How can we really help our community? On November 15, to mark National Philanthropy Day, Énergir presents a social approach: transformational philanthropy. This philanthropic trend promotes collective well-being by ensuring a strong social impact through impact investments.
For Énergir, this impact comes in the form of four guiding principles that reflect the company’s values: proximity, collaboration, the fight against climate change and innovation.
Through these guiding principles, collaboration between Énergir and the organizations it supports is a key element of the approach. It’s important to work together to create impactful partnerships. These partnerships take community relations beyond traditional philosophy to achieve a community experience that is at the intersection of Énergir’s social needs, business objectives and expertise.
What is transformational philanthropy?
Transformational philanthropy allows for the creation of shared value to turn monetary investments into real change. We’re talking about not only investing in communities, but investing in embodying intentional, positive, sustainable and measurable change on the well-being of the communities around us. It’s an approach based on listening to communities and on dialogue.
With this in mind, consultation is an important aspect of transformational philanthropy, as it helps to better target the needs of communities.
Énergir doesn’t claim to be an expert, but it optimizes the expertise of people on the ground through collaboration, because they—the employees, the organizations—are the real experts in their field.
More importantly, transformational philanthropy is a long-term relationship approach and a shared responsibility through proactive involvement. Hence, Énergir plays a catalytic role in helping to address complex social issues affecting communities. In this sense, Énergir proposes donations to the organizations’ missions and undertakes, after an exploratory phase, to recurring agreements to help organizations achieve their changes in a sustainable manner.
Whether we’re talking about socio-community causes, the environment, culture or education, Énergir is rooted in the community to better understand and address their specific needs. This is what defines Énergir’s social responsibility (CSR) approach.
It is therefore by aligning Énergir’s strengths, resources and expertise toward a philanthropic strategy in line with the needs of the community that we can succeed in transforming investment into real social impact.
Take the example of La ruelle de l’avenir initiated by Énergir. This project goes beyond traditional donation. It brings together the community world, the school world and the business world to work together on a local issue: dropping out of school.
This innovative collaboration approach has given rise to a learning space, workshops, camps and more for the neighbourhood’s children.
Most importantly, this collaboration has made a real difference for youth at risk of dropping out by learning differently.
Essential integration in times of crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has particularly amplified social inequalities. As a result, a collaborative approach is seen as an essential part of a social responsibility approach, according to Énergir.
Moreover, it goes without saying that the “S”—symbolizing the social criterion in the ESG criteria underlying the social responsibility approach—will become increasingly important in the post-COVID era and in Quebec’s transition to decarbonization.
This National Philanthropy Day, renew your philanthropic practices and make a difference for a green, fair and prosperous recovery and a better future.
Renewal of the Community Investment Policy
To perpetuate a significant social impact in its community, Énergir has revised its Community Investment Policy to build on the principles of transformational philanthropy. To view the new Policy, click here.
