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?

Stand your ground, that's an awful thing for your workplace to suggest.

Who made that decision? Can you take it higher up?

Stand your ground!

I wonder if the second charity have the capacity to get up to speed with the event in good time?

I'd also be wondering whether the local charity network are talking with each other and have worked out what's happened here.

It happens. It's shit. And charities are beyond stretched at the moment, both in terms of finance and resource. This could make the difference between survival and closure of the charity.

Absolutely bloody shameful practice from your manager.

I'd say you've made the official commitment to your charity in the name of the company.

And the other charity can be pencilled in for next year.

Yes can't they go with the other charity next year. It's faaaaar too late to change and even if the existing charity won't go on SM and complain anyone else could. .it could be such a PR disaster. .

I really wouldn't quit, just let them fire you if they want to for not complying. They'll quickly realise how unreasonable they were, and if you have to explain it at future interviews it will not put you in a bad light at all, quite the opposite.

I wouldn't do it, but I wouldn't quit over it either, if they want to try and punish or fire me over my stance down the legal route we would go! Disgusting behaviour from them

Exactly how senior is the senior person? I’d go up to the CEO and the board. They would (or should) care a lot more about reputation than a short campaign on social media. But suggest that in the New Year you adopt a different charity strategy and have a year-long campaign — starting with the new charity.

Stand your ground but offer something ‘better’ too.

What a disgusting thing to do. Stand your ground, and be prepared to go to the board or whoever is at the top in your company if necessary. Swapping at the last minute like this makes the company look untrustworthy and frivolous as well as callous.

I would go hard on this. “I am appalled that it has been suggested that we withdraw support from these terminally ill children/impoverished people old people/homeless people a week before Christmas, it seems out of step with the values of this company and could become a PR disaster if it’s made public”. Copy in the most senior person.

Good for you for standing your ground.

Tell your employers that they have implied contractual obligations towards the charity you chose, so cannot change at such short notice. The other charity will have to wait a year. Note that it is not just the money raised on the day, it is the publicity that they receive.

Ugh. Well done you for standing firm OP.

I think whoever made this decision clearly hasn't thought through the impact off NOT going wtih the original plan. It could get very messy indeed on socials. I think the best suggestion is to suggest they fundraise for the new charity next year.

but going back to the point no YWNBU to refuse to do this.

Also here to find out outcome and support original charity if possible!

You have all of my sympathies, OP - this would be my nightmare work situation! I'd probably quit (not saying this is right or best thing to do) but I'm usually told I have 'strong morals, to a fault'. Edit: Read previous great advice to stick to your guns, stick it out, and let it all come to light if it were to come to trying to get rid of you/punish you over it.

Stand your ground.

By the way it is appalling that an organisation would choose a charity purely based on PR/social media opportunities rather than on the good work they are doing.

Absolutely stand your ground, this is incredibly unprofessional of the person who decided a different charity would look better on socials.

I am in no way defending OP’s employers, but I do think some posters are getting a little carried away in moral outrage and giving poor advice. I get the indignation, but just because something is immoral does not mean any laws or codes of practice have been broken (not saying they have or haven’t, I’ve no idea and nor does anyone on here) and acting as though they have breached contract/broken the law etc could leave OP (and possibly the charity) in a vulnerable position if it turns out there only infraction is a moral one.

I agree OP’s employers may be on a sticky wicket if they tried to sack her for refusal to stand down this charity- mainly because she is on annual leave, and so not available for work duties- and agree that make clear her position that this is repugnant behaviour, probably at odds with the company’s stated values etc. and yes, ask if they have thought about potential for negative publicity should the charity choose to disclose what has happened. That way she not only makes her stance clear, she covers herself if there is negative fallout. BUT don’t think she should threaten to take any direct action herself, unless she is very sure of her ground, legally speaking, In her position I would be searching for a new job too.

I think if this company’s behaviour did come to light it might cause a stir for a short period but unless it really gains traction, it probably won’t. I doubt it will go viral- this sort of thing does happen depressingly often in the charity sector and it rarely has the disastrous consequences posters are foretelling. Possible, yes, but far from certain. Company may be happy to take the flak- they would probably try to explain it away as a misunderstanding or individual employee error. Any comeback is highly likely to be a brief, flash in the pan, if anything at all. Especially if this local charity is not well known without much social media presence. They are probably going to be unwilling to go too far with making it known in case it puts off other donors. It’s all well and good to say it won’t because people will be outraged at the way they’ve been treated- but I suspect any “bounce” in support would be brief and, sadly, there is potential that controversy over donors (even if not the charities fault) could put off some potential donors and this small charity may well not want to take that risk. It’s not nice/fair/right etc, but doesn’t make it untrue. OP may also not be doing them a favour by blowing this up and publicising it, if that is the case. I think she should speak to the charity before doing anything, though I’d advise against her doing anything directly without her own legal advice.

Furthermore, whilst this company’s behaviour is immoral, I am not so sure they have breached any laws (op does not say there was a formal contract, for instance) or codes of conduct/practice. Therefore, protection under whistleblower rules may not be covered- so OP should not threaten to “let everyone know” unless she is absolutely sure she would be covered by them. I would also be very careful (preferably with legal advice) about publicly naming and shaming the company on this forum, or any other platform. Similarly, by all means keep evidence of her correspondence surrounding this, in case there are any repercussions from her refusal to stand down this charity- but I’d want some legal advice before handing that evidence on to a 3rd party (the media or the charity itself, for instance). Depending on a number of factors (content of OP’s contract, for instance) these sorts of actions could get her into significant legal difficulties, and I suspect the company she works for may have deeper pockets to fight it than the OP. There could be all sorts of “softer’ repercussions for her too. I’d want to have solid legal advice before making threats or going public on this.

How did it go @WelshRambler ?

I would also remind them that raising money for a good cause, isn’t done just to ‘look good’ to the outside world. It should be done because you/they want to make a real difference to lives of those benefitting from the charity. The fact they’ve even referenced socials would make me question the organisation I was working for.
Do the right thing, absolutely go to bat for the original charity and don’t budge.

What is the outcome of the day @WelshRambler ?

Here for the updates and hoping it all worked out ok!

Any update @WelshRambler ? I hope they came to their senses!

Christ that is shallow. Bunch of cunts.

Sorry, that's utterly ridiculous. Surely the most social media friendly option is one with a properly planned campaign behind it rather than one that has been farted out with 24 hours' notice? Are there any graphic design assets to consider - e.g. boards or programmes with the charity's name on? Because they aren't being done in a day, not enough turnaround for the printers. Also, what are the consequences to the company's image of ditching a charity at the last moment (right before fucking Christmas)? Doubt the charity will blast them on social media, but word of mouth still matters and the charity might have published posts about the event already.

If they wanted to change charities they should have spoken up at the time. Has this request definitely come from the absolute top and not from the one silly twat whose idea it is?

Completely understand why you would want to walk over this if your circumstances will allow it.