5 More Reasons Why You Should Present at the 2021 Points of Light Conference
Alissa May
Does the word “conference” carry a very different meaning for you now? I know it does for me in this new paradigm that we are all naviga
ting — our pandemic multi-layered crises world.
Though our world looks different, the conference, and sharing knowledge and ideas, feels more important than ever given our collective uncertainty, separation and isolation. T
his year’s hybrid event will include both in person and virtual experiences, but at t
he heart of the Points of Light Conference is the idea that people with purpose come together to multiply their impact across the world.
Here are fiv
e reasons why we should all consider presenting at the 2021 Points of Light Conference, taking place July 14-16, 2021, virtually and in person, with live sessions occurring at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Kick down and lift up.
For those of us that have been around for a bit, we tend to accumulate knowledge and forget to share it with others. Presenting is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on best practices and partnerships and
kick it down
to those that are earlier in their career, in a different industry, looking to transition, or just plain curious. This is also an opportunity to
lift others up
and present alongside our community partners who truly appreciate the opportunity for increased visibility for their amazing work and programming. At the 2019 Points of Light Conference held in St. Paul, I presented in partnership with the wonderful
on high impact virtual volunteering. Who could have even known the relevance of this type of work back then?! HOT has experienced exponential growth since then, and sharing a platform with others enables growth and reach that you couldn’t even imagine.
Flex ever-important presentation skills.
Raise your hand if you’ve asked yourself over the past 500 months in quarantine, how am I showing up in my presentations on my webcam? You certainly wouldn’t be the first. Granted, engaging audiences in person and virtually have their unique challenges and solutions. That aside, in the world of social impact you have to be able to tell a compelling story and sell your position whether it is in front of a webcam or on the main stage in front of hundreds. We must
flex our presentation skills
often and presenting at a conference is a great way to force that and build those strong muscles.
Hone your craft.
You will have many eyes looking to you as the subject matter expert, hungry to learn from your experience. This is a time to reflect on your work and bring into focus the best practices you’ve picked up along the way. You’d be amazed when you are forced to fill in that presenter application (due October 16, by the way), how much you have to
hone your craft
and shape your content while critically analyzing the pieces that will be most relevant to others.
Learn…period.
Having presented for two years, I
always
learn something new. Whether it is something about myself, my work or the industry, there is always a kernel or seven that I gain. If you are looking to grow, presenting is one of the best ways to make that happen. We are all grappling with subject areas that are extremely sensitive and difficult right now. Tackle one head on and the learning and growth will follow.
Exercise your EQ.
I’ve found that presenting helps me to
exercise my EQ.
EQ includes recognizing your strengths and weaknesses and having self-confidence. EQ also encompasses social awareness – you have empathy. You can understand the emotions, needs and concerns of your audience and pick up on emotional cues. Just like flexing your presentation skill muscle, this is another hard to reach muscle that doesn’t get enough work for me. With tiny square picture thumbnails in the virtual space or attendees shifting in their seats and checking their phones in person, presenting offers you the opportunity to look for those cues, have empathy, course correct and recapture the energy in the “room.”
I hope you will consider joining me in submitting your application to present for this year’s conference, and in the process, experience one, two or all five of the above.
Alissa May is Senior Manager, Employee Volunteerism at Salesforce,
Continue the Learning: Business with Purpose Themes from the 2020 Points of Light Conference Online Experience
There is a great energy, a spirit of optimism and a sense of renewal when thousands of people convene with the same purpose. During the Points of Light Conference, leaders from the corporate and social sectors gathered for fellowship, education and inspiration. Although, this year, we “gathered” around our computers for the first ever online experience.
Business with Purpose workshops, designed specifically for professionals responsible for engaging their fellow employees in their communities, explored how companies are leading with their values and collaborating with nonprofits and other stakeholders to bring their resources, time, talent and voice to bear to be a powerful force for good – especially now.
