For charities across the UK, the challenge is no longer simply delivering vital services – it is sustaining them. Rising demand, increasing financial pressures and a more competitive funding landscape mean organisations are having to rethink how they engage supporters and secure long-term impact.

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For Alex Fogal, Chair of Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire and Partner at EY, the answer lies in stronger collaboration between the charity and business sectors.

Since its launch in 2021, Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire has brought together an influential network of business leaders committed to supporting life-saving research through Cancer Research UK. Together, they have raised more than £500,000, helping to fund pioneering cancer research taking place across Yorkshire. But, as Alex explains, the value of these partnerships goes far beyond fundraising.

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Moving Beyond Traditional Fundraising

"The charity sector is operating in an increasingly challenging environment," Alex says. "Demand for services continues to rise as communities face economic pressures, health inequalities and growing social needs, while funding is becoming more competitive and less predictable."

This changing landscape means charities can no longer rely solely on traditional fundraising models. Instead, they are increasingly looking for partnerships that create long-term value.

"Corporate support is no longer a 'nice to have' – it has become a critical part of helping charities achieve their missions," she explains.

Financial contributions remain important, but Alex believes businesses have much more to offer. Expertise, strategic thinking, professional networks, innovation and influence can all play a significant role in helping charities extend their reach and increase their impact.

"When businesses and charities work together effectively, everyone benefits," she says. "The partnerships strengthen communities, build meaningful relationships and give organisations a genuine opportunity to demonstrate purpose-led leadership."

Rethinking What Corporate Partnerships Look Like

One of the biggest misconceptions Alex encounters is that charity partnerships are purely financial.

"The strongest partnerships are never just about writing a cheque," she says. "They're built on collaboration."

Businesses often underestimate the value of the skills and experience they can contribute alongside financial support. Whether through sharing professional expertise, introducing new networks, encouraging employee fundraising, hosting events or helping raise awareness, meaningful engagement creates far greater impact than sponsorship alone.

Through Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire, Alex has seen organisations of every size contribute in different ways, but the most successful partnerships all have one thing in common: people who genuinely connect with the cause.

"There has to be authenticity," she says. "When organisations become true advocates rather than simply sponsors, the outcomes can be transformational."

Importantly, those benefits are not one-sided. Businesses frequently discover that charity partnerships strengthen employee engagement, create valuable networking opportunities, develop leadership capability and build stronger relationships across the regional business community.

Why More Leaders Should Step Into the Charity Sector

Alongside encouraging corporate partnerships, Alex believes more senior leaders should consider becoming charity trustees or taking on leadership roles within the sector.

For her, chairing Business Beats Cancer Yorkshire has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her career.

"It has allowed me to bring together everything I've learned professionally with a cause that is deeply personal to me," she explains. "Like so many people, I've seen the impact cancer has on family, friends, colleagues and clients, and that makes the mission incredibly meaningful."

Serving as a trustee offers opportunities to develop skills that many executives may not encounter in their day-to-day roles, from governance and stakeholder management to fundraising, strategy and long-term decision-making.

"Business leaders have both an opportunity and, arguably, a responsibility to use their experience for the wider benefit of society," Alex says.

Charities benefit from commercial thinking, strategic leadership and robust governance. At the same time, leaders who immerse themselves in the sector often gain a deeper understanding of communities, develop greater empathy and return to their organisations with a renewed sense of purpose.

Building Stronger Communities Together

Alex's experience demonstrates that the most successful charity partnerships are built on shared purpose rather than transactions.

As charities continue to navigate an increasingly complex environment, collaboration between businesses and the third sector will only become more important. Organisations that invest not only money, but also their people, expertise and influence, have the opportunity to create lasting change for the communities they serve.

For Alex, that is ultimately what effective partnership is all about: bringing together businesses and charities to achieve far more collectively than either could accomplish alone.