To quit my job rather than do this?

[WelshRambler]

Hey all,

Looking for some unbiased advice. Every year my work hold a big event for a small charity the week before Christmas. It raises a lot of money and really makes a huge a difference to the charity. We literally raise more money for the charity in one hour than the charities get in a year. The charity changes every year.

This year I was asked to organise which charity we would partner with, which I duly did. I chose a lovely charity who were really excited. I then went on annual leave leaving both work and the charity with all details confirmed, travel organised etc. I’ve kept in touch with the charity on my time off and they’ve shared some really heart warming and heart wrenching stories that they would like to share. Everything seemed well.

Cue tonight. I’ve been asked by work to stand my charity down with one days notice because work has found a charity that they think will do better on socials.

AIBU to refuse to stand my charity down because 1) it’s wrong and 2) I’m on leave?

I’ve point blank messaged to say I won’t do it but honestly they might force me to. Also, if I don’t stand my charity down and they turn up I will be in big trouble.

I am going to fight this and genuinely would rather quit than do it.

Before anyone suggests it, it’s not possible to have both charities.

WWYD in this situation?

Glad you are going to stand firm. Hope you update. I know you don't think Sr Mgr has anything to do with charity 2 beyond reading some random newspaper article, but would not be remotely surprised if it turns out there's a link somewhere, be it family, friends or anyone else because this decision seems a little close to the event to liaise, etc.

I am honestly shocked that anyone could think this is an appropriate way to do business! Leaving aside the moral issue, are they completely stupid to not consider that the potential bad press of dumping a charity last minute has the potential to vastly outweigh the possible benefit of the second charity looking slightly better on socials? Just use the second charity next year, ffs!

Whatever you do though, don't quit. Just refuse to tell your charity. They can't make you do it - the most they can do is threaten to sack you if you don't. tbh I think it's highly unlikely they will go straight to that, it'll probably go through a disciplinary process. If they were stupid enough to sack you I think you'd have a good case for unfair dismissal - again, just on a very basic level, apart from the morality of it all, they shouldn't be asking you to work while on annual leave. I'd also be tempted to go on sick with stress whatever happens. Usually I'd never advocate for stuff like that but when an employer behaves so awfully I'd lose any sense of loyalty to them.

And that if it happens you won’t be surprised if the small charity share this online and it gets traction, and the negative social media impact is much much larger than the good they are hoping for. I’d have ‘Company x DUMPS charity that supports <heartwarming cause> days before major event because they just aren’t going to get enough likes for helping them.’ Just isn’t the news headlines we are going for, but it’s the news headlines you will get, and right at christmas when people expect everyone to not do shitty things like that so they will care more- what have <my charity> got to lose from sharing this?

She doesn’t have to quit. There are zero grounds to fire her for this, they’d be in trouble if they did!

Agreed, and that's so not charity like, ditching as one that "looks better" comes along.
Screw that.

You don’t say you’ll make it widely known. You say I’m sure something that’s as big a letdown as this for charity x will get out …

Hi OP. I think you’re making the morally correct choice. This is a hill worth dying on. Hats off to you, and good luck.

DO NOT QUIT.

Let them sack you but do not quit.

All they have to do is wait a year and run their other charity next Christmas.

As they asked you do do the thing and you have done the thing, asking you to reverse it in circumstances like this and sacking you over it would be insane of them. You could have a field day. The charity could have a field day.

Make sure you have shots of all the conversations FFS.

Whilst a charity would be privately pissed off, they're not going to publicly spoil their chances with other future potential donors.

They may not, but they can't control what their supporters may do. It only takes one tweet or FB entry to be picked up for something to go viral.

Then do it next yea!

THIS.
Stand your ground, @WelshRambler ..All power to you!

This is just awful.

So your company is just proving that their social media presence means more than assisting a charitable cause.

Suggest that this new charity will be next year's choice. Someone can't just waltz in at the 11th hour and change all the arrangements a day prior. Surely.

That's outrageous. Absolutely stand your ground.

That is so unethical and so callous of them. All for the sake of better social media views! Literally the opposite of why they should be fundraising!

Good luck with standing your ground

I agree with others OP. Stand your ground. What an awful thing they’ve done to you.

@WelshRambler so the way this seems to look is that the company will get credo for their charity donation and if it went to the smaller charity which you are advocating for there would not be so much advertising revenue from it?? it is basically all about cheap advertising campaign and the donors are the ones paying for it rather than the company!!! rather sneaky way for advertising!!

Absolutely not. Stand your ground for sure, it’s terrible to do that when it’s all been arranged. I’d tell the senior manager that he can phone them to tell them if he’s insistent. I personally wouldn’t quit my job, as i’ve got bills to pay, but i’d refuse to be part of this. Horrible behaviour.

Sadly, most charitable activity is far from altruistic. It's all tax deductions and publicity.

That’s really shitty of them. The key word is charity, however it sounds like your company just does it for the recognition, no goodwill there at all. Reminds me of people who film themselves giving money to vulnerable homeless people who clearly don’t want to be filmed just so people can congratulate them on being a good person when really it’s all for show

What dreadful behaviour from them. Stand your ground!

Oh gosh, as a small charity ceo, thank you, funding for small charities is non existent and I bet they've been counting their lucky stars since you chose them that they will keep going another year because of you. I'm so mad at your bosses!

I agree, stand your ground. Point out that the charity has been approved and that they will be relaying on you & the company for their fundraiser.

There is always next year, Easter, summer or Christmas for similar events for the other charity.

@WelshRambler

I also would echo the : do not quit and let them sack you. Except they CAN’T sack you, they wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.

Don't doubt yourself and fight this ALL the way. You need very firm, clear language that you WILL not do this and it is morally the wrong thing to do.

You will piss people off, but others will admire you and I think this opportunity to stand your ground and win could well be the making of you.

@WelshRambler I would absolutely stand your ground on this.

Letting a small charity would be very uncharitable. The person who has organised another charity needs to let their charity down and explain their mistake. Extremely incompetent of them to do this!

Hi OP,

I work for a charity in a role that deals with businesses raising funds and unfortunately this does happen more often than you’d think.

I’ve had situations where we’ve started partnerships and then the MDs mother gets diagnosed with cancer and we get dropped like a stone. It’s always really really disappointing and difficult.

I wouldn’t quit your job over it but I would think carefully about if this is the organisation for you and maybe find somewhere that better suits your values…. There’s always the charity sector!