The ‘HOW’ of Sustainable Philanthropy Framework
Learn more about how businesses can pursue philanthropy.
Last updated 8 September 2026
Overview
The ‘HOW’ component of the framework refers to the nature of efforts that businesses can pursue, which are broadly categorised into three modes of philanthropy:
Giving
Volunteering
Socially Responsible Business Practices.
Metrics
The Sustainable Philanthropy Framework has tailored metrics to enable businesses to measure its ‘HOW’ aspect, summarised below:
The core metrics
Topic | Core metrics | Units |
Giving | Total donation amount in dollar value ($) / equivalent dollar value ($) | Dollar ($) |
Volunteering | Number of volunteer hours in the year | Hours (h) |
Socially responsible business practices | List the socially responsible business-related practices and commitments your business has implemented (e.g. inclusive hiring of Persons with Disabilities) | List / Number (#) |
The expanded metrics
Topic | Expanded metrics | Units |
Giving | % of dollar value ($) as a component of total revenue/profit | Percentage (%) |
Volunteering | Total number / percentage (%) of employees that participated in volunteering / giving programmes | Number (#) / Percentage (%) |
Breakdown of hours by volunteering roles | Hours (h) | |
Does your business have any practices and/or volunteering commitments? | Binary (Y/N) / List | |
Socially responsible business Practices | Number of diverse and inclusive suppliers incorporated as part of a business’s procurement network | Number (#) |
General (across modes of philanthropy) | Number of beneficiaries impacted as a result of a business’s sustainable philanthropy | Number (#) |
% of beneficiaries who experienced a positive change | Percentage (%) |
Ways for businesses to make an impact
Giving predominantly consists of donations, both monetary and in-kind, that are within the business’s resources, with the intention of improving the circumstances of the beneficiary.
Volunteering involves the dedication of employee time and expertise to make a meaningful contribution to the community. This can manifest in various capacities and across many roles. Find out more about Sustainable Volunteering.
Socially responsible business practices refer to a spectrum of strategies, actions and commitments that businesses can undertake to ensure their operations can positively influence society. Examples of this include inclusive hiring, ethical procurement policies, and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles.