Hi all,
I know this is a very broad question. But I am trying to do some research to better understand how CSR’s operate, and specifically how they connect their employees to local communities. Does anybody have any intel to share on this?
Thanks!
@Amanda, great question!
I am probably not best placed to provide you with specifics, as our organization does not have a dedicated CSR function. Most of our CSR initiatives are driven by individuals with a passion for making a difference. We have a policy to allow individuals to volunteer their time each quarter which is a great way to connect individuals with local organizations. We call it Geeks Doing Good.
It is usually organized by our People and Experience team and we engage in volunteer activities around the world in each of our offices. I have been introduced to a number of great local organizations this way.
There are also some awesome organizations that help employees find ways to connect with non-profits. One of my favorites is Vollie https://www.vollie.com.au/.
As a B Corp, another thing that we are just now starting to experiment with is inviting local social impact businesses to come and have a coffee chat with us. This creates a nice way for employees to learn about local businesses. For the social impact businesses it is a way to share their message and find new advocates. I will let you know what we learn from our experiments with this.
Thanks Josh. This is super helpful, especially the description of your policy, and the intro to Vollie, which I hadn’t heard of before.
Amanda