Written by Aggie Warren

How to have a positive social impact at work

3rd July, 2025 •

In today’s world, business is not just about profits. There is an imperative to have a positive social impact. And this is not just because we all have a responsibility in living on this planet to make it a better place. There’s a strong business-case for it too:

77% of consumers say they’re motivated to buy from companies committed to making the world better.

Over half of consumers say they have stopped using a product because of the organisation’s stand (or lack of) on a social issue.

Employee engagement can be 23% higher, and turnover 52% lower among staff participating in company social‑impact initiatives .

So when you do good, you’re more likely to win new business, keep old business, and have happier teams too.

But how do you do it…

How can you have more of a positive social impact?

1. Define your purpose

Start by clearly defining the impact you want to have. This should align with your organisation’s values.

Do you want to focus on a single cause that resonates deeply with your mission? Or support a range of initiatives that reflect your broader commitment to social good?

At Higson, we choose to support three incredible charities that align with our values and our mission to have a positive lasting impact on both people and planet:

Free to be Kids, which does incredible work supporting vulnerable children in London and giving them back a sense of joy and self-confidence
You Make It, which is an award-winning charity empowering women from racialised communities
And Cool Earth, which takes a people-first approach to protecting the rainforest and tackling the climate crisis at its root.

By focusing on three carefully chosen partners, we’re able to maximise our support without stretching ourselves too thin. Each partnership allows us to live out our values in meaningful and measurable ways.

2. Think holistically about how you can support

Making a difference isn’t just about financial contributions – although they definitely help! Think about the best way you can support your cause:

Time – Time can be one of the most valuable contributions. Whether it’s giving your team time off to volunteer, helping to organise an event or fundraiser, or simply showing up to support a cause in person. For example, we donate our time to Free to be Kids by helping them organise their annual summer fundraiser – and it’s one of our favourite events of the year! The event brings together sponsors and supporters (both current and potential), the Free to be Kids team, and the kids and families that they support – as both a celebration of the wonderful work the charity does and a call to action.
Money – Consistent financial support gives charities the stability to plan, grow, and create lasting change. We commit to donating 20% of our profits to our partner charities, ensuring they have the resources to continue their important work.
Resources – What skills or expertise could you offer to help that organisation have an even bigger impact? It could be offering strategic advice, or free consultations about their branding. We offer free coaching and workshops to charities of our choosing to support the people who are making the difference in their work. As an example, we proudly supported Vavengers this year with a workshop on productivity and resilience – providing them strategies to balance workload with wellbeing.

By diversifying the ways in which you give back, you amplify your impact and create more opportunities for your people to get involved.

3. Empower your employees

A strong social impact strategy isn’t just top-down, it should be driven by your people; empower your employees to choose the causes they care about and how they want to contribute.

At Higson, we are encouraged to take time off to volunteer, and to offer a charity of our choosing workshops to help develop their people skills and support their culture. This allows us to choose causes that are really personal to us.

This autonomy not only increases employee engagement, but also fosters a culture of ownership and purpose.