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Medtronic, Inc.: Mission in Motion - Project 6

“ Nothing I can say about Medtronic today makes me happier or more optimistic about the future than the fact that the Mission is deeply embedded as a permanent part of the culture.” 

--Earl Bakken, Co-Founder and First CEO of Medtronic (1957-1974)

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, produces medical technologies that treat neurological and musculoskeletal conditions, diabetes, and cardiac and vascular diseases. Operating in over 140 countries, the company employees almost 50,000 individuals. In 2013, Medtronic had $16.6 billion in revenue and $3.5 billion in net earnings.

At a 1960 board meeting, Bakken first outlined the ideas that would later form Medtronic's mission. I can't help but think that Bakken was influenced by Johnson & Johnson's famous credo, written in 1943. (For an interesting analysis of crafting meaningful missions, I suggest reading "4 Rules to Craft a Mission Statement that Shapes Corporate Culture" from Fast Company.)

Medtronic Mission Statement
from A Legacy of Improving Lives: Our History

Today, Medtronic's corporate social responsibility initiatives are inspired by the sixth tenet of the mission: to maintain good citizenship as a company. To achieve their mission, Medtronic has identified five strategic pillars of their CSR program: addressing chronic disease, a collaborative culture of innovation, responsibility in the marketplace, progressive environmental stewardship, and total employee engagement. These five pillars flow from the mission and reflect the core competencies of the company. Through the Medtronic Foundation, the company donated $64.6 million in cash and in-kind donations.

In terms of environmental stewardship, Medtronic conducted an initial test of equipment recycling. They receive 1700 kilograms of material out of which $53,000 of precious metals were recovered. If they had disposed of the equipment, they would have incurred $21,000 in hazardous material fees. Because the test was so successful, Medtronic is now using the recycling protocol on all eligible equipment. Over the next ten years, they expect to generate $700,000. The program also reduces demand for raw material since the recovered precious metals can be used instead of virgin material.

Yokohama Provides Funds for Employee Volunteers

2011 Tōhoku earthquake damage and effects in Ishinomaki, Miyagi.
Photo by Akira Kouchiyama, Save the Children Canada
Photo licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Based in Japan, the Yokohama Rubber Company produces tires, wheels, industrial supplies, and sporting equipment (including golf clubs!).

The company's volunteers are undertaking a number of volunteer projects in their region, many focusing on the needs still remaining after the 2011 tsunami. Between October 2011 and February 2012, 60 Yokohama employees supported disaster recovery efforts, and the company provided in-kind donations. Since then, employees have continued their support by providing both monetary donations and labor for restoration work.

Dow Corning Citizen Corps: International Impact

Dow Corning offers employees a number of employee volunteer programs in their key areas of education, community vitality, and outreach. However, if I were an employee of Dow Corning, I'd want to join the Dow Corning Citizen Service Corps. In this program, employees commit to a four-week service project in which they provide skills-based volunteering in developing countries.

The first trip, conducted as a pilot, garnered 100 applications from employees out of which 10 were selected to travel to India in 2010 for a four week assignment. A second cohort worked in Bangalore. Some tweets about the Citizen Service Corps are indexed under #DCServiceCorps. There is reference to a blog for participants, but it is password protected.

Because the Dow Corning employees spent a month immersed in the local culture, they were able to experience a developing country and assist its citizens. Each employee was assigned to a particular project, and the employees provided expertise and assistance to the community partners. Employees brought back to Dow Corning a better sense of the opportunities and challenges for the company at the bottom of the pyramid. Laura Asiala, Director of Corporate Citizenship, noted that the company is exploring at least 15 business opportunities derived from the experiences of DC Citizen Corps volunteers. Upon her return, one employee remarked that the experience made her career more meaningful. A study commissioned by DC and conducted by a Harvard Business School Professor, revealed that alumni of the program were less like to turnover. My biggest question is why DC hasn't sent more cohorts.

