Businesses today face growing pressure to not only drive up profits but also contribute positively to society. Corporate partnerships offer a powerful avenue to achieve this balance, enabling companies to address societal challenges while advancing their own goals. By fostering collaboration between businesses and mission-driven organizations, these partnerships create transformative ripple effects, delivering measurable benefits to both the communities they serve and the companies themselves.

Understanding the Dual Advantage of Corporate Partnerships

Corporate partnerships have evolved beyond mere philanthropy to become strategic connections that complements a company’s mission and values. When businesses partner with organizations focused on bettering society, they not only contribute to social good but also gain valuable benefits. These partnerships create a virtuous cycle that enhances:

  • Brand reputation: Collaborating with purpose-driven organizations like Play Like a Girl underscores a company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, fostering trust and goodwill among stakeholders.
  • Employee engagement: Meaningful initiatives provide employees with opportunities to contribute to causes they care about, boosting morale, retention, and a sense of pride in their workplace.
  • Innovation: Diversity of thought fuels innovation. Collaborating with individuals from different backgrounds makes it possible to develop creative solutions that have a positive impact on society and business.

A Case Study of Success: SharkNinja and Play Like a Girl’s Collaborative Effort to Diversify STEM

One standout  example of a corporate partnership that created mutual success is the recent collaboration between SharkNinja and Play Like a Girl. SharkNinja, a leading home technology company, is dedicated to advancing innovation and addressing the underrepresentation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Play Like a Girl, a nonprofit, is on a mission to inspire girls through STEM and sports, helping them build the confidence and skills to break barriers and achieve their dreams.

Together, we hosted a STEM+ Challenge at Mother Caroline Academy, an all-girls school serving underserved communities in the Boston area. This event aimed to ignite a passion for STEM in middle school girls by engaging them in real-world problem-solving alongside SharkNinja employees who served as role models and mentors for the daylong design challenge. The initiative aligned seamlessly with SharkNinja’s values of creativity, collaboration, and community impact while offering employees an opportunity to give back and champion diversity for the next generation of innovators.

The challenge for SharkNinja

SharkNinja recognizes the significant underrepresentation of women, particularly women of color, in STEM fields. To tackle this challenge, the company creates volunteer opportunities to engage employees and inspire young leaders. By providing girls with the tools, confidence, and mentorship they need to pursue successful STEM careers, SharkNinja aims to make a positive impact in the community while fostering diversity and inclusion within the company.

The collaborative initiative: Bring STEM to life

The SharkNinja x Play Like a Girl STEM+ Challenge brought together SharkNinja employees and students from Mother Caroline Academy for a full-day event filled with education, mentorship, and hands-on problem-solving activities. The event featured key activities including a panel discussion, where SharkNinja employees shared details about their careers and the many pathways to a future in STEM. Students also participated in a design thinking workshop, where SharkNinja engineers guided students in creating innovative solutions to a real-world problem.

The STEM+ Challenge ended with a pitch competition, where students worked in teams to design prototypes for products that address sustainability challenges posed by excessive food waste in school cafeterias. Throughout the day, SharkNinja employees shared their career journeys, offering advice and encouragement to the students as they built their solutions and prepared to pitch them. To wrap things up, students presented their ideas to a jury of their peers (and mentors).

The outcomes: Empowered students and engaged employees

The outcomes of the STEM+ Challenge were remarkable. Students experienced a significant boost in confidence, with 97% of participants reporting an increased  interest in pursuing STEM careers after the event. The collaborative nature of the challenge helped students develop teamwork and problem-solving skills, while SharkNinja employees found purpose-driven engagement and increased their involvement in diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The role of Employee Resource Groups in fostering engagement

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are a cornerstone of fostering meaningful engagement within corporate partnerships, and the collaboration between SharkNinja and Play Like a Girl is no exception. SharkNinja’s ERGs played a vital role in bringing the STEM+ Challenge to life, allowing employees to connect with the broader mission of supporting girls and leveling the playing field in STEM.

SharkNinja employees volunteered their time and expertise, contributing to the event’s success while finding personal fulfillment in championing a cause they believed in. This involvement deepened their connection to the company’s mission, fostering a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. Through ERG-led efforts, the collaboration became more than just an event; it evolved into a platform for employees to actively participate in building a diverse, innovative future. The involvement of SharkNinja’s ERGs exemplified how mobilizing employee passion can amplify the impact of corporate initiatives, transforming them into catalysts for change.

Female role models: Breaking barriers and inspiring change

The presence of female role models during the STEM+ Challenge was a pivotal component of the SharkNinja and Play Like a Girl partnership. Women in leadership positions at SharkNinja, many of whom are trailblazers in their respective fields, shared their stories, offered mentorship, and demonstrated the possibilities for girls pursuing their interests in STEM.

For the students of Mother Caroline Academy, seeing women excel in traditionally male-dominated industries was both inspiring and transformative. These role models embodied resilience, creativity, and success, providing tangible examples that shattered stereotypes and encouraged the girls to envision themselves as future innovators and leaders. They bridged the gap between aspiration and achievement, demystifying STEM careers and offering practical guidance at a pivotal point in the girls’ development. This experience ignited a broader interest in STEM among the students, with 100% of the young women signing up for additional Play Like a Girl programming.

The road ahead: Expanding corporate partnerships for greater impact

The collaboration between SharkNinja and Play Like a Girl showcases the transformative power of corporate partnerships. Through shared values and actionable initiatives, we’ve inspired young girls to dream big, break barriers, and pursue a future in STEM. This partnership not only created a meaningful impact for the students of Mother Caroline Academy but also supported SharkNinja’s commitment to diversity.

In fact, SharkNinja is committed to continuing its partnership with Play Like an Girl and plans to host additional design challenges and mentorship programs for students at Mother Caroline. By providing ongoing support and opportunities for girls, the company is investing in the development of young minds and solidifying its role as a champion of diversity.

Community Impact and Lasting Change: Inspiring Real-Life Stories

The impact of corporate partnerships extends beyond the programs and events themselves, as evidenced by the inspiring stories of girls who have been inspired and motivated by these programs:

  • Hannah, a 14-year-old aspiring coder, was inspired after seeing women thrive in tech roles during an Inside Look industry field trip at Amazon. With mentorship from an Amazon engineer, she developed her first app prototype, which later won a local coding competition. Hannah credits the experience with boosting her confidence and is now actively engaged in her school’s coding club.
  • Sophia‘s encounter with female NFL executives and coaches during the Bridgestone x Play Like a Girl Field Day motivated her to apply for a student-athlete leadership program. She now plays on her high school flag football team and organizes sports clinics for younger girls, passing on the confidence and skills she gained from the flag football clinic. 
  • Aisha, another remarkable young girl, participated in Microsoft’s STEM+ Challenge during the pandemic and used the feedback she received to lead her school’s environmental club in launching a successful plastic recycling project.

Team Up with Play Like a Girl to Help Girls Thrive and Reach Their Potential

Corporate partnerships have the power to inspire change, create opportunities, and drive meaningful social impact. And the best thing? Your company can be part of this powerful movement, too. When you partner with Play Like a Girl, you’ll have the opportunity to foster diversity, engage employees, and create lasting social impact. Together, we can build a future where every girl has the confidence and resources to pursue her dreams — and every company can contribute to a world that’s more inclusive, innovative, and equitable.

Join the movement today! Visit Play Like a Girl to explore partnership opportunities and take the first step toward empowering girls and transforming communities.