The complete guide to Corporate Giving Jargon

B Corp certification – a way that for-profit organisations can show they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. B Corps must be certified by analysts from a nonprofit third-party organisation set up for this purpose called B Lab. Any company can be certified as B-Corp regardless of location, so long as it meets the right standards. B Corp is sometimes confused with ‘Benefit Corporation’ (see below). Find out more about B Corp Certification and how to apply.

Benefit Corporation – not to be confused with B Corp certification, benefit corporation is a legal status only available to businesses in 30 American states. Similar to B Corp certification in that such businesses commit to sustainable values, high operational standards, accountability and transparency, they are not certified by B Lab, and the term refers more to a business approach in having a dual purpose of making a profit and promoting sustainability and value for people and the planet.

Beneficiaries – the end-users who benefit from or receive services and support from for-profit, nonprofit or charitable organisations.

Charity – a nonprofit organisation set up to help directly or raise money for a good cause. A charity will usually need to be registered officially with government/municipal authorities in the country they operate in. 

Charitable Incorporated Organisations – CIOs are a type of UK-based charity which must register with the Charity Commission whatever their income, even if it is under the £5,000 threshold (see Charity, above). 

Charitable foundation – in the UK, a charitable foundation is usually an organisation created and funded by one single private organisation, such as a business, family or individual. By contrast, a public charity relies on funds from the general public. 

Company matching –  sometimes known as ‘donation matching’, company matching is where an employee donates to charity either from their salary, fundraising opportunities or by volunteering, and their employer matches some or all of their contribution. Find out more in our guide What is Company Matching?

Corporate citizenship – the recognition of social, environmental and other ethical responsibilities of businesses and individual employees to the community in which it seeks a licence to operate, as well as economic and financial ones to its shareholders or immediate stakeholders.

Corporate donations – donations either of money, goods or services (see ‘In-kind donations’) given to charities and nonprofit organisations by businesses.

Corporate fundraising - a collective term used by charities to refer to the efforts by business organisations to support good causes, either through event sponsorship, such as running the London Marathon, to payroll giving, volunteering or ongoing partnerships.

Corporate purpose - a purpose for a company that goes beyond making a profit, such as making a positive social or environmental impact. ’‘Purpose driven’ is also used - see below.

CSR – an acronym for Corporate, Social Responsibility, CSR is an internationally recognised business management concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders. 

C-Suite – an American phrase used to describe senior members of a business, with the “C” usually referring to chief, as in chief executive officer or equivalent.

Donation matching - see ‘Company matching’.

Disbursement – the process of making a payment from a fund or foundation.

Employer-supported volunteering - this is a great way to give either time or expertise to good causes by encouraging your workforce to volunteer

Engagement – a term commonly used to describe the positive interactions between a company and its employees, charities and nonprofits, communities as well as other stakeholders.

ESG – an acronym for Environmental, Social and Governance, a framework of standards around ethical issues, such as climate change and social impact, which organisations can adopt and report on to show stakeholders, including investors, employees and customers, they are socially responsible.

Foundation –  an organisation set up by a business created to independently raise or hold funds for charitable purposes, such as to make donations and grants. 

Grantmaking – used in the US, a common form of corporate giving is via grantmaking. Discretionary grants are usually given by charitable foundations set up by businesses, families or individuals, to donate to specific causes or charities. 

Gift Aid – this is a form of UK tax relief meaning charities can claim an extra 25p in every £1 donated to them. The charity must make a Gift Aid claim to receive the extra money. Find out more about Gift Aid.

Greenwashing – a form of marketing where an organisation spends more time trying to appear environmentally sustainable than actually implementing eco-friendly practices.

In-kind donations – also known as ‘gifts in kind,’ these donations mean instead of giving money, an organisation or individual instead donates goods, services, time or expertise.

Matched fundraising – where employers can encourage employees to fundraise for charity by matching the amount raised for charity by employees, for example via a sponsored activity or bake sale.

Matched volunteering – where companies pledge to match time volunteered with nonprofits by employees, by donating a sum of money per hour volunteered.

Nonprofit – otherwise known as 'not-for-profit,’ this describes an organisation designed not to make a profit, but instead to support people in need or to serve a specific social or community need. Just like charities, there can be different types of nonprofits. The word nonprofit phrase is more common in America than in the UK. Find out more about nonprofit organisations.

NGOs – an acronym standing for ‘Non-governmental organisation,’ an NGO is a not-for-profit which operates independently of any government, but exists to address a social or political problem.

Payroll giving – sometimes known as ‘Give as you earn,’ or ‘Salary sacrifice,’ payroll giving is a system which enables employees in some countries, including the UK and US, to donate to charities or nonprofits from their salaries. Donations can be one-off or monthly payments. Discover more about the benefits of payroll giving and how it works in our guide What is Payroll Giving?

Payroll Giving Agencies (PGAs) – are UK-specific organisations set up to efficiently distribute donations made via employee salaries to charities and nonprofits. There are currently 23 Payroll Giving Agencies approved by HMRC, of which The GivingForce Foundation is one. 

Payroll Giving Month – a UK event held in February each year, previously held over a week, Payroll Giving Month is an opportunity for charities, Payroll Giving Agencies and other organisations to collectively increase the awareness of payroll giving.

Pennies from Heaven – also sometimes referred to as ‘Spare Change’ or GivingPennies as we call it at GivingForce - this is a form of giving where employees can donate the spare ‘pennies’ from their pay packet, between 0-99p. So, if you earn £2,580.78 per month, you keep the £2,580 and donate 78p. 

Philanthropy – the desire to give generously to good causes, or to support charities and individuals who are not known personally.

Philanthropist – a person who gives generously to good causes, or supports charities and individuals who are not known personally.

Purpose-driven – a business which stands for and takes action on moral or ethical issues which go beyond how their organisation operates and the delivery of products or services, to promote and adhere to a core mission.

Regulators – bodies established by governments or other organisations to oversee the way public businesses operate and comply with legal or contractual obligations. In some countries, regulators also exist to monitor the charity/nonprofit sector too. 

Responsible business – organisations which are not only driven by profit, but also consider wider society, the economy and the environment by providing environmentally ethical and safe working conditions, services and products.

Sustainability – for most of us this word relates to protecting the environment, but in corporate governance, the meaning also encompasses encouraging businesses to consider the environmental, social, human and economic impact of their business decisions. In short, to focus on driving sustainable value rather than short-term profit.

Sustainable Development Goals – also known as the ‘Global Goals,’ the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. They are an urgent call to protect the environment, end poverty and create a more peaceful and sustainable world by 2030. Read about the 17 goals here.

Tax relief – in some countries (UK being one of them) businesses can receive a reduction in the amount of tax they pay because of donations they make to charity, which means the donations are not included in the company's profits when tax calculations are made. Employees can make donations to charities before income tax is deducted too. Read more in our guide What is Payroll Giving?

Volunteering – or ‘employer-supported volunteering’ is an opportunity for employees at a for-profit organisation to donate their time and skills to a nonprofit or community projects, such as through one-off ‘volunteering days’ or ongoing engagement, such as mentorship. Find out more in our guide What is Employer Supported Volunteering?

Volunteer matching – some organisations offer to ‘match’ the efforts of employees who volunteer, either by making a financial contribution on a ‘per hour’ basis, or an ‘in-kind’ donation of goods or services to the nonprofit recipient.

Workplace giving – encompassing many of the terms explained above, this is sometimes used to describe all activities associated with companies and employees giving to charities and nonprofits, fundraising and volunteering time and skills. In Australia, workplace giving is used instead of payroll giving.

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