For many years, charity partnerships were seen primarily as a way for businesses to ‘give something back’. Today, that mindset is changing. Increasingly, organisations recognise that strong partnerships create value for both charities and businesses, strengthening culture, engaging employees, building trust and creating meaningful impact in communities.
At Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and Royal Bank of Scotland, our three-year partnership demonstrates how purpose and performance can work hand in hand, as a shared investment in people, communities and long-term success.
The new business case for purpose: How it creates value for businesses and communities
Purpose is one of the defining leadership conversations of our time. Customers increasingly want to know what organisations stand for, employees want to work for organisations whose values align with their own, and communities expect businesses to contribute positively to society.
As Màiri Macdonald, Regional Board Engagement Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland, explains: “Working across Scotland, I see first-hand the impact that businesses can have when they engage meaningfully with local communities.”
Supporting Scotland’s communities isn’t separate from our business. It’s part of how we help people, businesses and the economy to thrive
— Mairi MacDonald
Increasingly, organisations understand that commercial success and community prosperity are interconnected. Businesses that are rooted in their communities are often better placed to understand local needs, build trust and support sustainable growth.
For Royal Bank of Scotland, says Macdonald: “Supporting Scotland’s communities isn’t separate from our business. It’s part of how we help people, businesses and the economy to thrive.”
Why charity partnerships are becoming a business imperative
The strongest partnerships are increasingly connected to organisational priorities and business outcomes. Companies face growing challenges around talent attraction, employee engagement, trust and demonstrating social value. Partnerships can help address all of these while delivering tangible benefits to charities and the communities they serve.
When Royal Bank of Scotland colleagues selected CHAS as their charity partner, they were choosing more than a cause to support financially.
They were choosing a cause colleagues could actively engage with. The result has been a partnership that extends beyond fundraising to include volunteering, awareness raising, events, skills sharing and employee engagement.
As Linsey Cairns, Partnerships Manager at CHAS, explains: “The best partnerships move beyond a donor-recipient relationship, to a genuine value exchange. When businesses bring their expertise, influence, people and passion alongside financial support, the impact can be transformational.”
How employee engagement multiplies the impact of charity partnerships
One of the clearest lessons from the partnership has been the role colleagues play in creating impact.
Employees increasingly want opportunities to contribute to causes they care about. Through volunteering, fundraising and awareness-raising activities, Royal Bank of Scotland colleagues have played a central role in the partnership’s success.
Macdonald says: “Many colleagues have told us that supporting CHAS has been one of the highlights of their year.”
That sense of pride and shared purpose helps strengthen culture and engagement while connecting colleagues with the communities they serve.
How CHAS and Royal Bank of Scotland create value beyond fundraising
Fundraising remains vital, helping CHAS provide care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Scotland. However, value cannot be measured solely in financial terms.
Partnerships help charities increase awareness, access expertise and reach new audiences. For businesses, they create opportunities to engage employees, strengthen community relationships and demonstrate purpose in action.
For example, Royal Bank of Scotland colleagues have shared their professional expertise through mentoring opportunities with CHAS staff. This exchange of knowledge is another example of how effective partnerships create value in both directions.
The most successful partnerships create lasting value for everyone involved. Together, charities and businesses can achieve far more than either could alone.
To find out more about partnering with CHAS and how we can create value together, contact Linsey Cairns, Partnerships Manager, at linseycairns@chas.org.uk.
Linsey Cairns is Partnerships Manager at CHAS
Màiri Macdonald is Regional Board Engagement Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland
This article is featured in the Autumn 2026 edition of The Business magazine.
Distributed with The Sunday Times Scotland.
Partner Content in association with CHAS