Category: CSR

We are four!

1/10/2018

We're celebrating our fourth anniversary this month!

What a time to be alive! Four years of supporting small charities, social enterprises, SMEs and startups with their PR and external comms. We've been lucky enough to work with some amazing organisations and even more amazing people. Thank you to everyone who has helped us keep helping others - especially the micro charities we're able to help for free!

To mark our fourth anniversary, we answered a couple of quick questions reflecting on our time with JGC:

Jo Barr, Director

What work achievement are you most proud of from the past four years with JGC?
It is a small thing but seeing a press release about a client we have signed on PR newswire was a big thing, it was something that I always thought all the big firms did and it was a reminder that we are good at what we do and you don't have to be big to be Jolly Good at what you do.

What challenges have you overcome on your journey?
Trying to find a way to make enough money to keep going whilst doing free stuff for micro charities was always a massive challenge. We started with the idea business would sponsor a charity then we started to work for larger charities who could pay and then we eventually went full circle but with a much simpler idea. Get good charity and corporate clients, charge them a fair price, pay ourselves an ok salary and do as much free stuff as we can. It wouldn't be Jolly Good if we were not able to help micro charities for free.

How has your communications support benefitted your clients?
A press release which gains coverage can do everything from land a dog or a pony a home, land an accountant a new client or bring in funds for a start-up which needs them to grow. On a personal level it also allows people to tell their stories, share their campaigns and soft as it may sound at least try to make the world a better place. A little publicity can make a difference to a small charity or business and I still get a buzz out of seeing the coverage we get. The day that buzz goes I will too.

Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance to do it again?
I don't believe is regrets. I always tell people when we are old and grey and close to death people don't regret the things they have done they only regret the things they never tried. Few people regret that time they got drunk and danced in their underwear as much as they regret the country they never visited, the parachute jump they never made the friendship they never mended or the boy they never told they loved.
It hasn't been an easy road as I honestly didn’t think we would have charities that would not pay or honour contracts and businesses who only pretended to be good. But for the most part I would do it all again I would just learn from my mistakes much quicker. Don't take on a client when your gut screams no just because your bank balance is screaming yes. Don't believe everyone when they say they want help - some people just can't be helped if they won't let go of any control at all. Finally, opinions are great and everybody has one but don't listen to too many. You've chosen a business partner for a reason and you are still at it four years later so at the end of the day those are the only ones that really count so trust each other, support each other and as long as you are honest with each other you won't go far wrong.

What three words would you use to describe your time with JGC?
Fun, challenging and worthwhile!

Richard James, Director

What work achievement are you most proud of from the past four years with JGC?
Surviving to year four is a real achievement in itself, but I think getting my first by-line on an article was a standout moment for me and one that gave me the confidence to trust my ideas – and keep writing!

What challenges have you overcome on your journey?
A constant challenge is getting people to loosen their grip and let us take the wheel when it comes to their communications, especially with small charities. It still surprises me how often we are approached for help by people who actually aren’t really ready, willing or able to accept it.

How has your communications support benefitted your clients?
There are countless examples of great coverage from the past four years, both for commercial clients and the feelgood charity ones. Yet I think probably the biggest impact we’ve had on clients is getting them to think more openly about the potential for press and public relations to benefit their business in more ways than simply driving traffic to their website.
I am a firm believer that a good story told well means more to people than clicks or impressions, it can just take time for them to realise that.

Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance to do it again?
I think we’ve learnt from every experience along the way, but given the chance I would have us place more value on our services from the get-go. For too long we didn’t ‘own’ what we have to offer and we were only doing ourselves a disservice.

What three words would you use to describe your time with JGC?
Engaging, challenging, rewarding

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Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Here’s Why Your Company Should Support Small Charities

5/3/2018

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The benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and charitable initiatives are well documented, from advantages in recruitment and employee engagement, to improved positioning in the marketplace, with over half of British adults more inclined to buy a product or use a service from a company that donates to charitable causes. But how do you choose which charity is right for you?

There are over 160,000 registered charities in the UK, with roughly 97% of them having an income of less than £1m a year. Yet when it comes time to pick a charity to support, businesses all-too-often opt for the biggest, best-known organisations. It’s a problem over 50% of small charities believe is their main obstacle to raising funds – and it’s not just a matter of perception, either. Household names such as the RSPCA, NSPCC, Cancer Research UK account for almost half of the total £37bn raised ever year by the charity sector.

The reasons are obvious. Brand visibility and exposure help to cement their place in the public’s consciousness, and tackling universal issues like cancer or child abuse gives them widespread appeal. But if you look beyond the big names you’ll find small charities have a lot more going for them than you might expect, and present a great opportunity for any company looking to change or introduce an approach to CSR. Here’s why.

You’d be surprised what they can achieve
More and more small charities are broadening their areas of operations. Between 1999 and 2014 there was over a 250% increase in the number of UK charities working overseas, a great example being Music as Therapy International. Despite a modest budget last year their music projects reached over 17,000 vulnerable people in eight countries worldwide, including several communities within the UK.
Just because a charity is small, doesn’t mean it can’t have impressive reach and impact.

It could be the start of a beautiful relationship
The bigger the charity name, the more likely it is to already receive support from other companies. Choosing a lesser known, smaller cause can help to differentiate you from your competitors, and build a genuine connection between your organisations.
This is significant because a strong relationship between a charity and sponsor can be the gift that keeps on giving – for both parties. They might not have the biggest turnover or profile today, but a well-run small charity has bags of potential to grow in size, stature and influence. If you can play a major part in their story, their success will be yours to share.

Your donation really will make a difference
The purpose of charitable giving is to make a difference, but is your contribution a game-changer, or just another drop in the ocean to finance large salaries, marketing and admin budgets?
One 2015 report found over 1,000 large charities spent less than 50% of their income on charitable activities, which should be a cause for concern for anyone serious about CSR.
By comparison, many small charities are run by dedicated trustees and willing volunteers with no wage bill to speak of. This is the case with dog rescue and re-homing charity Finding Furever Homes, who in their first three years have re-homed almost 500 dogs, and donated over £100,000 to cover the vet and food bills of dogs in rescues throughout the UK. Organisations like these are run on a shoestring; so if you want to know your support is really going to make a difference, think small charity for a big impact.

Where to start?
Picking a charity can be a very personal choice, but once a decision is made on the type of cause, there really is no substitute for doing your homework. A charity’s recent accounts can be found through the Charity Commission, or you could simple call or pay them a visit to discuss their needs and how you could help. But remember, regardless of whom you choose to support, it’s doing it that counts.

[You can also find this post on CEO Today]

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We are four!

We're celebrating our fourth anniversary this month!

Jo Barr, Director

Richard James, Director

Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Here’s Why Your Company Should Support Small Charities

Jgc

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