Customers, investors, and governments are asking companies how their activities uplift lives and improve the world. Social investment through charity partnerships is one way that businesses are answering those questions while also improving their bottom line.

The researchers of US-based research company IO Sustainability LLC worked with eight leading companies across sectors. According to their report, social investments, including partnerships with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), can deliver up to a 6% increase in share price, a 20% increase in sales, a 13% jump in productivity, a 50% decrease in employee turnover, and a boost to reputation worth up to 11% of a company’s market cap.

Businesses benefit on multiple levels from charity partnerships. Volunteer opportunities and internal communication about the projects’ journeys and successes make employees more sensitive to the communities in which they work as well as create goodwill and loyalty toward the employer. For some time now, consumers have been willing to pay more and stay loyal to brands that are seen as ethical and sustainable.