Pyxera, founder of the Center of Excellence for International Volunteering manages international skills-based volunteering programs to handle the administrative details that companies may not have the expertise or desire to handle. IBM, a founding partner, regularly sends teams of employees through its Corporate Service Corps program. Patagonia offers a sabbatical program, just as exciting for its employees, but the placements are not always international, and they are not team-based.

Whether domestic or international, these longer-term volunteer placements provide numerous benefits to the employee, the host community, and the company. If your business strategy relates to development, selecting such an EVP may provide multiple gains above the program's expense.

 

References

• Kanani, Rahim (2012, July 17). "IBM Deploys Talent, Technology and Innovation for Global Social Progress," Forbes. 
• Tergeson, Anne (2012, January 9). "Doing good to do well," Wall Street Journal.

Work Colorful, if not Happy

While browsing Pinterest, I saw a pin of an office space with #workhappy in the caption. Because I hypothesize that the meaning and happiness that derives from social action at work motivates employees to participate and serves as a mediating mechanism for outcomes such as commitment, reduced turnover, and citizenship behaviors, I decided to see where #workhappy originated and how it was being used in social media. As I was expecting, a few twitter posts pertained to job satisfaction and happiness in the workplace, linking to articles such as, "Is There One Simple Formula to Career Happiness?" by Pete Cashmore or "Five Simple Ways to Harness the Power of Happiness at Work" by Harvey Detuschenforf. However, many of the posts tagged with #workhappy related to products made by the office supply company Poppin which launched in 2012.

Campbell Soup: Make a Difference Week

“Campbell’s most inspiring achievements are not measured in dollars, but in the spirit of our employees who volunteer thousands of hours to build and sustain healthy communities. From the C-suite to the plant floor, Campbell’s people are motivated to enhance the quality of life in the areas where we live and work, starting right here in Camden.”--Denise Morrison, President and CEO, Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company celebrates Make a Difference Week April 4 through 11. (The event started as a day-long celebration, but seven years ago, when more employees wanted to volunteer, the company expanded it to a full week.) Over 3,000 employees across the United States are expected to participate in one of the 70 projects planned for the week. Planting trees at a local school, reading to children, sorting and boxing food for food banks, building raised vegetable gardens, and preparing backpacks full of food for children who might not have anything to eat during the weekend are some of the activities planned for the eager volunteers. The company, its employees, and even some partner organizations are tweeting about Make a Difference Week using #CampbellMADW.

CEO Morrison told reporter Mark Abrams, "“We believe that employee engagement is really important and drives better performance, and so if we can get our people engaged in the community, they realize that you can make a profit and make a difference.”

Make a Difference Week is only one aspect to the portfolio of CSR initiatives sponsored by the company. Campbell's CSR activities stem from a reflective and thorough CSR philosophy with four strategic focus areas:

• Nourishing Our Planet: Environmental stewardship 
• Nourishing Our Consumers: Our interactions with customers and consumers 
• Nourishing Our Neighbors: Community service 
• Nourishing Our Employees: Building a high-performance workplace

(Using "nourishing" is a nice reflection of their core products and industry. Interestingly, too, the names are not tied to issue areas but to key stakeholder groups.) Each focus area is clearly connected to strategic goals with relevant and clear metrics. The Global Reporting Guidelines inform Campbell's reporting which is available for interested parties to download. The Sustainability/Community Affairs team maintains a separate twitter account.

Campbell's efforts in their hometown, Camden, New Jersey, may be particularly critical since a range of social and economic problems bedevil the city, which is the poorest in America according to 2011 census data. Additionally, it has the highest crime rate among cities in the United States. Children in Camden are more likely to live in poverty than those in surrounding cities, and only 49% of students graduate high school.

To revitalize their hometown, Campbell's created the Healthy Communities program. Camden is a signature town for the program, and Campell's has funded neighborhood improvements and a community soup kitchen as they provide nutrition education, advocate and assist in food access and physical education, and maintain cooperation with community stakeholders.

Of particular note, Campbell Soup Company also cultivates skill-based employee volunteerism. In the 2013 fiscal year, skills-based volunteering accounted for 20% of total volunteer hours, allowing Human Resource professionals to assist community members in writing resumes and preparing for interviews, while chefs and nutritionists provided healthy cooking and nutrition demonstrations for young people, and members of the Marketing group provided local non-profit organizations assistance with marketing and development plans.

Whether traditional or skills-based volunteerism, the Campell Soup Foundation provides eligible non-profit organizations with a $500 grant for every 25 volunteer hours contributed by an employee through the "Dollars for Doers" program. Employees also participate in design teams that develop innovative products to respond to issues related to hunger. These include the produce-to-donate products Just Peachy (a salsa sold to benefit the Food Bank of South Jersey), Super Smoothie (donated to children in need through non-profit partner organizations), and Nourish (a hearty, nutritious meal in a can donated to Food Bank Canada and Free the Children).

Based on their exemplary CSR activities and strong corporate ethics, for the fifth year, Campbell Soup Company has been recognized by Corporate Responsibility Magazine as a top corporate citizen. In 2010, Campbell Soup Company received the Corporate Engagement Award of Excellence from the Points of Light Foundation, which highlighted the company's skills-based volunteer efforts and the company's work in hunger relief efforts. Then-CEO Douglas R. Conant commented, "We deeply appreciate this award, as it recognizes the efforts and dedication of Campbell employees who freely give of their time and share their expertise to help others. Our company is absolutely committed to making a difference in the communities in which we operate and to nourishing peoples' lives everywhere, every day."

Whenever I have my students analyze a company, the final question usually requires them to provide recommendations for improvement. I remind them that even companies that perform very well can always do something to improve. I myself have to turn a very critical eye to find areas for improvement. One suggestion might be to include all of the performance metrics in a single location, since some of the data distributed across the website isn't included in the formal CSR report. Though this might be available through a private employee volunteer portal, more information about employees' roles in CSR and a chance to interact with others could enhance employee engagement. Overall, Campbell's CSR program, as well as its sustainability initiatives and reporting, exemplify current best practices in the field. Their CSR portal provides valuable information about the content and communication of CSR activities that serve as a model for other corporations.

Employee Grassroots Water Conservation Campaign at PG&E

For the first time since its inception in 1999, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported that the entirety of the state of California is experiencing a drought. The state government has initiated a public relations campaign to increase the public's conservation efforts, while funding is being directed to the most affected communities. Additional firefighters have been hired in light of the heightened threat of wildfires, and the state, working with local governments, is exploring ways to improve the water storage and treatment infrastructure to maximize water conservation.

In light of the water crisis facing California, a grassroots employee group at PG&E launched a Water Wise Pledge Campaign in which the utility's employees are encouraged to make a commitment to conserve water both at home and in the workplace as well as to specify the specific steps they will take to reduce their water use. While the pledge campaign and its kickoff event were organized by the Grassroots Green Network (GGN), top management affirmed their support of the group's efforts.

EVP at Aramark

"Delivering experiences that enrich and nourish lives is who we are and what we do. For ARAMARK, it's about making life better for those who matter to us most – our employees, our customers, clients, and communities. We're in the people business and we bring our unique skills and culture of service to our work and to our communities,"--Bev Dribin, Vice President, Community Relations  

ARAMARK, headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, provides uniforms, food, and facilities management to organizations across diverse industries including universities, health facilities, cultural attractions, correctional institutions, and conference and conventions centers. The company consistently receives honors such as listing on the "World's Most Admired Companies" by Fortune Magazine and most ethical company by Ethisphere Institue.

As part of their overarching CSR strategy which includes the focus areas employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement, employee volunteerism and philanthropy are administered under the ARAMARK Building Community (ABC) program. Regional STAR teams adopt community centers to help them build capacity. Other employee volunteers with expertise in human resources offer youth and adults provide career guidance. Given the large percentage of the business devoted to food services, organizing health and wellness education corresponds to one of the company's core competencies. Holding drives to collect basic necessities such as food, clothing, and toys represents another pillar of ABC. Employees can donate to non-profit organizations. In 2009, Aramark was recognized as a finalist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Corporate Citizenship Award.

