Op-Ed: Corporate commitment to social purpose remains surprisingly steady, but employee giving has fallen off track
Why It Matters
Employee generosity is a critical bridge between corporate commitments and community impact. Without it, non-profits face shrinking revenue and rising costs, leaving social purpose organizations more vulnerable at a time of growing need.
By Sona Kholsa, Chief Impact Officer, Benevity and Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer, Giving Tuesday
People’s sense of financial stability has been rocked this year by political, economic, and cultural currents, yet corporate commitment to purpose and social impact has remained steady. Benevity’s data shows that companies are largely maintaining their commitments to social impact and are pulling back far less than their quieter public stance might imply.
However, other indicators show employee giving is becoming more fragile, as employees are contributing fewer dollars than they have in the past.
A Drop in Employee Donations
As of this summer, fewer than half of employees using Benevity’s platform are donating their own money through workplace-giving programs, this trend is continuing to decline steadily. If this trajectory persists, the forecast indicates that only 43 per cent of employees will contribute from their own paycheques through workplace giving programs within the first quarter of 2026.
This downward slide represents a hidden vulnerability. With inflation impacting personal spending, compounded by companies actively promoting employee-matching campaigns earlier this year, the gap between need and funding has widened. In fact, this year, non-profits are facing a dual crisis: shrinking revenue and increasing operational pressures.
Data from the Charity Insights Canada Project indicate that from 2023 to 2024, non-profit organizations reported a significant increase in their turnover rates, from 27 per cent to 39 per cent. Tariffs are also affecting Canadian non-profits: higher costs on imported medical supplies, food, and other essential goods.
Calling on Companies
Corporate social purpose isn’t only about corporations writing checks: it’s about mobilizing one of their biggest assets – their people – to spark change through their generosity. And when companies do this, it has been shown to drive positive business outcomes in the form of decreased employee turnover, increased likelihood of promotion, and improved team performance.
While 65 per cent of Fortune 500 companies still offer matching gift programs, a large fraction of eligible employee donors don’t know that their company offers matching. According to Double the Donation, 78 per cent of donors are unaware whether their employer has a matching-gift program. The downward trajectory in employee donations can be mitigated by inviting and empowering employees to give.
Here’s how companies can meet the moment:
- Internal communications matter: Companies that actively promote matching gift programs see dramatic results—one e‑commerce firm boosted donations 56 per cent year‑over‑year. In contrast, a pharmaceutical company saw 90 per cent growth in a single day. Yet only 19 per cent of organizations give these programs more than a paragraph in employee materials. Promoting matching and volunteering rewards is the most powerful way to increase impact without raising budgets.
- Recurring giving: Subscriptions drive entertainment and convenience—why not generosity? Recurring donors are still under two per cent of new supporters. Raising workplace recurring giving by just five points could add $10 billion annually to non-profits.
- Collective action moments: A Benevity all-hands challenge asked employees to donate within one minute; 76 per cent participated, setting a company record and sparking positive buzz from the shared experience.
- Leadership commitment: When leaders model giving, employees tend to follow suit. At Microsoft, Satya Nadella has embedded the concept of “giving back” into the company’s culture through an annual October campaign and a year-round program that matches employee donations of time, money, and skills.
Unlocking billions more
Since 2012, GivingTuesday has inspired people to donate more than $18.5 billion in the U.S. alone. But the real goal is to make that spirit of generosity part of everyday life. For example, more than 26 million Americans work for companies with donation-matching programs, but according to Double the Donation, as much as $7 billion in potential matching funds goes unused every year. Imagine what unlocking that generosity could do for company culture and civil society.
Turning Data into Action
The data is clear: corporate commitment to social purpose remains constant, but employee giving in the workplace is at risk. Now is the time for companies to turn stability into momentum, to empower employees, elevate non-profits, and reignite the changemaker spirit that keeps purpose alive. After all, it’s not just good for the community; it’s also good for business.
Tell us this made you smarter | Contact us | Report error
