Sample Plate Series #1:
Am I the only one reading corporate social responsibility (CSR) articles and finding it absurd that experts are suggesting that corporate philanthropy is not considered CSR? Yes, it true that corporate philanthropy is not synonymous with CSR, but corporate giving should make up a piece of a company’s overall CSR strategy. To make both of these seemingly work well together, companies should tie their corporate giving or employee volunteer programs into their CSR strategy.
How so you ask? One way to do this is offering employees Volunteer Paid Time off (VPTO) – yes, that actually exists. This program allows employees time off to volunteer during work hours and is a great way to attract individuals, (especially the socially conscious Millennials who will make up half of your workforce by 2020) to come work for your company. Companies can set a designated number of hours (such as 4, 8, or 16 hours per year) for employees to give back to their communities. Last year, Ford launched this program and gave all employees 16 hours of paid time off to volunteer. In South Florida, JM Family Enterprises approved eight hours of paid time off per year as part of their employee volunteer initiatives.
But here’s the catch. Companies can maximize their CSR efforts by allowing VPTO to employees only if the charities associated with the volunteer program align with the company’s CSR strategy. For example, a construction company may decide recycling products is an important CSR initiative. In addition to some recycle initiatives they do at work, they also form a partnership with a charity that builds homes and donates all of their left over products. This company would then give VPTO to employees who volunteer for this specific charity. Thus having a holistic CSR approach.
Kelly Unplugged
All things being equal, would you choose to work for a company that offered employee Volunteer Paid Time Off?
About Sample Plate Series:
Food and philanthropy are two of my favorite topics. When I go out to dinner with my husband or best girlfriends, I love ordering several appetizers or sharing meals so I can sample everything (and this way my waist line can stay somewhat intact). Having those experiences got me to thinking how sometimes blog articles are too long and cumbersome; it’s like having a whole meal when I only want a bite.
If you’re anything like me, I want short pieces of information that I can read quickly and get a good idea of what it entails. If the topic peaks my interest, then I can always explore it more. Thus I created my Sample Plate Series. Sample Plate Series are brief blog posts that readers can easily get an understanding or “sample” of the discussion topic. They aren’t too in-depth but give the reader a taste. If this “sample” leaves you hungry for more, then maybe you’ll come back and order an entrée.
