How purpose-driven organisations can cut through in business media
NBR co-editor, Hamish McNicol.
When purpose-driven organisations pitch to media, they often head straight to lifestyle or general news desks. But there’s another audience that really cares - and may be more likely or able to act: business readers.
I spoke with Hamish McNicol, co-editor of NBR, about what makes a story land in the business press, and why purpose-driven organisations should be pitching there more often. His advice is both practical and encouraging.
1. It’s about people, not just numbers
Forget the stereotype of business stories being all about balance sheets. What grabs attention is people.
“Interesting people doing interesting things - that’s what stands out,” Hamish says.
Yes, the fundamentals matter - like revenue, growth and reach - but what really hooks readers is the human story. Who is driving the work? What is their vision, their background, their purpose?
For NGOs, that’s good news. You already have the people and mission. The challenge is framing your story in a way that shows impact.
2. Business audiences are some of your best allies
Many NGOs assume business readers won’t care about social issues. That’s simply not true.
Hamish told me about an NBR podcast featuring the Starship Foundation. Afterwards, a subscriber - someone the charity had been trying to reach for years - got in touch and made a very significant donation.
“That is pretty much the dream result,” Hamish says. “It shows business readers don’t just care - they’re often the ones most likely to donate, invest or support.”
3. Link your mission to business realities
Almost every NGO issue overlaps with business concerns: modern slavery, supply chains and climate change, for example.
“Pretty much every NGO is doing work which impacts business in some shape or form - that need not be a direct impact on a business’ bottom line, but can be about the community they work in, their social licence to operate, the changing face of the workforce, or even more existential threats like climate change,” Hamish explains. “These are the things boards and investors can’t ignore.”
So when pitching, frame your impact in a way that resonates with business media, for example:
Economic impact - What value does your work create for communities or industries?
Workforce implications - How does your initiative change the way people live, work or train?
Supply chain stability - Does your project solve problems businesses also face?
ESG factors - How does your work help companies meet environmental, social and governance obligations?
4. Back it up with outcomes
Values alone aren’t enough. Outcomes matter.
“Business leaders froth on return on investment,” Hamish says. “They want to know that what’s being done is actually generating outcomes on the other side.”
That doesn’t mean a 50-page impact report. But it does mean bringing evidence:
Number of people reached
Funds raised or mobilised
Tangible change in policy, wellbeing or community resilience
Stories that landed with NBR include Craigs Investment Partners appointing a director of philanthropy to encourage giving, and Nikko Asset Management launching a fee-free fund that channels investment returns into Tearfund.
“These have all worked because business leaders, high-net worth individuals, and businesses themselves are all increasingly interested in giving back. There is an estimated $1.6 trillion which will transfer from one generation of New Zealanders to the next over the next few decades - that is a lot of money people want to put to good use.”
5. The biggest mistake is not pitching at all
When asked what NGOs get wrong, Hamish didn’t hesitate: “That they don’t pitch to us!”
He urges NGOs to establish relationships rather than send the odd press release. “Talk to us. We won't cover every update or piece of news but we need to have a baseline understanding of what you are doing and why. That not only helps for when we do pick up a pitch and decide it's time to do a story, but also when we are working on other stories separately and considering who we might go to for comment/insight on a particular issue.”
The bottom line
Purpose-driven organisations are missing opportunities by ignoring business media. These audiences care about social impact - and often have the resources to do something about it.
“If it’s genuine, the purpose is clear and you can demonstrate impact - we want to hear from you,” Hamish says.
It’s easy to default to lifestyle or general news when you’ve got a story to tell. But business readers are out there, and they care - sometimes more than anyone else. Don’t leave them out of the conversation.