Four themes emerged throughout the three-days of learning:
1) Going Digital. Due to COVID-19, many leaders are quickly adopting digital solutions for their employee engagement needs. With more employees working remotely, virtual volunteering becomes a way to continue their involvement in social issues. However, all nonprofits are ready to accept virtual volunteers and provide them a meaningful experience.
Virtual volunteering may also be harder to track, which can impact your ability to report results to leadership. No matter how you’re engaging employees in their communities at this time, a digital platform that helps you manage, communicate and track results is a cornerstone of a successful social impact strategy.
2) Setting Strategic Intentions. Several workshops elevated the need to be planful with your engagement programs. Whether they provided a straight-forward framework to follow or showcased the intentional planning that goes into programs once strategy is developed, attendees walked away with a deeper understanding of a company’s journey from “scatter-shot to strategic.”
Two workshops flipped the strategy conversation on its head and demonstrated how employee volunteer engagement can be used as a strategy itself to bring together disparate corporate cultures and ensure the well-being of your workforce. All very important proof points to share with company leadership as they look for solutions to these internal challenges or when you are advocating for more resources.
3) Uplifting Cross-sector Collaboration. Without strong collaboration, your giving and volunteering efforts may not elicit shared value. We heard from two organizations that have built deeply aligned partnerships for program design and delivery while working to solve complex global challenges.
It is, in fact, these strong collaborations that have enabled many organizations to pivot during the pandemic. Starting from a place of shared understanding while also acknowledging and appreciating similarities and differences will feed collaboration and ensure mutually beneficial outcomes.
4) Leading Through Crisis: Unprecedented times bring unprecedented opportunities. In a world facing natural and human-made disasters to the current health and social justice crises, how should a company respond? How can they balance their annual commitments with pressing community needs as they spontaneously arise? And, how can they support the increase in employee activism and shift in consumer expectations due to these crises?
It’s imperative for businesses to plan for the unexpected. Workshops provided tips that resonate broadly no matter the type of crisis you might face such as leaving some room in your budget for emergencies, tapping into partners’ expertise, refraining from knee-jerk reactions and diverting all resources to one need, and having a ready of inventory of upcoming priorities so you can quickly make decisions. And, of course, communicating transparently and acting authentically are true when balancing emergent needs and when those needs give rise to powerful voices internal and external to your company.
We invite you to check out recordings from all of our 2020 Business with Purpose workshops and connect to research, learn frameworks, and discover new ideas to inspire and renew your efforts to accelerate the impact of your company’s social impact strategy. These recordings are available on Points of Light’s newest digital platform, the Community for Employee Civic Engagement. Through CECE, you’ll be able to ask questions and get answers from experts, as well as stay up to date with the latest industry news and explore ideas central to maximizing the impact of corporate social responsibility.
For unlimited access to everything CECE has to offer, sign up for a complimentary 14-day trial.
Announcing the 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year!
One of the great hallmarks of the Points of Light Conference is recognizing individuals and organizations that take action that changes the world. Although the experience may be different this year, this tradition of recognition carries on.
Today, Points of Light is honoring
as the 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year for serving as a primary local resource that provides professionals with a link to peer networks, resources, and education to increase the benefits of corporate volunteerism on companies and communities. The award recognizes councils that have a clear purpose, meaningful educational activities, and measurements for success.
Since its founding in 1972, Corporate Volunteers of New York has served as a resource for CSR professionals working in greater New York City. CVNY is a coalition of 200+ professionals who represent more than 55 major corporations from a variety of industries that recognize the critical importance of volunteerism, corporate social responsibility, and the changing needs in the communities in which we all work and live. CVNY connects its members to peers, industry resources, and offers education through various ways to increase members’ knowledge and expertise, which will maximize the effectiveness of their respective employee volunteer programs.
Monthly meetings provide members with the latest best practices, tactics and tools and take a variety of formats. After each meeting, the board disseminates a brief recap to members, including contact information or follow-up information so members can learn more or reach out if interested in pursuing a particular program or nonprofit partnership.
