At CEI, we believe that every team building event is an opportunity to create lasting impact. Thanks to the dedication of our clients, we’ve already made incredible strides in giving back— donating thousands of essential items to communities in need.
Now, we’re taking our commitment even further. We’re excited to introduce our Sustainability & Social Responsibility Journey—a new initiative designed to enhance the way we create meaningful experiences while making a positive impact on people and the planet.
Through this initiative, we’re focusing on:
Sustainable event practices to reduce environmental impact
Minimizing waste and using eco-friendly materials
Supporting local vendors and communities
Expanding our charitable giving even further
We are looking forward to partnering with you in 2025!
In an increasingly interconnected world, businesses have a unique opportunity to lead and support global sustainability efforts. By aligning Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), companies can position themselves as champions of international progress while engaging their employees, clients, and stakeholders. This strategy not only strengthens a company’s global footprint, but also creates a powerful brand narrative centered on responsibility and impact.
SDGs: A Blueprint for Global Prosperity
The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals are an ambitious yet achievable framework for peace, prosperity, and planet protection. Adopted by 193 countries in 2015, these goals are designed to address pressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation by the year 2030. The SDGs emphasize that these issues are interconnected, requiring collective action from governments, businesses, and civil society.
Corporate Events as Catalysts for Global Initiatives
Aligning corporate events with the SDGs allows businesses to contribute to international efforts while engaging their teams and building meaningful relationships. Events can serve as powerful catalysts for action, helping businesses amplify their commitment to global sustainability and rally employees around common goals.
Understanding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
What Are the SDGs?
The 17 SDGs represent a shared blueprint for addressing global challenges and improving life for current and future generations. These goals range from ending poverty and hunger to combating climate change and ensuring clean water and sanitation for all. While government and nonprofit organizations are vital to achieving these goals, businesses of all sizes play a crucial role.
Why Companies Should Align with Global Goals
Businesses are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change by leveraging their resources, innovation, and global reach. By aligning CSR efforts with the SDGs, companies can help address complex global issues (while enhancing their brand reputation), and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable world.
Hosting CSR Team Events That Contribute to Global Sustainability
Corporate events offer a tremendous opportunity to promote global sustainability initiatives. Whether raising awareness, generating funding, or gathering supplies and/or food, CSR events can directly contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.
How CEI Can Aid Your Global Initiatives
Corporate events not only create engagement opportunities but also help businesses actively contribute to global causes. Partnering with CEI ensures that your CSR initiatives will align with the SDGs and have a lasting impact on global issues, all while engaging your team in a fun and interactive way.
Choosing SDGs That Reflect Global Priorities
When planning a CSR event, it’s important to focus on SDGs that address global priorities and have far-reaching impacts. Here are a few SDGs to consider:
SDG 13: Climate Action
Host events focused on reducing carbon emissions, promoting clean energy, and educating employees on sustainability practices.
Program Spotlight: Green Team Challenge—This initiative encourages employees to engage in eco-friendly activities, from reducing office waste to planting trees, as part of the company’s sustainability pledge.
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
Organize food drives, fundraising events, or partner with local or global organizations to combat hunger worldwide.
Program Spotlight: iQuest for a Cause—This program challenges teams to participate in fun, competitive events with proceeds that can go to international hunger relief organizations.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Support access to clean water in underserved regions through partnerships with nonprofits or by hosting charity runs.
Program Spotlight: Clean Water Challenge—This campaign raises awareness about global water shortages and funds clean water projects in developing countries.
How Your CSR Events Can Drive Global Change
Corporate events have the potential to bridge the gap between corporate social responsibility and global development programs, making a tangible difference in the lives of people around the world.
Bridging the Gap Between Corporate Social Responsibility and Global Goals
CSR events aligned with the SDGs can support international development programs in several ways:
International Aid and Relief Efforts
Partner with organizations like the Red Cross or UNICEF to support international crises, providing necessary resources or financial aid.
