How can companies help Ukraine?

As the conflict in Ukraine continues to grab headlines, more and more people are eager to help affected communities, whether as individuals or through a corporate social responsibility programme. Although well-intentioned, some companies are unsure about the best way to offer assistance, or if their efforts will have the impact they intended. In this article, we’ll be offering guidance so that organisations can try and make a valuable contribution, no matter how small.

Find a legitimate charity

It’s always best to donate through an established charity organisation, as you can be sure that they have the infrastructure and support to get your donations to where they are needed. While it may be awful to consider when a large-scale disaster occurs there is always a slight risk that someone might be looking to defraud people under the guise of collecting donations. This has been apparent during the Ukraine war, with new scams popping up regularly. The last thing you want to do is make the mistake of donating to a fake organisation rather than one that is genuinely reaching those in need. That means doing due diligence so that you and your customers aren’t misled or defrauded. Here are some points to consider:

A legitimate charity will be registered with the UK government 

You can check your charity here. This is essential as online charity fraud is rife, having cost consumers £1.6m between October 2020 and 2021. The number of scammers and fraudulent charities is surging during the Ukraine crisis, taking advantage of generosity to defraud people and redirect charitable donations to their own pockets. This includes phishing scams and fraudsters preying on cryptocurrency donations.

You should approach a charity, they shouldn’t approach you 

Charity outreach calls and emails can easily be fraudulent, with 55% of emails in the UK being spam and 1 in every 3,722 emails being a phishing attempt. Don’t rely on an organisation that approaches you. Instead, do your own research and find a charity connected with your focus. 

Don’t hand over money or financial details without due diligence 

Fraudulent charities and charity scams will try to pressure you into handing over money or sensitive information. Don’t hand any of this information over. With a legitimate charity, they will send you the correct information and procedure for donating. It’s also worth mentioning that a common charity scam is to request donations via money transfer, according to the UK Fraud Advisory Panel. Companies should instead be donating directly to the registered bank account for the charity, which they will supply you with through the proper channels.

Donate to Ukraine through a well-known charity 

There are lots of great charities out there, but larger and well-known charities will be better suited to getting your donation to where it’s needed most in Ukraine. This is very important for large-scale and more hazardous operations like initiatives in war-torn areas, as specialist support is often needed to navigate the danger and destruction of infrastructure. Some of these include the British Red Cross, Hope and Hopes for Children, Care International, UNICEF, International Medical Corps UK, the Salvation Army, and IFAW.

Choose your focus

There are many areas where you can focus your fundraising efforts for Ukraine. These could range from assisting children, providing food and shelter for refugees, rescuing pets left behind by fleeing citizens, or helping to provide medical supplies and clean water. Choosing a particular cause will help focus your charitable campaign, attract like-minded people who want to donate to Ukraine, and rally donations for your efforts. 

While it’s not essential, it may be worthwhile to try and align your focus with your brand if you can. For example, if you are a pet supplies company you can raise money to rescue abandoned animals or provide food, shelter and veterinary support. Similarly, if you are a brand focused on children, you can raise donations that will help organisations to feed, clothe and offer medical treatment to displaced children.

Make it bold, engaging, and simple 

Approach your charitable giving project to raise funds for Ukraine the same way you would a big marketing campaign. Include digital and social media content to raise awareness about what’s happening in Ukraine, keep your customers up to date with what your organisation is doing to help and how your efforts are progressing. When conflict arises in a foreign country, some people may need reminding not only about the reality of the situation but how they could help make a difference. That’s not to say, however, that your purpose is to horrify or upset audiences, but instead to reinforce the impact they could have by getting involved.

Encourage contactless donations

If your company has brick and mortar outlets, consider using contactless fundraising devices so customers can tap to donate as they buy your products. The current situation in Ukraine is on the minds of many people, meaning people may be more likely to donate than they would to other charitable causes. These devices can be set up in a space with high footfall and you should consider capturing attention with a blue and yellow banner, as these colours are currently being used to show solidarity with Ukraine.

The reason we suggest using contactless devices is that we’ve found this often results in a higher average donation amount compared to traditional collection buckets. As well as this, nowadays fewer people are carrying around significant amounts of cash, so investing in a contactless device will give your fundraising a much-needed boost. It’s also worth noting that you can hang onto these devices for any future fundraising efforts.

If you’d like your company to assist Ukraine through charitable donations or are interested in the benefits of contactless fundraising, GoodBox is there to help. We provide an easy, contactless payment processing point that allows customers, employees, and supporters to advertise your initiative and make donations with a simple tap of their card. Contact us today for more information on our tap to donate technology.