Although other CVCs across the nation may weave professional development into their events, CVNY puts a focus on it by offering an annual Professional Development Day designed to help members succeed personally and professionally. During their most recent event, members were challenged to put aside their preconceived notions and dig in at sessions entitled, Balance is Bullsh*t, Tough Conversations, and Effortless Networking. CVNY also hosts two annual social activities that encourage discussion and collaboration among members, and provide a unique opportunity to learn about members’ priorities in a more casual setting.
In addition to monthly meetings and annual events, CVNY provides members with an online discussion forum on LinkedIn, a members-only section of their website, as well as an annual report that highlights the past year’s programming and accomplishments. As a service to members, CVNY distributes an annual Compensation Survey, and shares the anonymous results to their members. This resource can help member companies ensure they are benchmarking appropriately with their local peers.
The volunteer CVNY board, solely responsible for the maintenance of the organization, is constantly seeking to improve programming, provide more value for current members, and grow membership overall. Using responses from member surveys and informal feedback sessions, CVNY’s board meets each year during an annual planning retreat to adjust offerings to ensure the success of members’ volunteer programs, pulling topics for the upcoming program year directly from suggestions elicited from the previous year’s member survey.
As community needs change, CVNY consistently adapts to meet those needs. Most recently, they have shifted meetings to virtual, moderated COVID-19 discussions as a way to reflect current members’ needs. Points of Light celebrates CVNY’s long-standing commitment to their members and the greater New York community—especially in these challenging times—and is proud to recognize them as the 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year.
To learn more about Corporate Volunteers of New York, click
Corporate Volunteers of New York Receives 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year Award
One of the great hallmarks of the Points of Light Conference is recognizing individuals and organizations that take action that changes the world. Although the experience may be different this year, this tradition of recognition carries on.
Today, Points of Light is honoring Corporate Volunteers of New York as the 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year for serving as a primary local resource that provides professionals with a link to peer networks, resources, and education to increase the benefits of corporate volunteerism on companies and communities. The award recognizes councils that have a clear purpose, meaningful educational activities, and measurements for success.
Since its founding in 1972, Corporate Volunteers of New York has served as a resource for CSR professionals working in greater New York City. CVNY is a coalition of 200+ professionals who represent more than 55 major corporations from a variety of industries that recognize the critical importance of volunteerism, corporate social responsibility, and the changing needs in the communities in which we all work and live. CVNY connects its members to peers, industry resources, and offers education through various ways to increase members’ knowledge and expertise, which will maximize the effectiveness of their respective employee volunteer programs.
Monthly meetings provide members with the latest best practices, tactics and tools and take a variety of formats. After each meeting, the board disseminates a brief recap to members, including contact information or follow-up information so members can learn more or reach out if interested in pursuing a particular program or nonprofit partnership.
Although other CVCs across the nation may weave professional development into their events, CVNY puts a focus on it by offering an annual Professional Development Day designed to help members succeed personally and professionally. During their most recent event, members were challenged to put aside their preconceived notions and dig in at sessions entitled, Balance is Bullsh*t, Tough Conversations, and Effortless Networking. CVNY also hosts two annual social activities that encourage discussion and collaboration among members, and provide a unique opportunity to learn about members’ priorities in a more casual setting.
In addition to monthly meetings and annual events, CVNY provides members with an online discussion forum on LinkedIn, a members-only section of their website, as well as an annual report that highlights the past year’s programming and accomplishments. As a service to members, CVNY distributes an annual Compensation Survey, and shares the anonymous results to their members. This resource can help member companies ensure they are benchmarking appropriately with their local peers.
The CVNY board, solely responsible for the maintenance of the organization, is constantly seeking to improve programming, provide more value for current members, and grow membership overall. Using responses from member surveys and informal feedback sessions, CVNY’s board meets each year during an annual planning retreat to adjust offerings to ensure the success of members’ volunteer programs, pulling topics for the upcoming program year directly from suggestions elicited from the previous year’s member survey.
