Philanthropic partnerships vital for businesses

New business-NFP partnership to help vulnerable families gain secure housing

Businesses are being encouraged to actively help the communities they operate in by partnering with not for profits that align with their vision.  

Grant Emanuel, marketing director, international at Chamberlain Group, spoke to Pro Bono News following the announcement of a partnership between Chamberlain brand Merlin and NFP Habitat for Humanity.

Merlin – which specialises in garage door automation – is working with Habitat for Humanity to help provide safe and secure housing for families in need, especially those affected by the bushfire crisis.

Through the partnership Merlin will provide funds to the NFP, while also offering support though volunteered hours from staff and partners to complete housing and community projects.

Emanuel said these kinds of philanthropic partnerships were vital to the success of companies, which often talked a lot about culture and “how businesses will help their communities [without] a lot of action”.

“Employees look very closely at how companies operate and what they represent when choosing to work for them, stay employed with them and work harder for them,” Emanuel said.

“We also believe it’s the same for customers. Customers are placing more importance on how genuine companies are in their agendas and how they help communities, and will often gravitate towards companies they see actively supporting their community.”

Emanuel said his company was deeply passionate about pursuing activities that positively impacted the communities it worked in.

He said this partnership came about because providing a safe and secure home was a vision shared by both Merlin and Habitat for Humanity.

“Both companies are passionate about providing a safe place to live for all people in our community, and value the importance of safety and home security, so we really felt as though the partnership was perfectly aligned,” he said.

Merlin is matching international donations from its employees worldwide, and will donate $10,000 towards Habitat’s bushfire response efforts in the Cudlee Creek region of Adelaide Hills, where more than 80 homes have been lost.

The company will also participate in Habitat’s “Brush with Kindness” volunteering program, which assists with the shelter needs of vulnerable people and helps build, repair and restore homes.

Zoe Nelson-Carey, head of partnerships at Habitat for Humanity, said Merlin’s team approach to supporting its work was extremely beneficial.

“Financial support is essential to achieving change for those in need, but so too is the time people generously provide and the power of personal experiences to help spread the word about the support we provide to the community,” Nelson-Carey said.

“With the generous support of corporate partners, we’re able to make a deep impact on the lives of thousands of communities in Australia and around the world.”