The Virtue Project has been embraced by powerhouses in the nonprofit world who value our approach of amplifying their stories and exposing them to new audiences. We believe that mutually beneficial partnerships with brands can help our nonprofit friends to exponentially increase their impact. This is why we’ve shifted our focus to helping brands discover their purpose, and work with nonprofits to help amplify it both internally and externally.  

Nonprofits are under more pressure than ever to continue serving their vulnerable communities, offering brands an opportunity to support during this current crisis. Here are four key tips we discuss with our clients when exploring nonprofit partnerships: 

1. Number one, always: does your organization have a clear sense of its purpose, vision, mission and values? And if so, does it align with those of the nonprofit? Does it feel authentic?   
2. Engage employees or other stakeholders and crowdsource what they feel most passionate about, which is also tied to the organization’s overall purpose. The more engaged they are, the more impactful the partnership can be.  
3. How can you truly add value? The good out there already exists. Avoid the time and resources needed to create something net new. Financial donations aren’t the only option. If you have products, services, capacity or even intellectual property that can help during this time, then now is the time to open source your brand.   
4. Lastly, this is a two-way street for everyone involved. Nonprofits are a hugely valuable resource that can offer intel and expertise on how best to handle custom impact strategies. They can be among your most valuable partners at the table, but only if they are treated as such will the full value of the relationship be realized.  

History has proven we are resilient, and with collective efforts, we believe we’ll emerge stronger and help lift others up who need it most. What matters is how we all use our powers and voices to foster empathy that creates a lasting impact for our communities.