As community needs change, CVNY consistently adapts to meet those needs. Most recently, they have shifted meetings to virtual, moderated COVID-19 discussions as a way to reflect current members’ needs. Points of Light celebrates CVNY’s long-standing commitment to their members and the greater New York community—especially in these challenging times—and is proud to recognize them as the 2020 Corporate Volunteer Council of the Year.
To learn more about Corporate Volunteers of New York, click here.
Service is a Way of Life for UPS Executive Nick Costides
, service has been a way of life, his entire life.
Growing up as the son of an immigrant father in Brooklyn, New York, he recalls how his mother took care of everyone around her. The whole neighborhood was that way, he says. “Doors were always open. If someone was laid off, people showed up with food. Everyone helped each other out. Because everyone was just trying to survive.” Nick says he didn’t really know what “volunteering” meant. It was just what you did. It was a way of life.
Nick’s dad was working a minimum-wage job when he became disabled with multiple sclerosis. Nick was just eight years old. The responsibility of caring for the family fell to his mom. His mother and her friends made sure Nick never felt as if he was going without. “We didn’t have much, but nobody did,” he remembers. Nick says his mother worked hard to provide for the family, and in tough times showed kindness. “My mother would give the shirt off her back to help anyone,” he said, and that gave him the foundation from which to learn, to excel, and to give back.
Today, Nick has certainly built on that foundation, serving as the President of Information Technology at UPS, the world’s largest package delivery company. You can feel a sense of service and concern for others in the way he talks about his work. Nick says, “I have the privilege of leading a team of the best IT professionals in the world. Together, we build innovative, industry-leading technologies that power our customers’ supply chains.”
Photo of Nick’s Mother | Photo provided by Nick Costides
Despite his leadership role and demanding job at UPS, just as his mother instilled in him, Nick always finds time to give back. After relocating from his native New York to Atlanta for UPS several years ago, Nick’s wife began volunteering for an organization and learned they were having funding challenges. She joined their board and together, she and Nick led a financial turnaround of the organization. As part of that effort, they used a Points of Light Global Network affiliate, Hands on Atlanta, to help coordinate volunteer efforts. A few years later, Nick was asked to join Hands on Atlanta’s board and in that role, he interacted with the team at Points of Light often. Eventually, Nick was asked and honored to join the Points of Light board.
“The Points of Light mission really resonates with me, and it’s very important,” Nick says. “Points of Light
inspires and engages individuals into service – anywhere in the world. Their impact is felt by the individuals who receive service through Points of Light and its partners; they help nonprofits in terms of capacity and management, and can make these organizations feel larger than they are; and just think about how many communities are being served by Points of Light and their affiliates. They provide the processes, the infrastructure, and more – and that can turn anyone into a point of light.”
At Points of Light, Nick has worn many hats, including on the Financial Investment Committee, as the Chair of the newly created Technology Committee, and working to support strategies related to data management and innovation that can change the way nonprofits interact digitally. Nick’s a resource for Points of Light operationally as well as on our board of directors as an advisor. He says being able to provide that kind of multidimensional support, beyond just going to board meetings, is what he loves about his role with us.
“When you think about Points of Light and its impact, especially around their concept of the civic circle, I look at it as an anchor point that depicts that there’s many ways to be a point of light,” Nick says. “It’s akin to the golden rule. There are so many ways to do good. It starts with the decisions you make and the causes you lean into. It truly is the way you live your life. The people who want to do good or create change don’t assign themselves labels; they just do it. It’s all about how you express yourself each and every day.”
Nick Costides (back row, third from left) and UPS Volunteers at the Louisville Zoo.
When he’s not at UPS or working with Points of Light, Nick and his wife support multiple animal rights, welfare, and health organizations, including having previously served on the board of the Louisville Zoo and the Kentucky Humane Society. Nick is still an advisor to Hands on Atlanta and an advisor to a nonprofit called ToolBank, which provides tools like shovels and picks for volunteer projects. Working with them and with the UPS Foundation, Nick helped to coordinate and create a mobile warehouse of tools, so that the tools could easily be moved to markets when disasters hit.
