Sustainable corporate gifting – 5 top tips

Gone are the days when it was acceptable to send a branded stress ball as a corporate gift, which would sit on a desk and eventually end up discarded.

These days we are all, thankfully, more conscious of where things have come from and what impact they have. The world of corporate gifting is no different.

Here are five ways you can help make your corporate gifting this year and beyond more sustainable and probably more appreciated by your employees and clients too.

Where have your corporate gifts come from?

This is a nice easy way to start making a move towards more sustainable corporate gifting choices. Where have your gifts come from? Keep those product air miles down by searching close to home. There will be makers and businesses close to where you live or work that produce giftable items that would make a great corporate gift. Some favourites are food-related items such as locally-produced jams or chutneys, or chocolatiers who source their ingredients sustainably and ethically.

These can then be presented in a hamper or gift bag where your branding can be incorporated if
required. Ensure any packaging is reusable or compostable too to avoid unnecessary waste.

Choose vegan gifts

Apart from being more environmentally-friendly and cruelty-free, sending vegan gifts also helps you to cater for many dietary requirements and allergens. Whether it’s an edible item, a notebook or a candle you are sending, there are vegan alternatives to everything these days. Non-vegans needn’t know because a lot of vegan alternatives are as good (if not better!).

Select something thoughtful for this year’s sustainable corporate gifts

Do you remember the logo on any plastic pen you’ve ever received? I thought not! Putting some care and thought into a gift will have much greater impact and remain in their minds for longer, even if your logo isn’t printed on it! So…have a think about your recipient.

What kind of things do they like? What food do they enjoy? What places do they like to visit? Can you tailor your gift to some of their interests?

Accompany your gift with a handwritten note for a truly, personal gift that shows you care.

Send wildflower seeds

Sending seeds has multiple benefits! It’s a low-cost yet memorable gift, the seeds will grow into plants which will remind the recipient of where they came from every time they bloom AND, they help the planet by providing nectar-rich plants to attract pollinating bees and butterflies.

They are so versatile that they can be sent as a standalone gift or as part of a larger package of eco-friendly gifts.

Gift a donation

Donating to a charity close to your team member or client’s heart can have a huge and
memorable impact and you have the added benefit of not producing any waste. There are
various ways you can do this; you could ask your intended recipient who they would like to
donate to and then send them evidence of your donation. You could purchase a charity voucher
and add the funds of your choice for your recipient to choose which charity they’d like to donate to. Or, you could choose a charity yourself and donate to the charity in their name. Whichever
you choose, this is a super thoughtful and impactful gift that will benefit both your brand and
the chosen charity.

Thanks for reading! 

I hope these tips helped with some ideas to come up with more thoughtful and sustainable corporate gifts.

About the author

Zoe Roberts founded Out of the Box Gifts, an eco-friendly gift box shop to combine her love for
finding thoughtful gifts and her passion for sustainability. Zoe strongly believes that the thought
and care that goes into a gift is much more memorable than a logo on a plastic pen and is on a
mission to make the corporate gifting world more thoughtful and sustainable.