Earning feels good, but giving back can feel even better. Generosity can also be good for your company’s reputation, which in turn could help to boost business.

Below are just some of the ways in which businesses can start giving back to the community.

Donate money

Donating money to charitable causes is the most common way of giving back. You could donate a lump sum of your profits to a cause or continuously donate a slice of your income (some businesses may sell certain charity products in which a certain per centage of proceeds goes to charity). You can also sponsor events and local projects, donating money to a cause in exchange for being able to advertise through the event/project. You could even find your own ways of raising money from sponsor such as keeping a donation box, taking part in a charity event or organizing your own charity event.

Donate products and services

There may be products and services that you can give to people for free as a kind gesture. For instance, a hair salon may agree to cut hair for homeless people, while a toy retailer might donate a couple toys to a local orphanage at Christmas. Certain businesses may even be able to donate their premises for events (for instance a youth centre may allow charity organizers to host an event there for free).

Share knowledge

You may have specialist knowledge that you can share with the world. Many accomplished figures such as stage director Travis Preston have dedicated huge amounts of time to helping students break into the theatre industry. You yourself may be able to help people looking to get into your profession – this could include throwing seminars and workshops, writing handbooks or even designing a course. Alternatively, you may be able to offer free advice to clients or suppliers.

Save the environment

You can also find ways to give back to the planet. Many industries leave behind a carbon footprint, but you may be able to offset by finding ways to help heal the environment. On top of giving money to environmental causes, you may be able to take measures such as planting trees. Some companies around the world have even found ways to convert trash into profit, helping to clean up the streets while making money – you can read more about this at Pacific Standard.

Offer work experience

If your business is part of a popular industry, consider whether offering work experience could be a huge benefit to people trying to get their foot in the door. This could include work shadowing opportunities, apprenticeships or internships. On top of helping others to follow their future careers, you’ll be hiring a helping hand (although work experience shouldn’t just be viewed as cheap labor) and possibly sourcing future employees for your business. Forbes offers an article here on the further benefits of offering work experience.