Empowering Communities through Education (SDG 4)
Host virtual or hybrid events that offer educational resources and training programs to under-served communities, helping to break the cycle of poverty.
Aligning CSR efforts with global initiatives offers numerous benefits for businesses, from enhancing brand reputation to improving employee engagement.
Elevating Your Brand as a Global Citizen
By contributing to international goals, your company demonstrates a commitment to being part of the global solution. This enhances your brand’s reputation and aligns it with the growing global movement toward sustainability and corporate responsibility.
Building Long-term Relationships through Global Impact
When your company contributes to worldwide causes, it fosters strong relationships with partners, clients, and stakeholders. These connections not only enhance your company’s global presence, but also drive collaboration and innovation.
Boosting Employee Engagement through Global Participation
Employees are more likely to be engaged and loyal to companies that prioritize social and environmental challenges. Hosting CSR events with a focus on global issues increases morale and retention by giving employees a sense of purpose and pride in their work.
Conclusion
Corporate events provide an incredible opportunity to support global sustainability efforts and make a lasting impact. Partner with CEI to plan your next CSR event and become a key player in the global movement to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Together, we can build a better, more sustainable future for all.
In 2015 the United Nations laid out and adopted The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In that, they are focusing on 5 key areas: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership. They expand on the idea of sustainability with the understanding that building a better tomorrow isn’t just about protecting natural resources, but includes protecting and supporting people.
At Corporate Event Interactive (CEI), we give back in many sustainable ways, but one of our primary goals is to help companies partner with local organizations through local Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events. These events lift up the people in the community and support organizations that provide opportunities through educational and/or essential care packages. Our CSR events support the global efforts of the UN Sustainability Goals by bringing the focus into local communities, and making sure that nobody is forgotten.
Importance of Supporting Local Organizations
Every community is different, but the issues they face are very similar. Generally, they revolve around homelessness and poverty, health and well-being, and a quality education. These correlate to the first four Sustainable Development Goals laid out by the United Nations. Every region has its local organizations devoted to addressing these needs, but figuring out who to partner with can be daunting.
Gather your team to help impact the community with One Team: Community Care Packages! Participants strategize the best way to tackle challenges in teams and earn essential supplies for care packages. This may be designed as a team building program or station activity. Previous kits have included everyday items for veterans, boxed lunches for food pantries, and relief supplies for those displaced by natural disasters.
Guests build relationships as they engage in a friendly competition and assemble items for Lemons of Love, a non-profit organization that provides support and community to people living with cancer. They ‘help cancer suck less’!
Bring your team together to make an impact with the STEM Team Challenge, an exciting high-tech team-building initiative designed to foster teamwork while making a positive impact on children’s education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Guests assemble kits that promote STEM learning. These kits are then donated to a local educational organization.
Experience the thrill of The Green Team Challenge, where teams delve into exhilarating eco-challenges that go beyond the usual ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ approach. Teams engage in a series of unique green-focused trivia and tasks right in the meeting room. They earn valuable points and bragging rights on the way to being crowned Champions of Sustainability.
Upon arrival, guests are presented with a vibrant croc or sock, and their task is to find their perfect match. Working in pairs, they collaboratively curate a care package that includes the crocs and socks, ready to be donated to one or more local organizations. You have the option to select from one, two, or all four types of care packages, ensuring a diverse and impactful contribution to the community.
Benefits of These CSR Initiatives
We’ve said before and we’ll say it again, Corporate Social Responsibility events boost company morale because employees enjoy the feeling of giving back. This feeling is compounded with the knowledge that their efforts are benefitting people within their own community. In return, the community also feels a stronger affinity towards the company. This improves the overall reputation of the company and boosts brand loyalty. It’s the best win-win out there, plus it has the support of the United Nations!
Conclusion
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by the United Nations emphasizes a holistic approach to sustainability that integrates the well-being of people with the protection of our planet. Corporate Event Interactive (CEI) aligns with this vision through its focus on facilitating impactful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events that address critical community needs.
