There are a variety of ways in which companies can get involved with UNICEF. Some companies or their charitable foundations choose to make a corporate donation. UNICEF works closely with our partners to decide where the money goes and to publicise the donation to key stakeholders.
We can also support employee fundraising initiatives such as business unit challenges, or team events - in some cases the money raised is matched by the company.
Customer fundraising. A good example of a successful customer fundraising initiative is Starwood Hotels & Resorts who been working with UNICEF through the Check out for Children program since 1995. A dollar or its equivalent is added to the customer’s bill on check out and this money goes towards funding UNICEF’s immunisation work.
UNICEF has also benefited from cause-related marketing campaigns. For example, IKEA run a very successful 2 month campaign where one euro is given to UNICEF for every sale of soft toys during that period.
In addition to our usual long-term partnerships, many organisations choose to fundraise for UNICEF during emergency situations. Below are some of the ways your company can help us to support children involved in emergency situations worldwide:
- Make a company donation to any of our emergency appeals
- Organise a fundraising event and nominate UNICEF as beneficiary
- Ask for a banner or ad for your website to drive donations for the appeal to the UNICEF site
Skilled volunteering is where a person volunteers at a not-for-profit organisation and performs a role in which they have been specifically trained. Companies who participate in skilled volunteering can expect to increase scope for staff development as well as improving their recruitment and retention of employees. They can also expect to increase their competitive advantage through improved corporate image and reputation.
Donate prizes for Events
UNICEF Australia hold a number of events throughout the year. The two biggest of these are the UNICEF Year in Review and UNICEF Kick for Kids. If you would like to support UNICEF by donating prizes for these events then please give UNICEF Australia a call to discuss. We will acknowledge all companies who have donated prizes on the day of the event.
Contra support
Another non-monetary way of supporting UNICEF is via contra support. A successful example of a company provided UNICEF with contra support is the Australian Financial Review (AFR). The AFR has provided UNICEF Australia with significant contra advertising allowing UNICEF to advertise different appeals, events and programs throughout the year to a large audience. This is particularly appreciated at time of emergency – such as Haiti and Pakistan.
Pro-bono work
Some companies choose to support UNICEF through pro-bono work. Pro-bono refers to professional work undertaken voluntarily. One such company who supports UNICEF in this way is Zenith Optimedia. Zenith Optimedia access tens of thousands of dollars worth of pro-bono advertising space for UNICEF across different medium.
UNICEF is not funded by the UN. We rely on voluntary donations for our work with children in more than 150 developing countries and territories. With your help we can make the world a better place for all children – and create a brighter future for us all.
To discuss any of the ideas outlined above, please contact partnerships@unicef.org.au or call the partnerships team on 02 9261 2811.