2023 Wrapped: DCi’s Top Event Highlights From This Year
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hen it comes to company events, creating experiences that truly engage your guests is always a win. But an event that also inspires a sense of purpose adds a deeper, more profound layer of meaning. This holiday season, consider weaving meaningful give-back opportunities into your celebrations — all while supporting organizations that make a real difference in your local community. “Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, initiatives are essential because they reflect a company’s commitment to something greater than profit,” a DCi expert says. “They humanize the brand, build trust with stakeholders, and foster a sense of purpose among employees.”
Not sure where to start? From adding QR codes at each table for easy donations to organizing hands-on activities and partnering with charities that align with your event’s mission — there are countless ways to make generosity an integral part of your next company gathering. As a top-ranked destination management company, DCi has planned many successful CSR events over the years. Here, our experts share some of their best tried-and-tested tips — plus some creative ideas on how you can show up for your community and environment, too.
1. Align with Values
First things first: Before you plan anything else, start by grounding your event in your company’s core values. When your give-back efforts reflect what your organization stands for, they will naturally feel more authentic to your guests. At DCi, our team always takes a step back to assess what our clients believe in and what message their event should ultimately convey. Then, we brainstorm ideas that are mindful of our clients’ company-wide values. For example, if you’re a business with a pet-friendly culture, invite a local animal shelter to bring in adoptable pets for a play session. Your “Paws for a Cause” event could also encourage guests to assemble doggie care packages with dog beds, pull toys, and other supplies for donation.
2. Partner with Purpose
Once you zero in on a cause, the next step is finding a nonprofit that aligns with your mission. The right partnership ensures your CSR event makes a tangible difference. If you don’t already have a list of organizations you support, look at the nonprofits that are closer at hand. Not only will giving locally have a positive ripple effect on the local economy, but it will also tighten your connection with the community. Another way to ensure your give-back activities mean something to your guests? Ask them where they typically spend their charitable dollars. What do they care about? What drives their passion? Then, take that into consideration when making those early planning decisions.
3. Lean on Storytelling
Saying something is important doesn’t mean people will understand why it matters. It also certainly doesn’t mean they’ll feel personally connected to the cause — or more significantly, be empowered to take action. That’s where storytelling comes in. Stories inspire empathy, so start by figuring out the narrative around your event’s mission and how to relay that to your guests. Our experts suggest, for example, bringing in a representative from the benefiting organization to share a personal story and explain how your contributions will improve the well-being of people, animals, or the environment.
4. Create Hands-On Moments
Want to give back while encouraging your employees to work as a team? Invite your guests to roll up their sleeves with hands-on activities that teach teamwork and build their leadership skills. For example, you can split your guest list into groups and create assembly lines where each “team” can put together kits for people in need. Think: school supply kits for underserved students or care packages for seniors in care homes. Alternatively, get your attendees to build, decorate, or even repair something with their hands. For a past program, DCi’s planners brought guests together to assemble skateboards with the goal of donating them to children in the community. As a thank-you, we surprised guests with a demonstration by skateboarding champion Amelia Brodka.
5. Spark Friendly Competition
People love games — so, what better way to engage your guests than with some friendly competition? There’s no shortage of creative ideas for gamifying your CSR event with team challenges and contests. For example, you can pit several teams against one another to build the most care packages or complete certain challenges the fastest. You can also divide participants into groups to beautify blighted city walls with murals, and award them fun prizes like “most creative” or “most inspiring.” Alternatively, get your guests to break a sweat by running for charity. For a previous program, DCi designed a custom 5K route that started and culminated at the event’s hotel venue. (The route was inclusive of ADA athletes so everyone could participate.)
6. Design with Intention
Every element of your event should echo your message — and this includes design. From creating wow-worthy table settings and sourcing one-of-a-kind decor to dreaming up custom builds and incorporating branded touchpoints, DCi ensures that your event’s visual components go hand-in-hand with your overall theme. But it doesn’t stop there. Our creative team applies the “do good” approach to how we produce events and the impact we leave on the environment. Our sustainable practices include using decor that can be reused, repurposed, or donated after the event.
7. Bring Food to The Table
There are so many ways to turn mealtime into a moment of giving — by sourcing ingredients from local farms, donating surplus food, or supporting hunger-relief initiatives. For example, after a delicious farm-to-table luncheon in Coachella Valley, guests got to work building farm boxes with fresh produce straight from Temalpakh Farm’s bounty. (Run by the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, Temalpakh Farm champions organic, sustainable farming practices that protect the environment and human health.) At the end, everything was donated to those in need of food assistance.
8. Take it a Step Further
Oftentimes, people think of give-back initiatives as a one-time deal. But doing good is an ongoing commitment, and the best way to increase the long-term impact of your CSR event is to make it easy for your guests to get — and stay — involved. For example, if you’re hosting a dinner, make sure to place QR codes at each table that link to donation pages and provide information on signing up for volunteer shifts after the event. Better yet: Create a digital hub that includes all the resources they might need to continue their support — including any skills-based opportunities, whether it’s mentoring students or pitching in with administrative duties for a nonprofit.
9. Celebrate and Share Impact
Everybody wants to help out in their communities — and they love seeing the results of their labor. In fact, people are that much more likely to stay engaged when they see tangible outcomes from their participation. After the event is over, make sure to follow up with heartwarming photos, success stories, and an inspiring closing message. Have a company newsletter? Keep your employees in the loop with updates from the cause or charity you supported. (This is also another great place to highlight how guests can stay involved moving forward.) Of course, there are so many other ways to contribute to society and keep the momentum going; our team of event planners can help organize the perfect CSR event for you.
Ready to engage your guests and bring some cheer with your next CSR event? Contact our team to get the ball rolling.
