The holidays can be a wonderful time filled with jolly music, twinkling decorations, and well-deserved bonuses. They can also be a hectic time, with the fiscal year coming to a close, performance reviews in the works, and employee gifting to think about. Luckily, EarthHero is here to help! And while we can’t schedule your bookkeeping, we can make your corporate gifting strategy hassle-free and sustainable.
Not something to ignore, the corporate gifting market is growing faster than the personal gifting market!1 Since the start of Covid-19 and the transition to a remote or hybrid working environment, the importance of gifting has increased. Still unsure about whether it’s a good move for your company? Read on to learn the 6 reasons why YOUR company should gift sustainably with EarthHero’s Corporate Gifting program this holiday season.
1. It’s Good for the Planet
Whether you’re shopping for your family or your employees, it’s important to shop with the planet in mind. With EarthHero, that’s easy. Not only are we meticulous about how we source products, but we walk the talk. For every brand and product on our site, we evaluate them with our 5 Pillars of Sustainable Sourcing. Plus, as a 1% for the Planet member, 1% of all of our sales are donated to environmental non-profits, which means every order placed through us helps foster a greener tomorrow.
You don’t need to worry about plastic, either. We ship all of our orders completely plastic-free so that your recipients have the unboxing experience they deserve. They can have peace of mind too, knowing that all of EarthHero’s shipments are carbon offset. You heard that right!
2. Improve Employee Relationships and Productivity
While an overarching goal for corporate gift-givers is to reap the long-term financial gain, it is all done through relationship-building in this gifting process. In other words, keeping hard-working employees happy requires investment in their well-being and company morale. If you agree, you’re not alone; 40% of employers (and 50% of employers within the manufacturing sector) ranked ‘employee productivity’ in the top three advantages of corporate gifting.
Beyond this, 43% of companies list ‘improved employee relationships’ as one of the top three advantages of corporate gifting (even more than lead generation and improved sales)1. Plus, 96% of respondents stated that previous corporate gifting did, in fact, improve their relationships with employees. Gifting responsibly is the perfect way to build much-desired trust and relationships!
3. Improve Employee Retention
It’s no surprise that with an increase in employee relations and productivity comes increased employee retention. While only 30% of corporate gift-givers cited ‘employee retention’ as a top reason for gifting, 97% stated that gifting improved employee retention at their company1. In other words, gift-givers are not prioritizing employee retention when gifting, but it is an inevitable by-product of gifting to their employees. This is not a trend to neglect.
While the past few years have been anything but normal, it is imperative to be aware of critical business trends like employee turnover. From 2016 to 2020, turnover in the U.S. increased from 42.6% to 57.3%2. For many companies, it proves difficult to maintain employee morale and prioritize employee contentment to retain talent, especially amidst these challenging times with so many employees working remotely. However, improving employee retention should not be seen as another chore but a valuable business strategy. Employee turnover is incredibly costly, with the cost of replacing an individual employee being between one-half and two times the employee’s annual salary3.
Incorporating something as simple as regular employee appreciation, whether through regular celebrations or meaningful gifts, is the perfect way to keep and nourish valuable talent.
4. Helps with Client Relations
In 2020, many companies saw their teams doubling down on employee and client relationships, seeking to stay ahead of trends in professional relationships. With the recent reduction in business-related travel becoming the new norm, it is imperative that companies retain and improve crucial client relations without valuable facetime. Gifting is an easy way to achieve that. In fact, 59% of employers who gifted in the past year stated ‘staying connected with clients/prospects’ as a reason for increased gifting1.
Beyond recent client-relations trends, client gifting has always been a crucial part of professional courtesy and relationship-building. 42% of corporate gift-givers cited ‘client nurturing and engagement’ as a gifting occasion in and of itself, alongside occasions like holidays and conferences. Not only does gifting build trust, but it also makes the recipient feel valued and important to the company’s success.
5. Create a Unique and High-Quality Experience
One of the most important aspects of gift-giving (whether personal or for business) is the quality and experience of the gifts! According to Coresight, the top criteria for gift buyers are product quality (88%), timely delivery (82%), gift variety (81%), and a simple gifting process (78%). At EarthHero, we check off all the boxes.
Product Quality & Variety
All of our products are vetted for quality and sustainability. Our suppliers use the best materials available, like stainless steel, stonewashed linen, and sturdy bamboo, to ensure their products are long-lasting with an elevated look and feel. At EarthHero, we believe gifting should be memorable, which means the gifts need to last a lifetime. When sourcing gifts through us, corporate buyers have the ability to customize their gifts by adding their company logo and curating their gift box from start to finish. And, for their convenience, we have popular ready-made gift boxes that have been proven to wow recipients time and time again.
Timely Delivery
With many companies adopting remote or hybrid work environments, we know it may seem stressful trying to coordinate dozens (or even hundreds) of gifts. Whether your employees are all in your office or are spread across the globe, we offer the option of shipping to multiple recipients, including international shipping. When your gift boxes are ready to go, we can either send them to each employee individually or all together to your office – your choice!
Gifting Simplicity
To make the gifting experience easier, we have plenty of ready-made gift boxes available to suit various employee tastes. Our featured ready-made gift box is The Eco-Office Box, which includes an insulated water bottle from Klean Kanteen which you can customize! All gift boxes feature sustainable and high-quality products that will readily become staples for your employees. And, if you’d prefer to skip the gift boxes, we have easy-to-use gift cards ranging from $10 to $500. Not only do our sustainable gift cards simplify the process for you, but they’re also one of the most anticipated gifts by employees/receivers at 54%4. That way, your employees can pick their favorite essentials from our EarthHero marketplace – win-win!
6. Show That Your Company Cares
When you work with us, you show that your company cares about environmental and social issues. Not only do our brands boast numerous third-party certifications, but we do too. At EarthHero, we’re a certified B Corp, a member of 1% for the Planet, and Climate Neutral Certified! That means every single order placed and shipped has no carbon impact. On your behalf, we purchase carbon credits that are used to fund reforestation projects equal to the carbon emissions of your package!
Some other impressive certifications our brands hold include FSC Certified wood (which certified that the trees are harvested sustainably), Fair Trade (which means employees are paid fair wages), and GOTS (which means the product is made with 100% organic cotton). At EarthHero, we also value a company’s ethics, giving, and identity to raise awareness of social and environmental responsibility that isn’t certified.
When you support EarthHero, you support small businesses, women-owned businesses, Fair Trade companies, and much more. Learn more about the social and environmental Sustainability Logos our brands boast, from “Compostable” to “Cruelty Free” to “Mom Owned.”
How to Get Started
It is abundantly clear that every company should prioritize and invest in corporate gifting, whether it be for their employees or their clients. Luckily, EarthHero is here to help you make your gifting climate-friendly with Sustainable Corporate Gifting.
Head over to our website and peruse our numerous offerings, from gift boxes to custom products to gift cards. Once you’ve been inspired, email the Team, at [email protected] to get started.
Don’t wait any longer. If you’re ready to make this holiday season memorable (and stress-free), make the move now. You won’t regret it – we promise!
- According to Coresight Research’s study from May 2021 titled, “Unwrapping the American Corporate Gifting Opportunity”
- According to Zippia in a September 2021 article titled, “27 US Employee Turnover Statistics : Average Employee Turnover Rate, Industry Comparisons, and Trends”
- According to Gallup in a March 2019 article titled, “This Fixable Problem Costs U.S. Businesses $1 Trillion”
- According to the National Retail Federation from a November 2020 research study titled, “Earlier Start to Holiday Shopping Season Embraced by Consumers”
