It’s the thought that counts.
This Christmas, it will count more than ever. As we approach this festive season, we have perhaps never been more aware of the economic and environmental backdrop to our annual celebration.
Increasingly, we can’t ignore the fact that other things count too. The cost. The carbon footprint. All that goes into a gift adds up, and if we aren’t careful, can leave a mark that undermines the kindness of the thought.
Corporate gifting represents an opportunity to confront the season of excess with something different. As we celebrate the year coming to a close, companies across Ireland can help usher in a season of sense and sustainability. And what better mascot for sense and sustainability than the simple but powerful act of growing your own food?
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Gifts going to waste
Consider this: according to research by Finder, over 50 per cent of people in the UK receive a Christmas present they don’t want each year, amounting to an astonishing waste of £5bn on unwanted gifts. Research by GIY and Spark Market Research found that 78 per cent of Irish people want to grow their own food, but only 19 per cent do so. The most common reasons preventing people from starting are a fear of failure and lack of knowledge, but the demand is clear. It’s intuitive also. The human brain is wired to want to put food on the table for the people we love.
Companies are in a novel position to speak to good intentions like these. Employee and client gifts need to demonstrate social and environmental awareness that much more than whatever Uncle Ned cobbles together. Done well, they could be a powerful force to nudge employees towards sustainable behaviours they already aspire to, while using their purchasing power to support small Irish businesses and social enterprises.
Growing food at work
GIY has been supporting companies to deliver meaningful food growing gifts and experiences to employees since 2020. Whether working from home or meeting your colleagues in the office it’s always joyful to bring teams together over an activity that builds morale and relieves stress.
Teams of people in companies like AIB, Meta, LinkedIn, DropBox, ESB and Virgin Media have been growing food together with the support of GIY’s products. The resounding response is that the experience has made it fun to practice more sustainable living and greater self-sufficiency—an engaging and practical way to educate employees on not just how to grow their own vegetables, but to understand the environmental impact of food waste and diet.
“In difficult economic circumstances, corporate gifts can fall flat. The wrong gift is unwanted, wasteful and creates more harm than good. But the right gift can mean the world, in more ways than one.”
Corporate gifting represents an opportunity to confront the season of excess with something different. As we celebrate the year coming to a close, companies across Ireland can help usher in a season of sense and sustainability
Mental health
The right gift should make someone happy. For the team at John Sisk & Son, this is exactly what growing food with GIY has done. “We consider gardening, being outside and in contact with nature as key to good mental health, for stress reduction and for self care,” says Sol Santivanez, social value and sustainability reporting manager at Sisk. “This is a way to encourage employees to take some time for themselves, enjoy the results of their activity every day, but also enjoy it in their meals with family and friends.”
The science shows they are not alone in enjoying these benefits. A recent University of Florida study found that gardening twice a week lowered stress, anxiety and depression in otherwise healthy women who had never gardened before. Contact with soil bacteria has been found to release serotonin, showing an inextricable link between nature and human happiness.
Social connection
As well as bringing us outdoors, the right gift should bring people together. This has been central to the success of team food growing at Sisk, who treated employees to a GIY starter growing kit and a subscription to the GIY app. “It’s great to see everyone sharing pictures of their improvements, best practices, queries and helping each other,” according to Santivanez, who adds: “Growing your own food is a great opportunity to be more conscious of what we eat and to try to introduce more sustainable practices each day.”
Climate action
Most importantly, the right gift should be good for the planet. Food growing is a deceptively powerful climate solution. Household vegetable gardens can deliver up to 2kg CO2eq savings per 1kg of vegetables grown. A veg patch as small as a car parking space could save 50-100kg CO2eq per year, compared to the same quantity of vegetables being shop bought.
It also has a key role to play when it comes to dietary choice. Food growers consistently show a higher likelihood of choosing more plant-rich diets, widely accepted to be one of the most high-impact climate solutions.
Corporate gifts
When it comes to corporate gifts, it is still the thought that counts. But beyond generosity, sparing a thought for an employee’s mental health, social connections and environmental consciousness is how to choose a gift that truly means the world.
Alternatively, let your clients, customers or teams know that you are supporting the next generation to start their food growing journey. Gift a garden to a primary school, in lieu of Christmas cards or traditional gifts.
For more information on GIY’s products and corporate programmes, visit www.giy.ie or contact jane@giy.ie.