To those looking to get involved in their communities and make a difference, Nick’s advice is simple. He says, “You just have to find a cause that resonates with you. Just get out there. If you help in even a small way, it can really make a difference in the lives of others. Whether you can help with marketing, swing a hammer, or tutor a student, it makes a difference. There’s no downside. And everybody benefits.”
An Environment of Service, During and Despite COVID-19
Our environment is a precious gift – one that we have both received from generations prior and one that we will give to those who come after us. And while our environment is a gift, it belongs to none of us individually and to all of us collectively at the same time.
We’ve been reminded of how “shared” our world is throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic.
During
we regularly highlighted Points of Light corporate partners who are demonstrating – and in today’s times, redefining – service.
For this post, we’d intended to highlight the ways
and its resources, using their global footprint to reduce their environmental one. Given the spread of the pandemic, it’s important to instead look at how the company is using its reach to help slow the spread of the virus, and to help communities come out stronger on the other side.
Credit: The Coca-Cola Company
As grocery store workers are considered essential personnel, the company is going to great lengths to ensure its products – including critical items like bottled water and electrolyte-rich beverages – are not only available but are safely delivered to stores.
Coca-Cola is headquartered in Atlanta, just like we are at Points of Light. Incredibly, the company partnered with local university, Georgia Tech, to
for medical professionals. University engineers and others across Atlanta worked to design and manufacture protective gear using lasers and 3D printers. Coca-Cola donated 6,000 pounds of plastic, which will be used to make the masks.
Amazing.
Additionally, the company’s philanthropic arm, The Coca-Cola Foundation, has made financial contributions around the world, supporting relief efforts in China, Italy, the United States and Canada. The company is redirecting a large portion of the money it would otherwise have spent on advertising and marketing toward community relief programs, medical supplies and equipment – that’s in the short-term, for the long-term it’s making plans as to how to support a recovery and return to normal operations in the areas that are most impacted by the pandemic. Together, in conjunction with other relief efforts in development, brings Coca-Cola’s support for communities impacted by COVID-19 to more than $120 million … and counting.
Communities are stronger when we all play our part – and that’s true of the corporate partners in communities everywhere. There’s perhaps no corporate entity as “everywhere” as Coca-Cola and it’s wonderful to see their leadership and service – right when they’re needed most.
To learn more about Points of Light and Global Volunteer Month, please visit:
The stories we’ve heard about our Points of Light corporate partners and their response to the COVID-19 crisis continue to inspire and amaze us. One such partner is Starbucks. With a long track record of taking care of our environment, we’d intended to highlight
blog series. However, given the current situation, a more fitting way to recognize the company’s commitment to the planet is to talk about the things the company is doing as our world – together – confronts the coronavirus pandemic.
As the crisis in the U.S. continues to unfold, Starbucks is serving communities in ways that demonstrate the very best of its company and its people.
They are caring for each other. Starbucks partners (employees) are the foundation of Starbucks fundamental Mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit. They have led through this crisis by caring for each other, including providing emergency benefits such as catastrophe pay for those who are not working, introducing Starbucks Service Pay for those who are, providing mental health benefits and offering backup childcare through Care@Work.
Credit: Starbucks
They are nurturing first-responders and nurturing spirits. Daily, first-responders and other front-line personnel can receive a free hot or iced coffee in Starbucks stores through May 31. It’s a small gesture on a grand scale; and it’s kindness and warmth when we need it most. Over 1M cups have already been given to those serving our communities! The Starbucks Foundation has also provided a grant toOperation Gratitude to deliver 50,000 care packages and handwritten letters to first responders and health care workers. You can join in to write letters at https://www.operationgratitude.com/starbucks/. On its Good Things are Happening blog, the company has chronicled ways its partners (employees) are doing incredible things to spark joy and help others. In Cleveland, Ohio partners threw a “prom” for a colleague whose prom was cancelled. In Barboursville, West Virginia a Starbucks partner took in a regular customer’s dog when her owner got sick. In Beverly, Massachusetts, partners converted empty café space into a mask-sewing station. And there are countless stories like this from across the company.
