Technology has had a huge positive impact in the last few decades on the lives of many, but it has not reached everyone. As clearly presented in Ehsanollah Bayat’s blog, successful businesses can use technology to help many people who may not have access to the latest developments. One good example is the collaboration between the Starkey Foundation and other organizations to give hearing aids to thousands of people who have lived their lives in silent isolation.
Corporate Giving
Corporate philanthropy not only helps the people who receive it have better lives, it also builds the local community creating a better base from which the company draws employees. When a corporation has a strong philanthropic policy, it attracts better employees because they want to work for a company that cares about society. Most employees prefer to work for a company that supports a cause or charity, and they look for that when they are job hunting.
Studies show that employees who volunteer on pro bono projects gain significant job-related skills and are more productive, with higher engagement levels that those employees who don’t participate in charitable giving.
Corporations not only give from their own cash-flow, they encourage their employees to give by using technology to engage employees in corporate charity campaigns. Technology is used to provide feedback on how the contributions are used and to promote volunteer opportunities. The main areas where corporations see their responsibility are in social services that help individuals, environmental causes to reduce pollution, community development to create a more educated work force and promotion of entrepreneurship. According to Henry Ford, a business must make a profit or it will die, but running a business solely for profit will also kill the business because it will no longer have a reason to exist.
The Benefits of Hearing Aids
The obvious benefit of a hearing aid is to promote hearing, but the ability for people who normally couldn’t hear to be able to hear has a far reaching impact on their local community. Smart, enthusiastic people are sidelined because they can’t hear. With a hearing aid, they can fully participate in their own education and gain skills they never thought possible. A hearing aid opens many doors for children and adults and empowers them for a better life while showing them that they can also help others.
In many cases, volunteers and medical technicians from the local health services are trained and given incentives to ensure the long-term success of the philanthropic efforts. This means the hearing aid recipient will enjoy the ability to hear throughout their lives.
Ongoing Support
When thousands of hearing aids are given to deaf and partially deaf adults and children, training also needs to be given in order for them to care for the devices. This service is ongoing for the recipients and includes training in the proper use and maintenance of the device and extra batteries. There are other ways the charity can help communities such as giving hearing-health training to avoid loss of hearing.
Technology in many areas, such as the medical profession, information technology, education and manufacturing have made life easier for many people. Only through charitable giving, can this reach the people who don’t have access. A corporation is perfectly placed to make a great contribution to the less fortunate while reaping the benefits in its bottom line.