New platform matches community projects with corporate sponsors

A new platform has launched to help matchmake community projects with relevant corporate sponsors and volunteers.

Neighbourly.com is the brainchild of Nick Davies, the online social network’s ceo. “Expenditure on CSR is no longer seen as a detriment to a company’s profitability,” he commented. “CSR has evolved from being an unloved, isolated part of a company to something more profound that’s changing the way companies do business everyday – and increasingly investors view such expenditure as essential to a company’s long-term brand and value.”

He highlights the lower rate of corporate giving as a case in point: “The unfortunate reality is that UK companies just aren’t involved enough in philanthropic activity. The Lottery Fund gives more than all the biggest companies’ donations combined – and US corporate donations in the USA are about 14 times higher than here.”

He believes that neighbourly.com can help democratise and increase corporate giving.

Corporate giants Starbucks and Marks & Spencer are among the first companies to sign up.

“Our founding values since 1971 have been to use our scale for good and be a force for positive action in the communities we serve,” said Simon Redfern, director corporate affairs for Starbucks in Europe.

"The neighbourly.com platform is really powerful for us and will improve our ability to support local community projects, as well as celebrate the support already taking place. Our partners (employees) are going to love this new initiative which will help them do more in their local patch.”

Carmel McQuaid, head of responsible business, Marks & Spencer, added: “Neighourly.com is a perfect way for us to elevate our level of community involvement. It provides us with an easier and clearer way of understanding what a project is doing at a local level – and offering it some practical assistance. It gives us a chance of saying ‘yes’ more often.”