They are supporting their neighborhoods. For example, in Philadelphia, The Starbucks Foundation is doing some important work to help slow the spread of COVID-19. We all know that handwashing is the most effective way to prevent becoming sick. But for homeless men and women, that’s not as easy as walking down the hall to the washroom. So, together with Broad Street Ministries, the foundation has set-up 12 handwashing stations throughout the city. The stations are stocked with 40 gallons of water, soap and paper towels and are operated with a foot pump. They’re refilled once or twice per week. It’s estimated that the stations are being used by more than 2,000 people every day and are having an impact on slowing the spread of the virus in the city. In addition, The Starbucks Foundation has donated $500,000 to support U.S. front-line responders with equal donations to Direct Relief to support the delivery of personal protective equipment and essential medical items
They are mobilizing resources and supplies. In total, The Starbucks Foundation has donated more than $5.5 million dollars to nonprofit partners who are providing critical aid to vulnerable communities and supporting front-line responders. These funds address everything from the initial and immediate response to the crisis, to hunger relief efforts – including a partnership with Feeding America to support local foodbanks. Since closing its cafes in mid-March, Starbucks donated more than 700,000 meals, 62,000 gallons of milk, and 1 million cans of Teavana Craft Iced Teas throughout the U.S. and Canada. And counting.
Credit: Starbucks
They are living out its social impact priorities. Even amid the pandemic, Starbucks continues important work to support veterans, access to higher education, equity and inclusion, and the environment. Like Points of Light and so many other organizations, Starbucks recognizes that while our collective attention is on the current crisis, needs in other areas continue. Just this week, in celebration of Earth Day, the company reiterated its commitment to sustainable coffee by highlighting the men and women who produce it.
During the crisis and our planet’s continued response to it, Cameron Melcher, a Starbucks partner since 2008 and a manager for the last two years, put things into perfect perspective. He runs a high-volume, 24-hour store in Manassas, Virginia that often caters to customers working overnight or in critical roles – people like doctors, policemen, firemen or delivery drivers. He said
“With all the quarantines and social distancing, humanity is feeling some serious disconnect right now. I think it’s important that we can be there for our community and maybe even look at our role a little differently – as essential personnel – because of what we are doing and who we are serving.”
He’s right. What Cameron and his co-workers are doing isn’t “service” or volunteering in the way we typically think about them – his story and each of these stories are absolutely about serving communities and one another.
And we think that’s pretty awesome.
To learn more about Global Volunteer Month, and to find information on how you can make a difference and be a #LocalLight in your community, please visit:
Fidelity: Building Bigger Tables, Better Communities
It’s been said that “when you have more than you need, build a bigger table, not a higher fence.” Indeed. Points of Light corporate partners consistently and admirably demonstrate that thinking – all the time.
This
we’re pleased to recognize a few that have gone above and beyond, especially in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. One partner that comes to mind is financial services firm
.
The pandemic is a health crisis. What follows is an economic one. This is where Fidelity’s contributions to communities stand to make a critical difference. The company is mobilizing in two important ways.
First, it is encouraging its people and its partner businesses to contribute their time, talent and dollars to those most impacted by the crisis. Over the years, the company has made massive contributions toward improving financial literacy – engaging its team members to help students and young adults learn about their finances and about how to build stable futures. The same model is in place around its response to the pandemic: organizing teams of skills-based volunteers to help communities.
This ranges from helping to ensure nonprofits can survive the crisis operationally, to ensuring the programs in place prior to it, can continue.
Second, Fidelity is supporting community and employee giving through Fidelity Charitable, and its Donor-Advised Funds, that focus on
(triage, stabilization, rebuilding and risk management) and that for the next several months, much of the world will be in the “triage” phase, Fidelity has also put a sharp focus on the immediate needs of communities through various established channels and relationships.
For example, Fidelity partnered with collaborative online learning provider
partners to ensure students at its “adopted schools,” youth organizations and other financial literacy partners to ensure students have meals while they are unable to access them at school. Fidelity also donated 120 reclaimed iPads to K-12 students in two school districts in Rhode Island so they could participate in their schools’ distance learning programs. When schools re-open, both districts plan to use the iPads school-wide to support technology proficiency goals.
Incredible.
In addition to being Global Volunteer Month, April is also
– an entire month focused on bringing attention to an issue very important to Fidelity. Though the company cannot host its planned in-person teacher trainings, it is now working with the North Carolina Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) to host a virtual financial literacy teacher training for North Carolina educators – ensuring that the pandemic doesn’t pause this important initiative for teachers and students alike.
Fidelity is living the “building a bigger table” philosophy by, first, giving back as company and, second, by encouraging their employees to get involved too – around COVID-19 and as part of its overall approach to service. This Global Volunteer Month, this is
exactly
the type of corporate citizenship we’re celebrating – and we’re working to see more of it in communities around the world!
To learn more about any of these initiatives or to learn more about Points of Light and Global Volunteer Month, please visit:
What is the Courageous Opportunity for Companies in this Crisis?
The word ‘crisis’, when written in Chinese characters, consists of two brushstrokes: one for danger, the other for opportunity. The global community is in the middle of an unprecedented cataclysm as it stares down COVID-19. Stemming the economic and humanitarian fallout requires all-hands on deck. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Jean Case once said, “How companies act in times of crisis can be a true measure of their fearlessness.”
What is the courageous opportunity for corporations in this pandemic?
We are faced with a choice. The world’s leading corporations will play an outsized role in either exacerbating the crisis or rising to demonstrate bold leadership. Even as short-term profitability drops, corporations will find that making the bold choice to value their business along with the needs of society is at the heart of their corporate purpose and the sustained success of their businesses.
The corporate sector has long been a leader in driving social and environmental change and is now poised to bring its resources and expertise to provide relief and to scale innovative solutions to address the pandemic that is impacting almost every area of society. But only if the corporate sector makes the brave choice to do so.
Together, we call on all companies to take four critical actions:
Care for your workforce during these hard times. A company’s employees are the backbone of daily commerce, and tending to their health and safety takes top priority. But their continued livelihoods go hand in hand with that of the company and society. What do your current and former employees need most? Many companies offer Employee Relief Funds to which employees and executives can contribute. Many executives, like those at Hyatt Hotels, have forfeited or reduced their salaries to provide for the needs of furloughed employees. Some companies are extending health benefits and others have partnered with corporations such as CVS and Amazon to provide temporary employment. Wells Fargo and Capital One have increased wages for frontline workers. For the millions of employees working remotely, HR teams are providing resources and tools for self-care and mindfulness.
Repurpose, innovate, and collaborate to accelerate and scale solutions. Now is the time for the private sector to mobilize its expertise and resources for the greater good and to collaborate as never before. How can your company use its capabilities in service of relief and recovery? Companies like 3M and General Motors are activating their supply chains and manufacturing capabilities while Abbott, Sanofi, and Regeneron are speeding creation of tests and treatments. Gap, Hanes, and Zara are converting factories to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). UPS is chartering flights with FEMA. Companies that were formerly competitors are now partners. Innovations are now open source.
Lift-up the most vulnerable through cash and in-kind contributions and volunteering. Last year, corporations collectively provided more than US$26B in funding to nonprofits and NGOs, many of whom are now struggling to stay afloat. How can your company bring its financial and human resources to bear for those who need it most? Bay Area tech companies including Workday, Salesforce, and NetApp raised more than US$20M to support communities in need. Bank of America is committing US$100M to support local communities and an additional US$250M in capital for struggling small businesses. Walmart announced a US$25M commitment to support organizations on the frontlines, including those leading testing efforts. AT&T and Comcast have reduced and removed restrictions on internet access, and Adobe and Discovery Education are offering free access to students. Companies are mobilizing their employees to provide their unique skills to help others, and partnering with community foundations, governments, private foundations, and nonprofits to coordinate efforts and deploy resources.