Partnering with local organizations and engaging companies in hands-on initiatives, CEI helps address homelessness, supports health and well-being, and fosters educational opportunities. These efforts not only benefit communities but also enhance employee morale and strengthen corporate reputation. In essence, CEI’s approach exemplifies how local actions can contribute to global sustainability goals, creating a tangible and positive impact for both people and the planet. Reach out today to start planning your own local CSR event.
Stay tuned to find out CEI can help your event have more of a global impact!
Building a Better World and an Even Better Business
In today’s competitive business landscape, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a crucial piece of long-term success. CSR refers to a company’s commitment to manage its social, environmental, and economic effects responsibly and ethically. The practice not only fosters a positive impact on the world, but also brings numerous benefits to your company. Corporate Events Interactive understands the benefits of corporate social responsibility and its necessity for companies aiming to thrive in today’s world.
One of the largest benefits of CSR is that everyone wins!
Enhanced Corporate Reputation and Brand Image
One primary benefit of CSR is the improvement of company reputation and brand image. When a company actively engages in socially responsible initiatives, it projects a positive image to the public. Consumers today are more informed and concerned about the ethical practices of the companies they support. As a result, they tend to favor brands that demonstrate a commitment to social, environmental, and global causes.
Hands-In Challenge
CEI’s Hands-In Challenge is an immersive team-building experience that fosters fun and camaraderie, all while creating a global impact. Teams complete a series of challenges to earn prosthetic hand kits. Once assembled, the hands are quality checked by a team of experts before being sent around the world to amputees who cannot afford prosthetic devices. Enjoy the profound learning opportunities related to purpose-driven work and collaboration as your group builds a better team and a better world!
Strengthened Customer Relationships and Loyalty
CSR activities are instrumental in building trust and loyalty among consumers. When companies engage in responsible practices, they create a bond of trust with their customers, who feel good about supporting a brand that cares about the community and the environment.
Studies have shown that consumers are more likely to support brands that are socially responsible. For instance, a 2017 study by Cone Communications revealed that 87% of consumers would purchase a product because a company advocated for an issue they cared about, and 76% would refuse to buy from a company if they learned it supported an issue contrary to their beliefs.
Hour of Power (Solar Lights)
The Hour of Power is an immersive, hands-on solar light assembly program designed to raise awareness about energy poverty. Our skilled team helps participants work together to build solar-powered lights, which are then gifted to children living in energy poverty. This not only brightens their living conditions but also enhances their educational opportunities so they can read, cook, study, and more after dark! Check out the Solar Buddy video.
Improved Employee Engagement and Morale
CEI has seen our CSR activities make a profound impact on employee satisfaction and retention. Employees feel proud working for a company that is committed to making a positive difference in the world. This increased morale can lead to higher productivity and reduced turnover rates.
Clean Water Challenge
The Clean Water Challenge is an immersive team-building experience that fosters camaraderie while creating a global impact. Through a series of dynamic and interactive activities, teams learn about the mechanics of water filtration, gaining an appreciation for the vital role of clean water in sustaining life.
Teams actively assemble water filters, gaining firsthand knowledge of the global water crisis and how clean water transforms communities. These filters will be distributed in remote areas like refugee camps and regions affected by natural disasters. Each filter is designed to provide clean water for up to 12 people for an impressive duration of 10 years!
Conclusion
In conclusion, the benefits of corporate social responsibility (especially global CSR) are manifold, ranging from enhanced brand reputation and customer loyalty to improved employee engagement and morale. By integrating CSR into their core strategies, businesses can not only build a better world but also secure long-term success. CEI encourages companies to embrace CSR and leverage its benefits to create a sustainable and prosperous future for all. Find out more about how CEI can help you create a global impact while fostering more camaraderie by checking out all of our Sustainability Events.
It’s Valentine’s Day. The day of showing those around you how much you care through gifts and acknowledgements. While the Saint of Romance’s day may only be 24 hours, it is important to show our colleagues how much they mean to us throughout the rest of the year as well. There are plenty of ways to go about showing your employees some love, but here are 5 ways that we feel work the best.
1. Gifts and Personal Notes
We as humans have not gotten past the joy that can be spread in the grade school Valentine’s Day. We love getting gifts and notes. Even something as small as some candy and card still lights up the happy parts of our brains.
Beware of “Jelly of the Month Club” Syndrome though. Managers need to make the gifts and notes personal — be sure that they actually matter to the employee receiving them. Handwriting the notes is an instant way to make them feel personal. When a handwritten note is combined with a simple gift, it shows how much your employees mean to you and your company.
2. Recognize Their Work
People like to be recognized for the work they do. Recognition may seem like a relatively small thing, but the impact that it can have on an employee’s attitude and their overall productivity is massive.
A Society for Human Resource Management blog post reports that when they are recognized 90% of people feel like their work is more meaningful and 93% say they feel like they fit in more at their company. When employees feel a sense of meaningful belonging, they are more likely to stay with the company, which reduces turnover and the costs associated with the process of continuous hiring. The SHRM post went on to say that 78% of recognized people felt more productive and 79% more likely to work harder after their recognition.
What’s more? When employees are recognized for their work, they feel happier in every aspect of their lives.
3. Create Meaningful Moments
Employees are more likely to stay when they feel like they belong. A key factor in the sense of belonging is an employee’s comfort in being vulnerable. That isn’t to say that they need to feel comfortable talking about their deepest, darkest fears or the problems they are having with their mother. Instead, employees get the boost in belonging from interactions that Gallup calls “meaningful moments.” Gallup says, “The four types of meaningful moments are:
When you propose a new idea
When you ask for help
When you push back on something
When you ask for a personal favor”
These moments are integral to making an employee feel seen and heard. Gallup continues, “In meaningful moments, how other people receive an employee’s vulnerability is critical. It creates a loop: A great culture allows an employee to take vulnerable risks, and a positive response to vulnerability builds a great culture — and the opposite is just as true.” Invite employees to dedicated times to offer an idea/opinion or ask for help. This may mean setting up office hours or having a networking event that makes teammates feel more comfortable on the whole.
4. Have Social Gatherings
A great way to make employees feel more appreciated and comfortable is through social gatherings and company networking events. Maybe it’s setting up a monthly happy hour, or maybe it’s a full-on casino night. If you’re looking for a fun atmosphere with games and some fun competition, here are some types of events that we’ve created:
Gather together for a night of fun table games !
Do you believe in a chance meeting over a game of chance? Have your guests test their luck while having fun! Watch them cultivate relationships while playing Black Jack, Poker, Craps, and Roulette at your company’s own Casino Night!
Have a fun night getting to know your colleagues and their social media!
Get ready for a networking extravaganza at your next meeting! Featuring a series of exciting challenges, social media interaction, and fast-paced bonding activities, Social Scavenger Hunt is designed to elevate everyone’s experience.
Have a friendly competition, while testing your knowledge of Chicago!
Is Chicago your kind of town? In iQuiz Chicago, your team will explore the Windy City’s popular attractions, fun facts, and hidden gems right from their chairs. It’s the exciting, interactive adventure played through your smartphone. Equipped with our app as your guide, teams learn about Chicago’s amazing history, answer trivia questions, and complete iQuiz challenges in a friendly Chi-Town style battle.
We are happy to adapt and customize any of these events to fit your business needs.
5. Give Back to the Community
Nothing brings a team together like giving back. Having a charitable event is like putting all of the above into one 2-3 hour event. Plus, showing your company’s philanthropic side is proven to build even more trust and buy-in from your employees. Giving back benefits everyone involved. If you need help planning a way to give back that includes games and activities everyone will enjoy, check out some of our offerings below:
Teams compete while building care kits for patients going through chemotherapy.
Guests build relationships as they engage in a friendly competition and assemble items for Lemons of Love, a non-profit organization that provides support and community to people living with cancer. They ‘help cancer suck less’!
Teams assemble bikes for a local charity while competing in fun challenges.
Transform your event site into a fully functional bike shop as guests use teamwork, creativity and ingenuity to build and accessorize youth bicycles for underprivileged children in the community.
Teams race through the surrounding area to collect/buy donations to a local charity.
Have fun doing good with iQuest For a Cause! Utilizing our iPads with the latest GPS and Image Recognition technology, teams hit the streets and stores of Chicago (or other fun shop-til-you-drop area) in search of adventure and items for a local charity.
With all the questions floating around about what 2023 will bring, wouldn’t it be nice to know that our teams will be more efficient and effective than they were last year? What if there were a way to ensure that this year will be stronger than the last? What’s the one investment that can guarantee returns year in and year out? The answer to everything is simple…
It’s team building!
It has been shown that team building boosts morale and employee buy-in, but 2023 is going to continue to present new challenges and another wave of this, that, or the other thing — how can it benefit the bottom line? Team-building events are guaranteed investments back into your employees, and chances to get them out of the conference room and onto their feet, thinking about issues in new ways, with different people, building interdepartmental trust and letting their hidden abilities shine.
A local company putting together bikes to donate to a Chicago charity.
Bringing Remote Workers Together
Coming into 2023 it is hard to deny that remote and hybrid work is here to stay for many companies of all sizes. Outside of manufacturing and the events and entertainment industries, a lot of top-tier talent is pressuring employers for not just a hybrid schedule, but the ability to work from wherever. With more of the workforce working remotely, it is crucial to find new ways of connecting away from the breakroom.
This is where team building thrives. Team-building events are proven to develop positive relationships between employees and lead to a more satisfaction with the work they do. Working with Corporate Event Interactive (CEI), we will create an event that cultivates these relationships and fosters a deeper sense of belonging on your team. This will make for a more positive work environment and sense of community regardless of an employee’s proximity to the office.
Creating Relationships and Building Interdepartmental Bonds
It’s no secret that the foundation of team building is about creating relationships and building bonds. The name of the game is building teams. But those bonds don’t stop at departmental lines. In fact, team-building events can be a great way to help employees see each department and gain a better understanding of their colleagues’ positions. This understanding will help prevent problems, while also giving teams the necessary tools to work through any issues as they arise.
At CEI, we have a lot of programs that bring companies together and help them work interdepartmentally. Beyond resolving conflicts, interdepartmental bonds can generate new perspectives on projects. When employees feel more comfortable with their colleagues, they become more open to their ideas. This openness can lead to greater efficiency company-wide because not only are more innovative ideas being created, but teams are more aware of what each other are doing.
The winning team of a new hire orientation event.
Finding New Team Leaders
Team-building tends to show the different roles that employees step into when confronted with challenges. Some will take on any hands-on or physical tasks, while others excel at puzzles. Something to look out for is those leadership qualities that emerge from tasks. It might not be the one completing the task or even the loudest group member, but there will be team members that are better at encouraging their peers and pulling them through when a roadblock becomes all the more challenging. The new setting of a team-building event may give those natural leaders a chance to reveal their abilities that might not be as easily seen in a normal work environment — especially if they’re only ever seen through a Zoom window.
Should Employee A take on a new role? Will they thrive in a group with Employee B? Team-building events are great pressure cookers to help managers identify the strengths and weaknesses of different employees and teams. A better understanding of these attributes will help build more effective teams in the future, as well as assign tasks that will play to an employee’s abilities and better utilize them. When employees feel that they are better utilized, they perform more efficiently and more effectively.
