How Mangrove as a Digital Agency Gives Back

Mangrove’s philanthropic work is rooted in a simple belief – that organizational giving should advance our beliefs and our values. The 1% for the Planet program is and continues to be an inspired model for us. The program stipulates that all business members donate at least 1% of the company’s total annual revenue to charities that support conservation or sustainability efforts. Manoverboard, the design studio that merged with us in 2022, was a 1% for the Planet member for many years and donated many thousands of dollars in Canada.

While 1% for the Planet excels at funding important environmental and conservation projects, our team’s vision for impact takes a different approach — encompassing diversity, social justice, women in tech, and environmental stewardship.
As a Certified B Corporation, philanthropy provides a concrete way for us to not only support social and environmental good but to further our clients’ and team’s needs, aspirations and interests.

Six years ago, we set a goal to donate 1% of our total gross revenue each year to charitable organizations. In 2025, we have a plan in place to meet our 1% goal once again. We intentionally choose nonprofits that reflect our priorities, ensuring that our giving supports causes that resonate deeply with the people who make Mangrove what it is.

Giving back in many ways

In addition to donating 1% of our total revenue, we also invest in other ways as a small business to create social and environmental impact.

Pro bono hours and projects

Whenever possible, we contribute our skills and expertise, gratis, to nonprofit organizations whose missions align with our values, providing them with design, development, and strategy support. In 2025, we worked closely with the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD), the largest organization of designers in Canada. We partnered with them to design and build their AccessAbility website — an entirely pro bono project from discovery to launch — created to help RGD continue to build a more accessible and inclusive design community.

Team-directed giving

Towards the end of the year, every Mangrove team member selects an organization to receive a charitable donation, giving everyone in the organization a voice in our philanthropic work. This ensures that the diverse philanthropic goals of the team can be expressed through their workplace.

Organizations we’ve supported recently through team-directed giving include: Future Front, The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, Sierra Club Canada Foundation, ArtCity, Main Street Project, Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet), Winnipeg Humane Society, UNRWA, and LÖSEV.

Supporting the B Corp community

We actively and regularly participate in and champion our sister businesses in the B Corp network by sharing resources, amplifying their impact, and learning from fellow purpose-driven founders and employees.

Mentoring and empowering women in tech

Our founder and CEO, Maiya Holliday, works closely with nonprofits like Girls Who Code and Women Who Code, offering mentorship and support to those looking to enter or advance in the traditionally male-dominated tech industry.

The world is moving quickly and there are far too many being left behind. We are grateful for the capacity and opportunity to support our team, our clients, our philanthropic partners and our communities as a company. We hope that one day all companies will be able to use their business as a force for good.

Photo by Ute Niemann on iStock