Corporate Social Responsibility « Energize Your Meetings and Events Blog

Archive for the ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ Category

In the Spirit of Giving

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

All in Place Communications and Event Planning

www.allinplace.ca

T’is the season of giving back and being grateful for all the blessings in our lives. Companies are busy sending Christmas cards and delivering corporate gifts to their customers and suppliers. Those are all important business functions, but, let’s not to forget to engage the employees and give back to the business community it operates in.

When planning your Holiday Party this year, why not incorporate giving back to your community somehow. You have all these guests in attendance; this is a great opportunity for them to contribute in some small shape or form. Encourage a toy and/or food drive – every guest that brings either or both will receive a draw ticket towards company swag. They’ll be giving to a worthy cause and in return be rewarded with something that proudly shows them where they work.

I know of a non-profit organization that does something year round to help a family in need at Christmas time. Casual Fridays are held year long where employees are encouraged to make a monetary donation (whatever they are comfortable with) and in turn, all the funds are collected at year-end to buy necessities and gifts for the entire family. What a smart team effort!

We all have closets of gently-used winter clothes, coats, mitts/gloves, hats and scarves that we have outgrown. Why not run a winter clothing drive in the months of November/December (even in January) and then donate as an organization to a shelter or family agency that will distribute to those who can benefit most from this generosity.

Finally, some offices run a Secret Santa exchange for gifts under a certain amount. Instead of getting stuck with another mug or gadget that will collect dust, collect $10 from each employee and make a donation to a reputable charity or hospital foundation. During your Christmas luncheon, invite a representative from that particular charity or foundation and present them with a company cheque. This will instill a sense of pride in your employees knowing they are helping those in their community.

There are so many creative ways to engage your employees and at the
same time, being socially responsible to the community it is surrounded by. Get out there this Holiday season and do your part to give back!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Earth Day, Every Day

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

By: Rosita Carobelli-Zukowski
All in Place Communications and Event Planning
www.allinplace.ca

The recent Earth Hour and Earth Day inspired me to write this Blog entry about the importance of incorporating ‘green’ and sustainable solutions and alternatives into the event planning process.

The actions involved in preserving the environment are the essence of a team-building activity. Today, more and more companies are looking for ‘green’ initiatives to become more socially-responsible to the overall global environment.

Tim Hortons has encouraged its employees to give back to the business community by hosting an annual clean-up day. At Toronto’s KPMG LLP, volunteer employees have implemented recycling programs (including cellphones and eyeglasses), moved to fair-trade coffee and replaced bottle water with filtered water. The employees at Nature’s Path Food Inc., in Richmond, British Columbia maintain a large organic staff garden with composting bins and an outdoor eating area.

With summer around the corner, companies looking for new teambuilding ideas have many to choose from. Instead of the usual corporate summer picnic, why not embrace ‘mother nature’ and help clean-up the world we live in. Approach your local City Council or Charities to see what parks and facilities could use a ‘refreshing makeover’. Your employee group could help clean, build or landscape a local children’s playground or retirement living home. Or paint over graffiti covered walls with a coat of eco-friendly paint, or better yet an earth-inspired mural. And for their efforts, treat them to an all-organic, locally-grown lunch served with eco-friendly bamboo utensils and disposables. According to the Spring 2011 issue of BizBash Magazine, there are several outdoor-friendly items from seating to serving ware that may be rented or purchased for your socially-conscious event.

So, be kind to your team members and the Earth, every day. Get out there and enjoy the fresh air and team work! Earth Day is not just one day, it’s every day. All the while, recognizing you are doing your part to help make this world a better place – for future generations to come.

(Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/managing/top-employers/green-employers/canadas-top-50-greenest-employers/article1994680/)

Archive for the ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ Category

The Vision of Christmas Hope

Team Work – Giving Back to Your Business Community!

In the Spirit of Giving

Earth Day, Every Day

2010 UnTrends in Meetings and Events

The Business of Meetings and Events