While the corporate philanthropy world has moved on from the days of ‘chairman’s choice’, company staff are still not central to decisions around charity partnerships, according to a study into the perspectives of lower-ranking staff on company giving.

Research released today by University of Kent’s Dr Beth Breeze found that many companies are approaching corporate philanthropy with a model which seeks to deliver business benefits, invigorate staff and support charity.

However, Dr Breeze says that while many companies have made overtures to including staff in the decision-making process, staff involvement can often be tokenistic and marginal.

When staff are given the opportunity to select charities, big brands and ‘safe’ causes win out. Personal connection with the cause is also highly influential in staff voting. While management believe staff appreciate even the opportunity to participate in selecting a charity partner, few actually do take part in staff votes. Workers observed by Breeze took the charity partner voting process seriously, and often preferred to abstain from making a decision than to make one hastily.

Fun and up-ending workplace hierarchies were key motivations for staff on the ‘shop floor’, Breeze found, as opposed to a more distinct business case which drove decision-making at management level. The report Corporate philanthropy on the shop floor is released by the Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy.