Your firm does social work in the community. What is the best way of communicating it?
Pro bono programmes, diversity initiatives, charity partnerships, sponsorship of sporting events or emerging artists, equal opportunities commitments, these are not just nice to have. They are part of your firm’s identity. What makes it tick. And increasingly, they are part of how clients and talent choose which firm to work with.
Businesses want to work with firms that share their values. Associates want to work somewhere they are proud of. A firm with a genuine social programme has a story worth telling.
The problem is most firms either do not tell it, or tell it in a way that feels like a press release. The difference is right there, in the telling.
“We completed 200 hours of pro bono work this year” is a statistic.
“We helped a small NGO navigate a complex contract dispute that would have put them out of business” is a story.
One connects with the emotion, with making the world a better place. The other does not.
It is also about showing impact rather than intention. Who benefited? What changed? What would have happened without your firm’s involvement? Not the hours logged. The difference made.
Does the platform matter? Some people say LinkedIn is for formal content and Instagram or Facebook are better for culture and community. We think they all work. The format matters more than the platform. Short videos, real faces, real voices. A team photo from a volunteer day. A story from someone your firm helped. That is what resonates, wherever you post it.
Consistency matters. One post a year about your pro bono work does not build a reputation. Weaving your values into your content regularly does. It does not have to be a campaign. It just has to be genuine.
