Corporate Social Etiquette

Corporates and Individuals are trying to play by the rules, fix their tax situations and consciences through CSR  [read: donations to and activities with NGOs working for the less fortunate -mostly rendered as such by general social irresponsibility], and are asking NGOs a whole lot of questions- in exchange for support - which we are usually happy to answer. We realize that not all NGOs are above board and everybody wants to be sure. But we believe that a little caution can go a long way in deciding whom to support.

NGOs also have some concerns. We do not voice them often, in the fear of losing this support. However, we find that it leads to unrealistic expectations from both sides. So here goes!!

Disclaimer: EKansh Trust is fortunate to have many supporters who trust us and understand our cause and this is not meant to offend any of our potential supporters either [God forbid!!].

Still, there are those with more attitude than empathy. So, if you see a little sarcasm in these points, it is probably a result of the frustration when many years of honest passion and hard work are reduced to faceless/nameless numbers. If you see some truth in them, do laugh out loud and let us know.  We hope you will read this in the same spirit as it has been written.

• Please remember that an NGO has expenses too. It cannot work on passion alone. We also have to pay rents, salaries, bills for incidental expenses, for a little propaganda, etc.  So when you ask for a project proposal, please do not sponsor the project alone. Feel free to ask for our accounts books and not just the CA’s reports.  Do check how much is spent each month on just surviving in a space that is as efficient/inefficient, honest/corrupt, confusing/simple and expensive/cheap as any other.
  
  
• Please do not ask our NGO to support your corporate recruitment or sensitization schemes or to share our resources for free. Your organization is only an ‘incidental’ beneficiary.  We work for People with Disabilities. Please understand.
  
  
• Please note that many representatives of many NGOs probably work for FREE for the cause that you are offering to support.  Also, they are probably able to devote time, effort and very often personal funds because they can afford to and/or want to. So when you speak to these representatives, please do so with respect. They are not meeting you for a personal dole and you are not doing them a personal favor. Kindly respect this.
  
  
• Even if the representatives are paid staff of the NGO, please realize and respect that they have chosen to work for an honorable cause and not a commercial enterprise. We respect you as an individual and your position in your organization also.
  
  
• If we have an appointment, please ensure that you are also there on time. If you have asked us to email you, please ensure that you read our mail. If you have invited us for a meeting and cannot make it, please LET US KNOW well in advance. Do honor your own word.
  
  
• When you call for a longish meeting or make a representative wait indefinitely, please remember to offer a glass of water or a cup of tea/coffee. You can rest assured that the smallest of NGOs will offer you the same basic courtesy.
  
  
• When you ask the NGO to produce papers according to the needs of your company, please let the NGO know just how committed you are to the cause. If you are donating because you have the money and want to save on tax, please simply make your contribution and ask for a receipt instead of asking questions that are irrelevant to the cause itself. 
  
  
• Take the time to browse the website of the NGO or ask for an emailed presentation to understand their work BEFORE you call them over for a meeting. If you do not have the time to do your homework, chances are you are not going to pay attention to the representative’s talk either. A little sincerity will help you ask pertinent questions and encourage us to answer honestly.
  
  
• If there are formalities to be completed before you issue a cheque, please let us know when we begin our engagement. We would appreciate not having to follow up indefinitely for payments for services or activities already completed.
  
  
• When we are speaking about HUMAN BEINGS, we cannot speak about ‘deliverables’ and ‘take homes’. A little logical thinking will drive this point home. And honestly, these words are offensive in the human space.
  
  
• Please do not INSIST that your employees volunteer with us if they are not up to it. Give them the choice of saying NO. It becomes impossible for us to evoke any empathy in people who are not inclined and get involved out of force. Forced volunteering is an oxymoron. We must recognize this fact. Since we are not event managers, we are not always able to design activities to suit the volunteers. Do understand.
  
  
• The best way to help an NGO fit in with your expectations is to depute volunteers for three months to actually participate in all the planning, activities, proposal drafting, etc of the NGO. This way, you know how the NGO operates from the inside, get your feedback in the terms that you understand best so you make a qualified decision.
  
  
• Look beyond the ‘Oh ! Poor things’ picture that is presented to you by most NGOs. Also, please check if programs and plans are long term and benefit their ‘interns’ even after they have left the organization or whether the equipment and training you pay for are useful only as long as they are part of that organization itself. Are they ready to set out on their own at the end of the training?  If you get fooled by other NGOs, that experience is reflected in your interaction with us. Please allow your ‘due diligence’ to go beyond the forms you ask us to complete. Be part of our team for a little while and not just for photo opportunities but to understand how we work.
  
  

Thank you and we do appreciate the time you have taken to read what we needed desperately to share. This list will probably change as we go along but for now, we had to say this much. So, thanks again for dropping by.

And we do look forward to your support.