Cognition24, Employee Culture, Employee Experience
10 November 2021
‘Companies can do more than just make money. They can serve others.’
Mark Benioff, chair and CEO of Salesforce, is talking about Pledge 1%, a global movement that encourages and empowers companies of all sizes and stages to donate 1% of their staff time, product profit and/or equity to any charity of their choosing.
Salesforce is one of the companies championing this initiative, and the ethos of giving back has really resonated with us here at Cognition24. We all have families and friends who, at some time in their lives, have needed, or may need, help and support, and we want to do the same for others where we can. Pledge 1% is the perfect platform to enable us to do that.
The team at Pledge 1% work with companies to map out a timeline and giving plan that aligns with your values and larger business goals. Thousands of companies around the world, from corporations to startups, have taken the pledge to push the movement forward. Joining the movement will help your company with the international drive for economic and social change.
Supporting the community is at the heart of Cognition24’s core values and our head of marketing, Vicky Bradford, is donating 1% of her time to Hitchin-based charity GRIT – Growing Resilience in Teens. Working with founder Dr Louise Randall, Vicky will use her expertise to help promote awareness of the charity by growing its social media presence.
‘As a mother of teenagers, I’m only too aware of the pressures on young people and how vulnerable they are,’ says Vicky. ‘Anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and other mental health issues are on the increase. GRIT combines therapy with boxing to help adolescents deal with their emotions. They need funding, so that they can help more young adults and I want to do everything I can to support their work. I recently raised £1000 by doing the Three Peaks challenge, but I want to do more. Pledging my time and skills to increase awareness of the charity is the perfect way to do this. And won’t give me as many blisters!’
There are many ways people can volunteer their time. When you join Pledge 1%, you’ll get access to case studies, resources and one-to-one guidance on how to implement the volunteer programme that’s right for your company.
Like Vicky, you could volunteer your skills, or you could do more traditional volunteering, such as cleaning up a beach, serving meals at a local shelter or building homes. These could be done as a team-building exercise or as individual projects, always for the charity of your choice.
You could also set up an intern programme to help people with diverse backgrounds gain skills and experience through mentorship. Another option is to help grow the Pledge 1% movement by becoming an ambassador and speaking at conferences and events.
However you choose to donate your time, Pledge 1% will work with you to develop a programme that works for your company culture and long-term goals. And remember, 1% of a 40-hour week is only 20 minutes, so is very achievable.
As well as, or instead of, time, companies can support the movement by pledging 1% of their product. Again, the team will work with you to reach the best model for your company and will provide you with case studies, best practices and partner connections to ensure you set up a programme that makes the most sense for your business.
Product can be given in their existing form, in a form revamped specifically for nonprofits, as hardware/goods, or by giving discounts/donations to the organisations of your choice.
Companies also have the option to Pledge 1% of equity, either company equity or personal equity, or to donate profit – 1% or whatever’s right for you – or a portion of revenue. Pledge 1% will provide you with best practices on how and where to allocate funds and help you determine how best to manage and distribute your funds.
Pledge 1% recognises that companies are at different stages and will work with you to choose the programme that’s best for you and your values. For more information, visit www.pledge1percent.org. Better still, sign up to the movement and give your staff and company an additional sense of purpose. Add value to your business by providing value to others.
