AIBU to be sick of corporate beggers at work??

[OnlyAGirlsHorse]

I am so sick of the "corporate social responsibility" shite that does the rounds at work, which always always begs us to dip into taxed earnings to meet company goals. Which, if we meet the target, is then boasted about in social media & in newsletters as if the company has done something.

The latest one is another begging email for sponsorship of some sports activity, alongside another thing where we can go and sacrifice our lunch break (it's something akin to competition cycling to see how fast you can cycle a mile on a bike, quickest department wins but employees "donate" to enter).

I wouldn't mind if it's a charity I support but the targets are always ones I would never prefer to funnel my limited cash to!

And the latest one is paying £x for dress down Friday every week despite the fact that it's a very casual office and there's really no actual dressing down. The office administrator keeps jangling her fucking bucket at the desks expecting everyone to chip in.

Am I just being a grump because I'm seriously considering asking my manager about the pressure this places on staff, it's constant & humiliating if (like me) you don't even carry cash around any more!!!

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

YANBU, I loathe any sense of enforced “donating”. Fortunately we don’t have that here but in my last job there was plenty of it. I explained over and over again that I had my own charities I supported (all the charities chosen were always child-based and practically no other charity sector got a look in) and eventually they stopped asking me. I presume they thought I was some miserable old cow but I’d long since stopped caring.

For those who’ve voted YABU, care to share your thoughts?

[pelirocco123]

Our company used to belong to a group of other companies that were contracted to do work through a central company , the CEO for this company was awarded a CBE for her charity work ....mostly money collected in from the contracted in companies * charge per item we put through the central company

[EvaHarknessRose]

Sounds awful. NHS here and while I like valuing people who have contributed to the team, we have periods where so many people are leaving, the rest of us are on our knees and there's constant envelopes going around - after the sixth in two weeks I can get pretty miserly.

Can I suggest you pick one thing to join in with or contribute to, do that enthusiastically and then politely say 'I've chosen to support another initiative - good luck with the fundraising'

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

Encouraged to see the voting

I detest any kind of coercion in things which should be voluntary so this kind of pressure would drive me bananas anywhere, never mind in the workplace

As PPs have said, simply tell them you've already chosen the charities you'll support and leave it at that

[emilybrontescorsett]

I agree with you op.

I got sick and tired of being asked to donate food, bakecakes, dress down (impractical wear I worked) work through my lunch, stay after work (unpaid) etc etc .
Yet when you asked for time off it was always on no, adding have enough staff to allow you time off. Never, ever allowed TOIL no matter how many extra hours you gave.

[tillytrotter1]

Not involved in workplace any longer but can I add the constant £2/month TV ads trying to guilt trip us around Christmas. It never says how much goes to the charity and how much to the companies arranging the ads.

[BrokenWing]

Our company does a lot of charity type things, like dress down Friday for £1, sponsorship + company matches whatever is raised, local foodbank donations, Xmas gifts for local woman's refuge, raffles, selling home baking, nights out, one of the charities come in and sell small gifts etc around xmas time etc. The list is endless...

The 6 charities supported are nominated then chosen annually by a voting system and are usually local, any money raised is split evening between them.

But, they also have a rule that there is no pressure. You are allowed to send out an email asking people to participate but not allowed to approach people directly, the charity tin is in reception for those that wish to donate on dress down Friday. It works well and they make a reasonable amount of money each year, and it has a good vibe as there is no awkwardness if you don't/can't contribute.

[CroissantsAtDawn]

Yanbu.

My company does lots of corporate responsibility stuff but we don't pay anything. All we have to do is come to work wearing trainers/pink/whatever and post a photo of ourselves somewhere. For every photo, the company donates x euros. I have never been asked to give money.

[AufderAutobahn]

This kind of thing was a big deal where I used to work. It was always the lowest paid people who did the most and were expected to do the most.

[PerkyPomPoms]

Just say no, you give elsewhere and keep walking

[TheSerenDipitY]

if you dont want to say no every time, just each time you are asked say that you have a standing monthly donation going to breast cancer and child cancer and the heart foundation or you sponsor 20 children with save the children or buy goats for African villages and kindly offer to get her some direct debit forms in case she would like to join you in sponsoring as there are many villages that need a goat

[offtotheshire]

Climbing Kilimanjaro is an adventure holiday and I'm damned if I'm paying for anyone to do that.