Getting Together To Give Back
Organic teamwork comes most naturally from activities built around collaboration. Collaborative efforts makes employees feel more connected to each other and better supported in their work environment, and nothing builds collaboration quite like a cause. Whether that be a volunteer opportunity or a charitable event, when employees experience and take part in their company’s compassion, they feel a sense of pride in the work they do on a day-to-day basis.
The team at Corporate Event Interactive loves to help companies give back to a variety of causes. We love handcrafting events to meet your company’s needs, while connecting directly to those who will receive your donation. We’ve previously partnered with dozens of charities, clubs, and centers throughout the Chicagoland area. Need help figuring out your next charitable event? Let us help you out.
The end of another year is the perfect time to take a moment to reflect, and to take stock of all that we’ve accomplished. We here at Corporate Event Interactive have been so fortunate to play a role with so many companies this year who sought to come together, some for the first time. Seeing all of these faces join together to give back to the community or to go on a scavenger hunt or just to mingle and play some friendly games has been a joy for us.
One of the winning team’s at a Bike Building Workshop.
Team building turns a company into a community. It could be as simple as sharing little known facts or as complex as solving a series of riddles to escape from a deserted island. Our aim at CEI is to get your team out of the cubicle (or bedroom turned office) and into a state of play. This play-state breaks down the barriers between coworkers and helps them connect in a deeper, more meaningful way. Our CEI team makes sure that everyone becomes engaged and gets to know each other — developing deeper bonds and helping them function more effectively and efficiently.
As we close this chapter called 2022, we are excited to see what’s next for you. We know that the past few years have not been easy, but we are ready to help where we can. The workplace continues to evolve and adapt to the ever-changing world we live in, and our CEI team is overjoyed that you trust us to help your company become a community.
With so many teams working remotely from home, maintaining company culture has been challenging, to say the least. The days of gathering together for lunch or after work socials are long forgotten (if non-existent). Impromptu outings now resemble meetings where arrangements have to be thought through, planned and scheduled in advance. Any gathering or activity with your team is an opportunity to help encourage better communication practices, build trust and values, and promote moments of joy at work. We all need to feel connected. Team building is one way to develop a strong company culture, providing a sense of community. It could be as simple as sharing stories of favorite childhood memories or recipes. Or, creating a fun and friendly competition between departments. There are many options that can be delivered virtually or in-person. When a team works together to achieve common goals, everyone wins! Individuals, the organization and customers. The benefits of team building go a long way, long after the activity experience ends. Contact us to help build and strengthen your company culture in 2022. From our CEI team to yours, wishing you all a safe and relaxing holiday season. We look forward to working with you in 2022. ~ Linda
Corporate Social Responsibility: Why & How to Give Back
By Linda Whitlock
Practicing Corporate Social Responsibility is essential for today’s business owners. When companies are aware of the way their business practices affect both their stakeholders and the general public, this practice is valued as corporate citizenship. Here is the Why: In today’s media climate, customers, clients and employees are paying more attention to a company’s integrity and culture.Providing CSR opportunities at your event helps to foster a positive corporate image and promotes loyalty both internally, between employees and the company, and externally, between the company and its patronage.
Here is the How: The following should considered to determine the ideal way to give back at your event.Amount of time you’d like to spend on your eventNumber of participants you’d like to involveDesired location for your eventSpecified budget for your eventSelected cause, corporate alignment, or local need Facilitate anything from cleaning up a beach or park toparticipating in a combination team-building, care-package event!
Here Is How Your Company Can Execute a Rewarding CSR Event: Send out pre-event info to your employees to garner excitement. Engage employees physically and mentally with contests that foster friendly competition.Invite a representative from the benefiting charity to speak.End with a photo opp of the team showcasing what they accomplished.Hire a team building company to bring your event to life!
Challenge/Opportunity: This pharmaceutical company wanted to provide a meaningful charitable team event for 1,200 attendees during their National Sales Meeting. The event would support the client’s larger overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and annual day of service, benefiting local non-profit organizations in the Las Vegas area where the meeting was taking place.
