This incentive program resulted in a donation of 37,500 cans of food to the local community
The annual awards program run by SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) recognizes outstanding incentive programs in a variety of geographic and solution-driven categories. In the category of “Most Impactful Effort Toward Corporate Social Responsibility as Part of an Incentive Travel Program,” Next Level Performance was tasked by their client, a financial services technology provider, with creating an employee volunteer activity during a March 2023 President’s Club trip to the Bahamas.
Here’s a look at what they created.
The activity, the client specified, should strengthen company loyalty, encourage continued strong performance in the weeks and months after the trip, and deepen employee connections.
Importantly, the client also wanted to be sure the activity highlighted its core value to “be the change,” and aligned with the company’s overarching environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policy that translates their corporate values into meaningful action.
Read More: SITE Crystal Award Case Study: The Power of Experience
Next Level worked with a local DMC to identify a community partner, Hands for Hunger, that provides thousands of meals each week to Bahamian families. Rather than simply ask qualifiers to make donations to this partner, however, Next Level came up with a creative twist that had participants humming — literally, in some cases!
Qualifiers and their guests were divided into 50 teams and given 750 cans of food per team to use in crafting sea creature sculptures, reminiscent of their Bahamian location.
All food donations were sourced on-island, which injected funds into the local economy by engaging local grocers— allowing Next Level to maximize the activity budget and ensure as many dollars as possible would go directly to their nonprofit partner.
As the activity progressed, the host hotel lawn became dotted with can creatures that had seemingly risen straight from the sea. Teams were made up of employees from every corner of the world who often spoke multiple languages, but the incredible teamwork led to fantastically fun results.
Adding even better cultural touches to the day was a thoughtful inclusion by Next Level Performance of “Rhythm N’ Youth,” a program that teaches traditional Bahamian music to local children. The youth group performed a “Rake N’ Scrape” program during the can-building competition, alongside Rhythm N’ Youth’s founder.
Through their competition, Next Level’s client donated 37,500 cans directly to Hands for Hunger — the largest single donation the nonprofit had ever received. Food was then distributed to 1,000 families in Nassau, Eleuthera, and Andros. Moreover, many of the qualifiers were so moved by Rhythm N’ Youth’s performance that they made onsite cash donations to the group and raised over $1,000 for the band — on top of another financial donation made directly to Hands for Hunger.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