Use the corporate voice for public good. Employees are looking to sources of information they can trust. Edelman’s 2020 special report found that employers are the most trusted communicators after health authorities. How can your company speak out for the common good? Viacom and the Ad Council created the #AloneTogether campaign. Kaiser Permanente has begun a texting campaign about supplemental nutrition assistance programs. KPMG created COVID-19: Responding with Resilience and Readiness. With contradictory information proliferating, companies have an opportunity and obligation to spread accurate information.
In his 2020 letter to CEOs,
BlackRock
CEO Larry Fink wrote, “Companies must be deliberate and committed to embracing purpose and serving all stakeholders – your shareholders, customers, employees, and the communities where you operate. In doing so, your company will enjoy greater long-term prosperity, as will investors, workers, and society as a whole.”
Companies must act courageously and find unique opportunities to lead with their strengths. Those who act with fearlessness will be remembered for their contributions long after the pandemic ends. By taking these four actions, corporations are making the choice for shared prosperity.
Carolyn Berkowitz, President and CEO, Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP)
Daryl Brewster, CEO, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose (CECP)
Kathleen Enright, CEO, Council on Foundations (COF)
Natalye Paquin, President and CEO, Points of Light (POL)
UPS: In Service of Human and Civil Rights
Several months ago, when we looked ahead to April and to our first-ever
, we did not imagine the world as it is today. We could not have foreseen the way in which our world would change or the ways in which
service,
or
communities
, or
neighbors
would take on whole new meanings.
Throughout Global Volunteer Month, we’d planned to recognize volunteers around the world and the positive impact they’re having in their communities and beyond. Today, as the coronavirus pandemic continues around the world, that mission seems even more important than ever.
Of course, we have some tremendous corporate partners at Points of Light who help communities as well. These organizations are using their enterprises, their resources and their employees to do good, and we’ll be shining a light on them as well this month.
One such company that immediately comes to mind is UPS, our Global Volunteer Month Supporting Partner. This massive, global organization is using its size and scale – every day – to make a real difference in local communities.
This week’s Global Volunteer Month theme is Human and Civil Rights, and UPS has been a consistent and compelling leader in this area.
For example, we often think of humanitarian aid in the context of political conflicts or famine, but it also encompasses disaster relief. In these situations, the ability to move desperately needed supplies into an area quickly and efficiently – often with little notice – is key. It’s all about logistics. For UPS, logistics happens every day, all day. As the world winds its way through the uncharted waters of a global pandemic, UPS’s role has become even more clear: the company is delivering life and hope.
UPSers believe that in order to have strong, productive communities, we must first have safe communities. (We agree!) That’s why – for disaster preparedness as well as relief and recovery efforts – UPS and The UPS Foundation provide significant financial and in-kind contributions to help support organizations such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, World Food Program, UNICEF, CARE and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. As the coronavirus pandemic continues, UPS is delivering urgently needed materials through its global relief network and using its logistics expertise to help customers who are pivoting their businesses to join the fight.
Credit: UPS
Incredible.
But what about when there’s not a crisis? The company’s commitment to human rights is just as strong and steadfast. Consider this: Every day the company delivers more than just packages; they deliver solutions that help facilitate commerce, build businesses and strengthen communities. Just by doing what it does millions of times in millions of places every day, UPS supports trade and innovation, which helps businesses thrive and helps working men and women gain access to economic opportunity. This type of free, fair and open trade creates an environment where human rights can be protected and advanced. This commitment also extends to UPS’s philanthropy, which is based on the knowledge that our differences make us stronger. To bring this to life, The UPS Foundation supports human and civil rights-centered programs to empower individuals and help safeguard communities of all kinds. UPS’s respect for and work in support of these rights makes them a proud supporter of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and a leader on these issues within corporate America.
We have so many great examples of corporations doing wonderful things in their communities. We look forward to highlighting even more of these organizations throughout Global Volunteer Month!
To learn more about Global Volunteer Month, and to find information on how you can make a difference and be a #LocalLight in your community, please visit:
