Best Practices for CSR Partnership Development

🌍 How can we better support social entrepreneurs — and why should corporates care? I recently had the chance to join Indio Myles on the great Impact Boom podcast to share lessons from over a decade of building partnerships between global companies and grassroots social ventures. 🎧 Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gthcnCkV Here are a few highlights from our conversation — relevant for anyone working at the intersection of business and impact: 1. Social entrepreneurs are solving humanity’s most urgent challenges. But they’re doing it without the same access to capital, talent, or networks as traditional startups. If we want innovation that serves the planet and all its people, we have to back the changemakers already on the ground. 💡 CSR leaders: Want real impact ROI? Start by listening to the local leaders closest to the problems you're trying to solve. 2. Market traction matters more than awards and investments. Too often, social enterprises are celebrated in pitch competitions but overlooked by procurement and partnership teams. Real change happens when we shift from philanthropy to capacity-building and co-creation. 💡 Social entrepreneurs: Don’t just tell a story — show how your model works, scales, and partners can grow with it. 3. Partnership beats charity. At MovingWorlds, we’ve helped corporations like Microsoft, SAP, and EY collaborate with social enterprises — not as charity cases, but as strategic allies in innovation, market access, and inclusive growth. 💡 CSR teams: You already have the infrastructure to drive systemic change — it just takes aligning purpose with procurement and partnerships. If you're in CSR, social innovation, or the impact ecosystem, I’d love your thoughts: ✅ What’s working in your partnerships? 🚧 What challenges are you seeing? 📢 And how can we build more equitable, scalable solutions — together? #SocialImpact #CSR #SocialEnterprise #CorporateResponsibility #PartnershipsForChange #ImpactBoom #MovingWorlds #MarkHoroszowski #SocEnt #SDGs #SAP4Good

Nonprofits, if I had to start building corporate partnerships from scratch today, here’s how I’d do it (free training video included):👇🏼 First, understand this: Partnerships aren’t charity. They’re a business imperative. Here’s the real playbook: 1️⃣ Flip the narrative. Stop begging for donations. Start pitching why they need you. Brands need: 🔹 Credibility in impact 🔹 A bridge to real communities 🔹 A human face for their ESG commitments Nonprofits are that bridge. 2️⃣ Co-ownership, not just co-branding. Forget logos and banners. Show them how you can elevate their brand: 🔹 Offer them access to untapped stories 🔹 Plug them into movements they can’t replicate alone 🔹 Let them be the face of real change 3️⃣ LinkedIn is your corporate matchmaker. Don’t just post updates, post reasons for them to care: 👉 Show how your work supports their sustainability or HR goals. 👉 Name-drop the trends you’re leading: “We’re tackling [big issue]—it’s a top priority for brands in [industry].” 👉 Share proof: “Here’s how [other brand] partnered with us to [impact].” Corporates are watching. Make them need to join your mission. 4️⃣ Prototype first, pitch later. Stop pitching a $100K sponsorship out of the blue. Instead: 🔹 Invite them to a pilot project or workshop. 🔹 Build something small but visible that aligns with their goals. 🔹 Let them see the win for themselves. When they see impact in action, the bigger check writes itself. 5️⃣ Offer them legacy, not just impact. Corporates are desperate to stand for something. Your offer? Be the partner that gives them that story: 🔹 “We’ll help your brand lead this sector-wide shift.” 🔹 “We’ll co-create a legacy your customers and employees can believe in.” Impact isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore. It’s a business survival tool. 6️⃣ Stay in their orbit with value-driven insights. Forget check-ins and reminders. Instead: ✅ “Noticed your brand’s focus on [issue]—here’s how we’re tackling that right now.” ✅ “This stat just dropped—here’s why it matters for your brand.” ✅ “We’re running a small pilot on this. Want to join and lead?” Show up as the insight partner, not the inbox pest. Want the full breakdown? My business partner recorded a 29-minute video that takes you step by step through this process, completely free. 🎥 What’s inside: ✅ Exactly how to find and connect with the right corporate partners ✅ How to use DMs to start real conversations and build trust ✅ How we helped nonprofits close corporate partnerships in less than 90 days. This isn’t theory. It’s the exact system we’ve used to help nonprofits, big and small, create partnerships that feel like legacy, not charity. Want access? Drop “Corporate” in the comments and I’ll send it over (must be connected first!). With purpose and impact, Mario

Here's a partnership that rights holders and brands can work together on, and it's good for the community... I'm excited to see more partnerships that go beyond signage and instead focus on real impact. The Seattle Sounders FC (my local MLS Team) and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) have launched a multi-year collaboration that fuses purpose, education, and community outreach while aligning with fan values and club culture. This partnership is the kind of strategic thinking that raises the bar in sponsorships. Seattle Sounders FC and Puget Sound Energy (PSE) have announced a new multi-year partnership focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, and impactful community outreach. Why is this important? - Purpose-Driven Partnership: PSE becomes Sounders FC's Official Energy Efficiency Partner, aligning brand purpose with community needs. I'm a big fan of these because rights holders can be the echo chamber for messaging. - Localized Community Impact: The partnership centers on reaching underserved households and educating them about PSE's energy-saving programs. - Player Ambassador Activation: Midfielder Pedro de la Vega will be the face of the campaign, helping to bridge the gap between fans and public resources. - Cultural Relevance: Tapping into the passion of soccer fans to inspire action around sustainability and energy awareness. Within Washington State, soccer has a very passionate fan base. - Strategic Alignment: Combines sport, environmental responsibility, and social good—all pillars of modern brand partnerships. How brands can activate partnerships like this: - Leverage player ambassadors for trust and reach. - Focus on CSR-related initiatives that resonate locally and regionally. Use team platforms and channels to scale educational messaging. - Partner with nonprofit arms (e.g., RAVE Foundation) for grassroots programming. When brands and rights holders lead with purpose and deliver measurable value, the result is more than just impressions—it's impact. This collaboration is a model for how teams and utilities (or other service providers) can empower communities while building affinity. For more, we're always here to help. #sportsbiz #partnership #heretohelp