Creating true impact is what drives and unites us at KONUX. We want to make the world a better place – beyond our day-to-day jobs. And we’ve got the chops to prove it! In March 2023, we organized a charity event to raise money for the people affected by the devastating earthquakes in Türkiye & Syria, as well as for homeless children around the globe. Our KONUX community (current employees, plus-1s and alumni) came together as one team, raising more than 6k€ in donations. Supporting those in need was not the only energizing outcome, though… And, we’d like to share some learnings with you to help and make your next charity event a full success.
In light of the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria that took around 50,000 lives and affected several thousand more households, one thing was clear: We wanted to do something.
We do offer two days of paid vacation for volunteering activities to everyone at KONUX but we also know that the most impactful way for foreigners to help in this case is through financial contributions.
So we shorthandedly turned our company kitchen into a street food market and hosted a fun auction to collect money.
1. Engage your team right from the start.
Don’t just pick a cause and define a format to raise money for it, involve your team. Listen to what they care about. Ask for ideas and create opportunities for different people to bring in their skills. KONUX is a very international company, our people coming from 37 different nationalities, a large share from Asian countries. Leading up to the event, our Asian community stepped up and turned a planned cultural evening into a big street food market with a broad variety of homemade local dishes for their colleagues to taste. And, since our previous KONUX auctions for charity were a big success, we organized another one to include each and everyone in the initiative.
2. Choose the right cause(s)
When it comes to charity events, the cause is everything. Choose a cause that people can authentically get behind and that aligns with your values. Make sure you’re passionate about it too – that will come through in your event planning and its execution. In our case, the UK team decided to go on the 3 Peaks Challenge by Rail 2023, raising money for Railway Children, an organization helping homeless children, so we decided to support them. Approximately at the same time, the heartbreaking news about the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye got out. With some of our coworkers having relatives and friends in the regions affected by the earthquakes, we could draw on their insights to learn how to help in the best way possible. Tie the event to tangible stories. We asked our people which NGOs they find most impactful and what we could do to collect money. That way, we picked projects they cared for and ensured buy-in right from the start.
3. Set clear goals
What do you want to achieve with your charity event? Is it to raise a certain amount of money? To bring a certain number of people together? Having clear goals will help you stay focused and measure your success. We wanted to do a mix of both and more: raise money; raise awareness and bring the KONUX community together which included not only employees but also plus-ones and alumni!
4. Get creative
There are countless ways to create a charity event that stands out. Think outside the box and come up with unique ideas that will engage your audience. Make it fun! Whether it’s a concert, a bake sale, or a fitness challenge, make sure it’s something people will want to be a part of.
Our KONUX auctions are quite a signature event by now: Everyone is invited to offer handmade goods, food, or fun experiences for people to bid on. And people really get creative: A personal nutrition and training plan, a traditional cooking class, a trip to your colleague’s hometown, a handcrafted lamp, or your beloved teammate offers to be silent for an entire week… There really is something for everyone and it is fun to see how they pump each other up and increase the number of donations.
5. Build a team
No one can create a successful charity event alone. Surround yourself with a team of passionate people who can help you plan and execute the event. Assign roles and responsibilities so everyone knows how to best contribute. In our case, the P&C (people & culture) team took the lead in organizing the event, while our Asian community dedicated their time to preparing a broad variety of homemade local foods, making this a fun, authentic cultural experience.
6. Spread the word
A charity event is only as successful as the number of people who attend. Make sure you’re promoting your event through all available channels, including social media, email, and word of mouth. Get your community excited and motivated to be a part of something special.
We combined the charity event with the launch of our alumni network in order to increase awareness and the number of contributors.
When organizing a charity event, make it around something your people care about and make it fun. Set the foundation with a strong organizing team, and then define clear goals around an initiative that stems from the team and aligns with your community’s values. Making it inclusive for everyone to contribute in different ways and crafting a unique, fun experience unleashes the full potential!
Our KONUX charity night turned into a truly energizing community event. We came together as one team, had the opportunity to try new food, learn about different cultures, get to know our colleagues better, and have fun – all while doing something meaningful. It was amazing to feel the amount of enthusiasm in the room, and how passionate and committed everyone was. Having raised more than 6k€ in one night really proves one thing: At KONUX, we do have an amazingly caring and strong community!