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Unless you’ve been hiding out under a rock, you probably know that there’s a lot of talk about AI these days. It’s already become part of our everyday lives, so it only makes sense that using AI for corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be part of the conversation. If you use tech to manage your teams – and who doesn’t? – the question is not “should we use AI?” – it’s “how can we leverage AI to achieve our goals?” We’ll explore the many applications of general and purpose-built AI tools that can empower CSR teams, revolutionize workflows, and bolster your most important initiatives.
CSR technology is always evolving. Keeping up means adopting new systems, adapting to new tech, and implementing new practices to get and stay ahead.
You might already be aware that there are different types of AI, with “Narrow AI” being the only one that’s not currently theoretical. These come in various forms, designed to perform specific tasks with various results.
Because CSR is a complex network of tasks, responsibilities, and skills, AI for social impact has many potential uses. There are cases where a large language model AI, such as ChatGPT, can be a valuable tool, and others where you might want one to perform specific administrative tasks.
Like any tool, leveraging AI for social good is all about how you use it. It can help with instant donation matching, email copywriting, event promotion, and more, but it can’t do everything. It can, however, streamline your processes and help you work more effectively and efficiently.
To get the most out of AI in your CSR program, it’s important to understand what it can and can’t do. Thoughtful, purposeful implementation is the key to success in a digital world.
When it comes to utilizing AI for CSR, there are numerous ways it can deliver value and enhance efficiency. The following are some ways you can use artificial intelligence for social good causes.
AI can be used to perform redundant tasks that would otherwise take time away from more valuable pursuits. Automate otherwise tedious processes by using AI for corporate donation matching, data analysis, and impact reporting. Automating rule-based tasks can help reduce the admin burden of your initiatives and speed up processing times.
AI can be used to create a comprehensive list of upcoming holidays and special months, such as Mental Health Awareness Month, Autism Awareness Month, World Environment Day, and other occasions you might want to integrate into your CSR campaigns. It can also help you create a calendar of important days, weeks, and months, allowing you to look ahead and plan events around meaningful causes.
Save time writing out campaign descriptions or designing promotional flyers by giving the task to a generative AI. You’ll still want someone to edit and tailor the outcomes, but AI-generated content can save you time, energy, and money while helping deliver high-quality results.
It can also be used to write email copy to promote events or volunteer opportunities. It’s always best to have an experienced copyeditor or graphic designer on hand to tweak and approve any final drafts, but if you’re strapped for time and resources, it can help you get the work done quickly and effectively.
AI-driven financial tools can help you manage expenses and maintain a sound budget. They can also generate expense reports, flag any abnormalities, and categorize spending, allowing you to keep better track of your money flow. This minimizes the chances for human error while saving you valuable time and effort.
AI can tailor CSR opportunities to employees' interests and availability, increasing the likelihood of participation. Use AI to generate ideas for giving or volunteering campaigns that align with your employees' interests and passions. It can use past data and trends to find which causes are most likely to resonate with your employees and provide personalized recommendations.
While general-purpose AI tools can be widely beneficial for CSR teams, they weren’t built with social impact at their core. A growing number of platforms are leveraging AI for social impact, using it to streamline areas such as grant management, nonprofit vetting, impact measurement, and employee engagement. Several tools have begun incorporating machine learning into their offerings, but there is a trade-off.
Many of these AI-forward platforms sacrifice utility and depth for innovation. They may be strong on insights or engagement, but fall short on the essentials. On the other hand, many legacy CSR platforms have the backend capabilities your team needs, but they lack the technical agility you require to keep pace in an AI-centric world.
This is where Groundswell stands out, combining enterprise-level backend functionality with automation tools that enable you to move quickly and engage meaningfully.
Groundswell can help you simplify your CSR processes while strengthening your program. Here are some ways you can utilize Groundswell capabilities to reduce your workload and automate crucial tasks.
With Groundswell, you can set up fully automated, customized donation-matching programs. Once an employee donates through the platform, their gift will be instantly matched based on your preset rules. No more submitting match requests, suffering administrative headaches, and an end to waiting for matches to be approved.
Groundswell integrates with your HRIS system data so you can automatically segment employees by location, department, level, or any custom field. These segments can be used for tailored campaigns, tailored branding, targeted communications, and any relevant reporting needs.
With role-based permissions, Groundswell lets you assign trusted employees as “champions” or program leads. They can create and manage volunteer events, giving campaigns, or cause drives without needing full admin access. Employees can also create their own events without needing any admin access. This allows you to maintain control while decentralizing CSR activities and encouraging employees to get involved.
Groundswell streamlines volunteer hour tracking by enabling employees to log hours directly within the platform, or can log hours based on event settings, utilizing automated approval workflows. For company-organized CSR events, hours can be pre-loaded or auto-tracked for everyone who RSVPs and attends.
When it comes to choosing a CSR platform, there’s a lot to consider. You need form, function, and versatility—and you shouldn’t have to compromise. Groundswell is on a mission to democratize philanthropy, so you can get the enterprise-level performance you need without all the hidden fees.
Take advantage of time-saving automation tools and streamline your work with a platform designed to help you succeed. If you’re ready to discover a better way to give, book a demo today!
