driftconsulting
- Sep 21, 2022
- 3 min read

5 Ways Your Company Can Help Ukrainians, Now

By: Chelsea Howard, Drift Employer Brand

Freedom is not free.

In 2020, Deloitte published it's annual review of disruptive human capital trends that are shaping our workforce. All the insights were clustered around a central theme of "the rise of the social enterprise." That is, an organization that focuses as much on non-profit KPIs (good done for the world and its people) as it does the bottom line. In 2021, they reiterated the sentiment:

Placing people at the heart of an organization’s decisions about work and the workforce enables leaders to better stay ahead of disruption. Purpose, potential and perspective are essential to build an organization that can thrive in an unpredictable environment with an unknown future. - Deloitte

In a world of injustice and violence, businesses have perhaps the most opportunity to make a global impact and drive change for marginalized groups. We have to start helping each other more generously. Live are in the balance.

There are incredible organizations, the world over, that have joined the effort to support Ukraine, pull together and make courageous decisions that prioritize humanity over profit.

Corporate social responsibility is about using our privilege to help bring the world to balance and do good, in a real way.

With the globalization of information and people practices, there have never been more opportunity to find impactful ways to support the people of Ukraine continue working and earning money, find healthcare in crisis areas, and get necessary supplies that will help keep them safe and provide for basic needs. You and your organization can start doing this, today.

Here are 5 ways organizations have been supporting the people of Ukraine.

Compile a list of non-profit organizations that are focusing humanitarian efforts on Ukraine (see below). Post it on your social intranet and create an internal communications campaign that ensures maximum exposure and delivery to your employees. If you don't have one already, introduce a matching program for your employee donations to these NPOs.
Support your workforce in Ukraine through innovative payments and medical reimbursements (and more). Consider paying cumulative salaries to your people in Ukraine - the central bank has suspended digital cash transfers, so crypto-currency and limited cash withdrawals are viable ways to get people paid. As employers and business owners, providing reimbursements for travel expenses in Ukraine with the current situation is critical and will help employees located in Ukraine.
Send supplies. If your business manufactures a product that could help, donate as much as you can. Here is a link for businesses to donate goods and services. A company called Bella in partnership with the Yonomequito Foundation recently sent generators. Every bit helps so be generous.
Hire People from Ukraine. Leverage digital platforms like iWorker to match with skilled professionals for jobs in web development, copy writing, graphic design, coding, etc. You can also go through the Canadian government to hire Ukrainians. So, today, meet with your business partners and stakeholders and review a list of your open roles - what jobs could go to Ukrainians?
Help Ukrainians Move to Canada - You can donate money or Aeroplan points to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. The Canadian government has partnered with Air Canada, Miles for Migrants and The Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto to help bring Ukrainians to Canada. If you offer Aeroplan rewards to employees, consider creating a campaign to have employees donate their rewards. Make all of this information available to your leaders and employees and talk about it.

Make sure you are discussing all of this openly at leadership meetings and at all-hands meetings... whenever you have the opportunity. Keep doorways open for new means of supporting and ensure you are providing the right resources to your employees, too.

All social enterprise work should be an opt-in program for employees. And, it's critically important you are providing mental health support, flexibility and opportunities to communicate openly with your employees.