At its heart at BNI New Zealand we have the philosophy of Givers Gain®. The idea that by giving back, business will come to you.
Philanthropy isn’t so much a duty that businesses must fulfil, rather it is something that is mutually beneficial to you and your local community.
In our experience, charitable acts of kindness spread very quickly – a simple act of caring creates an endless ripple effect.
Spreading Kindness
Every business will have a variety of ways to develop a charitable mission. Whether you are trying to raise money for a good cause, do something positive for the environment or support local communities, no act of kindness is too small.
How can you build philanthropy into your business and spread kindness?
- Be generous and others will be generous, too. You can’t expect others to be generous and invested in your cause if you don’t invest in it yourself. Part of the reason projects are successful is because they are transparent, and people can see exactly what you are donating and how you get there.
- Build exciting projects that people can get involved in. Get creative and start something applicable to your business that will gain traction. Try to be inclusive and build a community. This community should be engaged with your content and invested in your mission. It’s an incredible opportunity for you and your team to be involved in something that you are really proud of.
- Don’t be afraid to spread the word. A cynic might presume that the only reason to shout about your philanthropic mission is for some good publicity. While this is undeniably a benefit, it should come more as a side effect. If you’re serious about your charitable mission, the most beneficial thing you can do to get people involved, raise more funds and spread kindness is to shout about it.We have so many BNI New Zealand members who are involved in philanthropy and initiatives around it. For example, Branché Landscapes of BNI Parnell are in the process of producing a book on beautiful landscapes and gardens that philanthropists have created.
They are interviewing entrepreneurs and philanthropists from around the world, including the BNI founders Beth and Ivan Misner from the US. They’ve been inspired by these philanthropists and their incredible gardens.
Why not for your next 60 seconds use philanthropy as a theme, so members can relay how their business admires, is inspired by or involved in efforts? It might have an impact on other members’ perspectives on how they are operating, and the mindset they have about doing business.
