Businesses explore meaningful ways to give

This holiday season, businesses are looking to give more than just monetary donations. 

Timothy Palmer, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices at Western Michigan University, says corporations are looking for deeper ways to give back, rather than simply writing a check. 

Palmer says this stems from employees looking for a purpose driven mission--causing businesses to seek out potential candidates with these character traits. 

"This generation, or at least my students, are looking for companies whose values are in alignment with their own," said Palmer. "They want to work for companies that are engaged in communities, you know, who have a sense of purpose."

Though studies show affluent Americans are giving back at high rates, a Giving USA report shares that giving rates have decreased. Less than 50% of Americans gave back in 2022 compared to 66% in 2000.