What Paddington Bear Can Teach All of Us

I’m a Paddington Bear fan. Always have been. He’s curious, well-meaning and always tries to do the right thing. Hard stare, soft heart.

Paddington’s not the first name when you think about business, but he’s got it right. He sees a problem and does what he can. He doesn’t wait for someone else. It’s worth remembering when businesses engage with charities.

Too often, CSR feels like box-ticking. A cheque is written, a photo taken and move on. This sort of fig-leaf philanthropy is dying and good riddance. A real partnership is where business bring its convening power, skills and creativity. This can be transformational. Communities get the support they need to amplify their work. Business connects with its communities in a way that’s meaningful.

At TEAM LEWIS, we’ve seen how powerful this can be. Over the past four years, our Foundation has supported more than 2,000 causes, donating millions of pounds in cash and dedicating thousands of additional hours to telling their stories. But it’s not just about the numbers, it’s about emotional impact.

Take Kick It Out. It wanted to highlight the sexism faced by female football fans. Instead of stating the obvious, we flipped the script. We put a male fan in the same situation women experience every match day. The video struck a nerve, sparked debate and reached millions through TV, press and social media. It wasn’t just about raising awareness: we helped shift perceptions.

Or Teach for Malaysia. It attracts young people to its fellowship programme and challenges old ideas about teaching. We crafted a campaign that showed the incredible career paths its alumni have taken. This became one of its most viewed pieces of content and helped change the conversation around education.

Paddington doesn’t do it for applause and accolades. The marmalade sandwich here is doing what’s right. He helps because he cares. That’s the attitude to have when working with communities. Not every act of support comes with recognition. Over time, businesses that invest in communities build trust, loyalty and a genuine sense of perspective and purpose.

The problem with business is that many have deep pockets, but incredibly short arms. Never have our communities been under such great pressure. They need a label tying around them saying “please look after me”. The rewards for doing so can be life-affirming. This doesn’t mean having a soft heart. Many of our partners are a practical, down-to-earth and matter of fact. So, let’s be generous with our time and talent. Let’s use what we do best to support those making a difference.

Find out more about our work in our latest Impact Report here - https://www.teamlewis.com/impact/