Solidarity companies are those that collaborate in various ways with organizations that have social aims. They provide funding and also advice and ideas to generate positive change in the most neglected societies.
Businesses tend to be distanced from social organizations when it comes to their objectives and the way in which they impact on society and on the planet. However, in recent years, we have seen a convergence and a new paradigm through which the private sector makes and contributes to efforts to have a positive effect on numerous social causes.
We refer to solidarity companies, which have the improvement of the surroundings in which they operate embedded in their DNA. This may happen through altruistic activities, donations, or directly organizing activities of a social nature.
Solidarity companies. How can they help?
There are different ways in which businesses can collaborate with social organizations. Support is not exclusively limited to donating money, given that these businesses can:
- fund a complete project or some of its activities
- offer know-how and innovative proposals
- collaborate pro bono
- sponsor events with social aims
- spread the work of social organizations
Furthermore, many organizations with social aims have their own initiatives to channel these collaborations with solidarity companies. In 2019 at Anesvad Foundation we set up the Businesses Advance Fund to resolve the urgent needs of healthcare centres in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, and Benin. These centres, for the most part, are located in zones that are difficult to access and face a shortage of medical supplies; they do not have running water, and have few healthcare providers. Thanks to the thousand-odd businesses and collectives that support us, we are supplying various centres with basic medical materials to alleviate shortages.
This is one of many examples of collaboration that solidarity companies can perform. If you are a business we invite you to sign up to this movement to improve the lives of millions of people.
