When a company enters a new market – whether a state, city, or neighborhood – community engagement is a critical component that can make or break a project. The most well-run businesses know that to effectively serve a community of consumers, they must understand their audience, including what makes the community unique and what obstacles community members face in their day-to-day lives. Ichor works with clients – corporations, government agencies, and non-profits – to create strategies that help them to thrive in new markets, while at the same time ensuring that capital deployment in affected communities is equitable and beneficial for residents.
During the recent pandemic, Ichor’s client, a leading healthcare company, sought to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in five key U.S. cities, including 31 low-adoption neighborhoods, several of which were outside of the client’s existing footprint. Initially, widespread distribution was thwarted due to vaccine hesitancy, medical mistrust, and systemic barriers to access among Black and Latinx communities.
Ichor developed a hyperlocal, multi-step engagement strategy informed by research and on-the-ground insights aimed at increasing vaccine adoption in existing locations and strategically placed pop-ups. A unique approach to each neighborhood based on its demographics and other hyperlocal set of data points proved to be decisive. As a result, the client was able to pivot its distribution strategy to significantly advance vaccine equity. In the process, it was also able to increase its understanding of the nuances and challenges facing Black and Latinx communities and form strategic, long-term partnerships to create inroads for future initiatives.
In another instance, an Ichor client, a large tech company, faced community pushback because a construction contractor it hired for a project in a predominantly Black neighborhood was using a non-diverse crew with no connection to the neighborhood. Working in partnership with local community organizations, Ichor advised the contractor to create a program that provided neighborhood youth with exposure to well-paying, stable construction jobs. We developed a plan to have local youth take field trips to the contractor’s headquarters, where youth of working age learned about construction careers and could apply for internships in the field. Younger youth spent the day shadowing different parts of the business to learn about future job opportunities. The impactful program, which took six months to plan and two months to execute, created reciprocal benefits for everyone involved. Youth gained exposure to new employment opportunities and the client deepened goodwill with community members and was able to resume work. As a result, the client successfully completed construction, delivered essential infrastructure for residents, and ensured that future projects would be attuned to community perspectives.
An Ichor client, a Fortune 100 financial services company, was missing an opportunity in several regional U.S. markets to deploy its electronic payment capabilities to local merchants. The client needed to better understand the barriers to electronic payments in key U.S. markets and identify the best ways to leverage its existing assets – data, technology, expertise, and philanthropic investments – to amplify impact. Ichor designed and managed a listening tour across five cities to engage local influencers, in turn uncovering recurring issues, emerging trends, and community pain points. We then developed a campaign to drive awareness in the stakeholder network and across digital and social media. With deeper community partnerships and a more informed strategy in place, the client was able to sharpen its impact programs to increase merchant acceptance of electronic payments and bring more accessible options to the underbanked.
Ichor collaborates with corporations, government agencies, and non-profits to develop tailored strategies that ensure success in new markets. By focusing on genuine community engagement and understanding local challenges, Ichor ensures that capital investments benefit both clients and residents, fostering equitable growth and long-term partnerships.
To learn how Ichor can assist your organization with local community engagement, fill out the form below.