An Active Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility
In a world with 24/7 media and information at our fingertips; an organisation’s reputation is not only defined by its relationship with customers and staff but with the wider public. Does the organisation benefit society or take away from it?
Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR can be defined as a business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders and the public.
Charitable activities and support of worthy causes are a positive way that an organisation can forge a reputation for corporate social responsibility.
A UK survey commissioned by Foresters found that 89% thought that businesses should support their local community and 47% were more likely to buy from a company that donated money to charity.
Whilst a simple way to do this would be through charitable donation; companies are increasingly recognising the benefits of CSR team building activities which actively engage staff in the company’s CSR ethos whilst providing other team building benefits for morale, cohesion and productivity.
Furthermore, employees and job seekers have increasing expectations of companies in terms of their CSR reputation. SIA partners found that 60% of U.S employees want to work for companies with a culture supportive of giving and volunteering, and 86% of millennials would consider taking a pay cut to work for companies that share their values. This is supported by responses from companies with 86% of companies reporting that their employees expect them to provide engagement opportunities out in the community.
It is perhaps unsurprising then that at Team Tactics, we have seen a 150% increase in CSR team building event bookings between 2019 and 2022.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility Team Building?
CSR Team Building Activities are activities in which participants work together towards an end goal that will benefit wider society – often by helping charitable causes. Such team activities can also have additional benefits for participants including improving relationships and transferable skills that will be beneficial in the work place.
The benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility Team Building
- Benefiting a good cause
- Strengthening the company’s CSR reputation
- Boosting staff morale
- Improved relationships within the team
- Improving productivity through staff morale, cohesion and skill development
Corporate Social Responsibility Team Building Event Ideas
The six team building event ideas below bring participants together to make something tangible that will directly make a difference to the lives of those in need – whether it is for a local community cause, elsewhere in the UK, or a developing country. These collaborative activities will all encourage better teamwork and stronger relationships between colleagues. Combining fun, teamwork and an altruistic goal – they are rewarding on many levels.
Wheels for Walkies
“Wheels for Walkies” is all about lending a helping paw to our four legged friends who are struggling to get around; whether they have been in an accident, are suffering from a degenerative condition or aren’t as young as they used to be. Working in teams, you will construct high-quality dog-wheel chairs that will give man’s best friend a new lease of life, allowing them to walk, run, fetch and play again!
The event begins with an initial briefing during which your group will learn all about the charity and the animals your group will be helping. Assembling the wheelchairs is not only rewarding but is an ideal task for developing practical team-working skills. The event is more than a simple assembly task, as teams must complete a range of fun challenges to earn the parts for their chairs.
The wheelchairs you will assemble are top-of-the-range models featuring ultra-lightweight highly durable parts. The event package includes distribution of your finished chairs to your chosen charity – no fetching required!
Build a Bike for Charity
Bring fun to the lives of youngsters with less by building a bike for charity. This is an empowering activity of many parts with teams not only working together to build high-quality bikes, but competing in a range of challenges across the event to acquire the parts they need to build the bikes….
Reuse
Be a make-do mechanic as you try to create a working belt from an old tyre.
All Ability
Guide your blindfolded teammate around an outdoor obstacle course on a tricycle
Team Tyre Challenge
Test your pit-lane prowess by attempting to remove and refit a bike tyre inner-tube in the fastest time.
Slow Race
How slow can you go? Test your skill and balance, competing to be the slowest rider in a BMX race.
At the end of the event, all bikes are thoroughly checked before they are donated to your charity of choice.
The Hand Project
The Hand Project is an amazing opportunity to assemble prosthetic hands for people with missing limbs in developing countries.
It is not only a chance to make a huge difference but a fun and challenging technical team task.
Your day begins by learning more about those you will be helping as you watch an inspiring video featuring people whose lives have been transformed by The Hand Project and their stories.
The build itself involves 50 pieces of high-grade metal and plastic that you will assemble to create a finished prosthetic hand. You will also create a personalised carry bag with a message to the recipient.
The cost of the event covers the transport of the finished hands to recipients around the world and the fitting of the hands to the grateful recipient by doctors and volunteers.
The Apprentice Charity Team Building Treasure Hunt
Powered by a high-tech GPS app, Team Tactics treasure hunts take your team on a challenge-busting, riddle-solving, pose-striking treasure hunt around an iconic London location. Only by unlocking every location hotspot can you complete all the challenges.
Our Apprentice Charity Treasure Hunt will put apprentice credentials to the test as you battle to find as many high quality products for your budget as possible. All your gathered treasure will be donated to Porchlight – Kent’s largest homeless charity – helping the homeless and vulnerable with no wear to go.
After a day of entrepreneurial acquisitions, you will leave with a heap of fun memories, hilarious photos and the knowledge that you helped someone in need.
Cooking for the Homeless
Don your apron and chef’s hat as your team takes to the kitchen to prepare fantastic food together with the help of professional chefs. After your culinary exploits, you can relax and enjoy your creations with a tipple or two. However, you won’t just be cooking for each other but making double portions, half for your team and half so that someone without a home can also enjoy a fantastic cooked meal.
Cooking dishes from a delicious European or Asian menu; you will be amazed at what you will achieve. Although working in a professional kitchen at a Central London venue; our professional chefs help create a relaxed atmosphere where the creative juices can flow. Participants will develop their creativity, teamwork and confidence.
After dishing up, your team will sit down together to toast and enjoy what you have collectively made while the extra portions are distributed through homeless charities to those in need.
Build a Wendy House for Charity
Brighten the lives of children by building something they will love. Teams will plan, build and paint their Wendy House as well as take part in additional challenges. The Wendy House can be donated to a charity or local cause of your choice and we are happy to help with recommendations. Underprivileged children, hospices and schools have all been helped by this activity.
All parts, paints, tools and protective clothing is supplied for the event and are fully child friendly as well as being safe to work with in an enclosed environment. The event can be run indoors or outdoors throughout the UK
This is a creative and practical team task with a tangible end result. Participants will leave with a sense of pride and knowing that they have made something that will make a difference.
