| Motive: For-profit vs not-for-profit engagement | For profit engagement: Companies engage in humanitarian action as part of their business | Not-for-profit engagement: Companies engage in or support humanitarian action for philanthropic motives or for instrumental reasons in anticipation of longer-term benefits |
| Approach: Direct vs indirect engagement | Direct engagement: Companies participate directly in the delivery of humanitarian assistance on the ground | Indirect engagement: Companies support or enhance the capacity of others to engage in humanitarian action such as through financial donations and donations in kind |
| Coordination: Independent vs collaborative engagement | Independent engagement: Companies engage in or support humanitarian action autonomously and on the basis of ad hoc coordination with other actors | Collaborative engagement: Companies engage in or support humanitarian action in partnership with other companies or humanitarian actors |
| Voluntariness: Voluntary vs involuntary engagement | Voluntary engagement: Companies voluntarily choose to engage in or support humanitarian action | Involuntary engagement: Companies are obliged to engage in or support humanitarian action due to normative or legal requirements |