Same with all the people I know fundraising for their cross-country cycling trip!!!

[TrainspottingWelsh]

damn oh yes, the expensive holidays dressed up as fundraisers so everyone else can foot the bill. Am I fuck paying for some twat to travel halfway round the world and enjoy themselves doing expensive activities.

[ForalltheSaints]

YANBU given it does not seem to be a room or space for fundraising that you can choose to (or not) take part.

Perhaps point out to HR the unreasonableness of it, as for you it amounts to harassment.

[FavouriteSoul]

Climbing Kilimanjaro is an adventure holiday and I'm damned if I'm paying for anyone to do that. People should fund themselves. I'd rather give to a charity of my choosing than pay for someone's exciting holiday.

[danmthatonestakentryanotheer]

We have this too. I think the worse one was when some employees decided to climb Killamanjaro(?). They had to raise £2000 each in order to do it (there were 4 of them so £8000 needed). The company CEO was blathering on about what excellent people he had working there and how proud his multi-million pound company were.....Not proud enough to contribute anything though..nope that was down to us, the little people, some of whom were made to feel awful if they didn't agree to have £30 deducted from their monthly wage in order to pay for it. I have a thick skin and the mouth of a sailor and told them where to shove their salary sacrifice.

[spoonfulofsalt]

Every time I’m asked if I can donate a cake (I love baking big buttercream things) which cost me about £30 to make! And then I have to pay for a ticket to eat my own bloody cake!

Ridiculous!

[piefacedClique]

My employer does regular fundraising coffee mornings which vary from 1-3 pounds to attend.... in our own staff room where we drink the coffee (I bring my own) that is provided by school 🤮🤮🤮 and a slices of one of the donated cakes.... Every time I’m asked if I can donate a cake (I love baking big buttercream things) which cost me about £30 to make! And then I have to pay for a ticket to eat my own bloody cake! Really pisses me off!

[TrainspottingWelsh]

Howlovely not as much as it made me smile at the time. Mr never stuck for words glib fucker developing a sudden stammer as he tried to formulate an argument against it left me sniggering for weeks.

[Screamqueenz]

Looks fairly unanimous on the voting YADNBU

Why don't you suggest that instead of constantly bucket shaking at their staff they allow you to take one day a year off work to volunteer for a charity of your choice.

Great for CSR and employee engagement.

[JacobReesClunge]

Gross

[blindmansbluff]

My husband works for a massive company with loads of branches across the country and turn over millions of pounds a year. They are encouraging employees to raise/donate money for their chosen charity and it's been made into a competition between branches. The target is 1 million pounds. The company itself are donating zero of that figure.

[Howlovely]

@TrainspottingWelsh, good on you! That made me smile

[Howlovely]

Urgh this sounds dreadful. I'd be willing to bet that you are not the only one who is fed up with all of this nonsense but everyone feels too awkward to be the first one to mention it. Could you bear to be the one to bring it up to HR/your manager/whoever? I bet everyone would be so glad it stops. It's all so bloody false isn't it. Helen rattling her bucket pretending to give a shit about the Spam Appreciation Soctiety of North Norflk getting funding for a new garden bench.
Charity is a personal thing and how much or if at all one chooses to give is nobody else's business. It should also be done graciously. Companies like yours making charity giving so corporate I find so distasteful.

[TrainspottingWelsh]

Yanbu. Years ago I worked for a company that were really into this shit. The last meeting I attended after handing in my notice happened to be discussing which charities. I nominated their own lowest paid employees.

Don't think they appreciated me expanding on how noble it would be to ensure they all received a living wage and didn't need to rely on benefit top ups to make ends meet.

That's what pisses me off most, the majority doing corporate charity posturing employ some of their staff on such shit wages they'll be at the level to need charity themselves. But I suppose 'all our employees can make ends meet' isn't as media worthy as a photo of some smug twat giving a cheque to an already wealthy national charity.