Corporate Social Responsibility: Building a Better Community
August 16, 2019
While headlines about corporate greed may dominate the headlines, many companies throughout the world build provisions into their business plans to make their communities a better place to live and work. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can certainly have business benefits, like building a positive company image, but Cameron Adams, Laser Precision’s Sales & Marketing Manager, doesn’t think this should be the main driving force. “I believe being in business today is about more than making money,” he said. “We should all be doing our part to try and make our communities better.”
Grass root beginnings
Some corporations will select a specific charity to officially sponsor or form their own. Others simply match funds raised by individual workers for their own cause. To be successful, however, CSR must be integrated into the company culture. “We’ve found a lot of employees in our business who are committed to community outreach on a personal level,” he said. “Let employees know that the organization wants to become an engaged participant and you might be amazed at the level of involvement and impact it can make. Tapping into passion that already exists for a cause is an excellent way to start a corporate campaign.”
Business Partner Charities
Networking with customers and suppliers is another excellent way to find a cause to support. “Most people in business are trying to find ways to give back, working together with likeminded business partners can yield outstanding results for the community,” Cameron stated.
Most large corporations have foundations and charities committed to improving the community, they are happy to accommodate suppliers and customers and it’s a great way for smaller businesses to get involved. “We’ve been fortunate to participate in some great charity events over the years since we’ve been in business and look forward to continuing to be a part of them.”
More Than Fundraising
Laser Precision has been fortunate to be close with others who work for the betterment of the community. These include the College of Lake County, Lake County Tech Campus, Workforce Development and Lake County Partners. Together, these organizations form the Workforce Ecosystem of Lake County, whose focus is to build a talent pipeline from the ground up that aligns with the region’s future workforce demands.
Kim Wimer, Laser Precision’s Human Resources Manager, coordinates with the group. She visits local high schools and technical colleges to talk about student career paths. “We’ve also begun hosting student tours from local schools so the students and parents can see a modern manufacturing facility for themselves,” she said.
(For more information, read Building A Solid Manufacturing Community.)