Social Investment Strategy
A Social Investment Strategy sets out how a company will use its skills, expertise and resources to respond to community needs and create positive social impact.
Expectations of business are increasing. Employees, customers, communities, investors and public-sector partners increasingly want companies to demonstrate the social value they create. Social impact and community benefit are also becoming more prominent in procurement and tender processes.
Adopting a strategic approach can strengthen employee engagement, build relationships with communities, support customer engagement and protect a company’s licence to operate. For businesses delivering infrastructure or development projects, early community engagement can also build trust and reduce the risk of delays.
Developing a Social Investment Strategy
Business in the Community Ireland works with members to design or refresh comprehensive and impactful Social Investment Strategies. The aim is to move from ad hoc or siloed activities to a clear approach aligned with the company’s purpose, values and wider business objectives.
Our approach considers what the business can uniquely contribute and develops initiatives that respond to genuine need. It brings greater coherence to a company’s activities and provides a clear narrative connecting:
- Business drivers and social priorities.
- Community needs and stakeholder or charity partners perspectives.
- Existing activities and partnerships.
- Employee interests, skills and experience.
- Financial and non-financial resources.
- The outcomes and impacts the company wants to achieve.
Business in the Community Ireland brings structured frameworks, independent insights and extensive experience of community engagement. The company brings its expertise, resources and understanding of its stakeholders. Together, these support the development of relevant, practical and measurable social investment.
How BITCI Supports Members
Strategy, Partnerships and Programmes
A Social Investment Strategy provides the long-term direction for a company’s community engagement. Individual partnerships and programmes sit beneath the strategy and translate it into action.
Over the lifetime of a multi-year strategy, a company may deliver several programmes or partnerships while remaining focused on the same overarching social objectives.
Business in the Community Ireland can support the development of the overall strategy, the design of individual programmes or the creation of strategic charity and community partnerships. Individual stages can also be delivered as standalone workshops.
Flagship Charity Partnerships
A Flagship Charity Partnership is a strategic relationship between a business and a charity or non-profit organisation, typically lasting at least two to three years.
These partnerships can include financial investment, employee volunteering and fundraising, professional expertise, in-kind support and shared programmes with measurable outcomes.
Business in the Community Ireland helps companies define their objectives, identify suitable organisations, manage a fair selection process and establish the foundations for an effective long-term partnership.
Take a look at our Corporate Volunteering Opportunities here.
Eason
To deepen their community engagement, Eason recently partnered with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) as their new charity partner.
The partnership, which includes an annual donation, a range of fundraising and volunteering initiatives, and collection mechanisms both in-store and online, is an exciting new chapter for Eason.
The partnership followed a 10-month process undertaken with BITCI to explore and define the Eason’s approach to community engagement. Working closely with BITCI, Eason set out clear criteria for their ideal partner, considering themes, potential outcomes, and alignment with their values. Through this process, they shortlisted four organisations and invited them to present to a working group before selecting ISPCC.
The collaboration is set to make a significant impact. Brendan Corbett, Eason’s Head of Marketing, reflected on the process, saying: “BITCI’s guidance was invaluable. They supported us in addressing key factors and setting robust criteria for this partnership, which led to our selection of ISPCC. We’re thrilled to start this journey and would highly recommend BITCI’s expertise to any business exploring similar opportunities.”
With the partnership now underway, Eason and ISPCC are looking forward to building a strong and impactful relationship in the years ahead.
Business Benefits of Social Investment
A strategic approach to social investment can help a company:
- Strengthen employee attraction, engagement and retention.
- Build trust and relationships with communities.
- Respond to customer and stakeholder expectations.
- Demonstrate social value in tenders and procurement.
- Strengthen its reputation and licence to operate.
- Build credible evidence of social impact.
Develop a Social Investment Strategy
Talk to us about developing or refreshing your Social Investment Strategy, designing a community programme or establishing a strategic charity partnership.
jodonnell@bitc.ie 
