There is nothing technically wrong with navel gazing, but sometimes it is important to take your eyes off your old innie/ outie and start thinking about the world beyond your mid-section.

When I started researching the payroll giving review commissioned by the Institute of Fundraising for my feature in this month’s magazine, it became clear to me that there was a very basic issue that no one was paying close enough attention to.

The thing with payroll giving is that, at the very heart of it, employers and businesses control it; not charities, PGAs or PFOs, as much as they like to blame each other for the slow take up of the mechanism. To me, this would suggest that business should be the very first point of call for an investigation into why payroll giving has not worked.

However, looking at the appendix to the report, the list of organisations identified  as ‘employers’ was many times dwarfed by the number of charities, PGAs and PFOs which contributed to the report. (In fairness to Strategy Complete, the report authors, they had invited contributions and could only include what they were given).

Without businesses being consulted and getting on board, you don’t have a market. You barely have a hope.

Third sector organisations are well intentioned. But they have the monopoly neither on good intentions nor good ideas, and engaging with business – as evil and corrupting as some may perceive them to be – is essential if this mechanism is to succeed.

With more and more businesses looking to develop their corporate social responsibility (both in lip service and in genuine commitment) now is the time for the sector as a whole to extend a hand out to business to see what mutual benefits there are to be had.

Neglecting business is to disregard a significant source of support and expertise, as well as a door to increased numbers of payroll givers.