This year, ARAMARK celebrated its first Global Volunteer Day on March 19. Across the globe. Aramark associates participated in activities to strengthen their communities. Employees in India worked with Mutally Beneficial Activities Foundation, a group that helps increase the self-esteem of disabled children. UK volunteers provided nutrition and healthy cooking education. Many other groups worked at food pantries, helped beautiful community centers, made healthy food packs, and painted murals. ABC 6 in Philadelphia covered the local Global Volunteer Day events at the Kensington Community Center.

ARAMARK volunteers at Atlanta Mission's My Sister's House

ARAMARK dietitian provides education about healthy food choices

ARAMARK volunteers from Ingalls Memorial Hospital prepared over 400 meals for those in need.

ARAMARK provides some explanation of the motivation behind their extensive employee volunteerism:

"Volunteerism can create stronger connections with employees. People want to work for responsible companies and to feel that they are part of a larger social effort. A focus on services can strengthen understanding of company values and history and also create relationships with co-workers and communities,"--ARAMARK Website

ARAMARK's employee volunteerism is also notable for its strategic and skill-based focus, whereby dieticians working for ARAMARK provide education about healthy eating, cooks provide cooking demonstration, human resource specialists provide career counseling and so on. Although not all volunteer events meet this criterion, all the events do fall under one of the four CSR focus areas that reflect the business's core competencies. Employees at all levels are encouraged to participate, not just on the Global Volunteer Day, but throughout the year. In conjunction with other employee awards, the company recognizes an Outstanding Employee Volunteer.

I was unable to find a blog or twitter account that promoted ARAMARK's CSR and linked it to the company's mission and strategic goals (though there is a Facebook page). This information might be on an internal network. Besides information for 2009, I couldn't find statistics about the impact of the community activities, though I did find that Aramark uses the Enablon platform to track its CSR activities. It's very possible my searches overlooked this, but I couldn't find a CSR report for the firm, either. Keeping this information internal might be deliberate. Some companies don't want to advertise their CSR activities too extensively for fear of accusations of greenwashing or profit-motives. At the same time, it's information that would be interesting for clients, potential clients, employees, applicants, and investors.

ARAMARK published an extensive toolkit for employees regarding the 2014 Global Volunteer Day which can provide insights and ideas for companies considering similar events.

PG&E: Commitment to California

“For PG&E, giving back to our communities is really about caring for our customers and for the future of California. We apply the expertise we've gained over our 100 year history of serving Californians to provide support and opportunity for our neighbors who need it most."

Ezra Garrett 

PG&E Vice President of Community Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer

PG&E employees and volunteers pose outside of Bakersfield City Hall after planting flowers (April 2013).

To celebrate National Volunteer Month (NVM), PG&E announced that they aimed to contribute 50,000 employee volunteer hours to advance their three signature programs: education, the environment, and economic and community vitality. This tops the 48,000 employee volunteer hours logged in 2013.

NVM corresponds to PG&E's Month of Service. During April, the company organized over 100 activities across Northern California, including food distribution, neighborhood emergency training, and installation of solar panels on Habitat for Humanity homes. Employee volunteers will also work on clean-up and restoration projects at selected California State Parks, marking the 13th year of partnership with the California State Park Foundation.

Employee volunteer planting native plants atMontaña de Oro State Park

The kick-off activity for the company's second Month of Service had employee volunteers help prepare and service meals at The Mission at Kern County, a homeless shelter in Bakersfield. Other groups made no-sew blankets for babies in homeless shelters across the San Francisco Valley.

Addressing a group of volunteers assembled to help clean-up and beautify Bakersfield's downtown, Mayor Harvey Hall remarked, “The Power of Blue is very evident." After removing litter, painting a mural as well as traffic control boxes, PG&E employees were recognized as Volunteer Group of the Year.

“I have fun when I do it. I get to meet people and really connect with the community,” affirmed Yolanda Montejano PG&E Contact Center Operations Safety Lead, of the Fresno division. Rich Garcia, energy solutions and service manager for the Yosemite division, noted, “[I]t gives you a sense of pride to know that PG&E is part of the community and is making a difference.”

Affirming the importance of the Month of Service, Tony Earley, PG&E’s chairman, CEO and president, was present for some events and even literally got his hands dirty at a cleanup event in Golden Gate Park. Information reporting the events was included on the company blog, Currents. I imagine that internal communications, and possibly signs, tables, or other special events promoted Month of Service activities.

Employee volunteerism, during the Month of Service and throughout the year, is only one aspect of PG&E's community contributions. Grants are given through the PG&E Foundation to organizations impacting PG&E's three signature areas. Mentors for New Academy Schools commit eight months to support students. New Academy Schools also receive funding for equipment and classroom enhancements.With the American Red Cross, PG&E supports the Ready Neighborhood initiative to prepare communities for natural disasters and emergencies. Some customers experiencing unexpected finacial hardship can be eligible for a one-time energy credit through REACH.

Best practices of PG&E's community activities include:

• targeted signature areas related to the company's mission and core competencies
• top management commitment
• strong communication about employee participation

These are three characteristics that can benefit any company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. PG&E's already strong CSR might be enhanced by providing employees with more opporutnities for skills-based volunteering.

On a side note, when I was researching this blog entry, I looked at the PG&E Foundation Board of Directors and was taken aback. Is there anything you notice about them that might be problematic?

PG&E Press Release
2014 Month of Service Blog Entries

Starbucks Month of Service Joins Partners and Customers in an Extra Shot of Good

Like many other companies who take advantage of National Volunteer Week, Starbucks celebrated a Global Month of Service during April. They are not only mobilizing their partners (employees) to participate in community events, they are partnering with other business such as Fidelity Investments and Alaska Airlines. They also invite customers to participate in the estimated 2,000 projects planned for 55 countries across the world. Projects include providing job search assistance and hygiene kits to individuals in need (Seattle, Washington), participate in outdoor restoration projects (Atlanta, Georgia), organizing art supply drives for Harry Van Arsdale Educational Complex students (New York, NY), helping at charity walks, and numerous other local events.

Earth Day at Work

If a company engages in or promotes sustainability activities only on Earth Day, April 22, the organization would legitimately be accused of greenwashing their commitment to the environment. Greenbiz.com, in their article, "The Selling of Earth Day 2009: The Good, the bad, the ugly," notes that many businesses use the event to promote products that may or may not have an environmental benefit. The call to consume may also conflict with some of the tenets of environmentalism: reduce and reuse.

However, if Earth Day celebrations serve an organization's sustainability strategy or reflect its authentic values, the events can become an important ritual or reminder of the sustainability work of the organization.

Kohl's

Sustainability is one of Kohl's corporate social responsibility focus areas. In addition to incorporating principles of sustainability in their operations (detailed in the 2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Report), Kohl's donates to social and environmental non-profit organizations. Starting in 2012, the company gave each corporate employee a reusable cup and installed hydration stations to reduce disposable cup waste. Employees tend three corporate gardens, two of which are adjacent to on-site daycare and are used to teach children about healthy eating and growing their own vegetables. Produce from the third garden is donated to the Milwaukee Hunger Task Force. Green education classes are held regularly to inform and inspire associates about environmentally-friendly practices. Both employees and customers can use Kohl's dedicated sustainability email address with concerns or questions.

In April, the company observes both Earth Month and National Volunteer Week with Kohl's "National Go Green Event." During the event, Kohl's Associates in Action will engage in a number of environmentally-related volunteer activities and the company will donate more than $2 million dollars. Some of the events taking place throughout the country include removing invasive species and planting native trees with Tree Mustakeeters (Los Angeles, CA) to protect wildlife habitat, providing landscaping to Habitant for Humanity homes (Macon, GA), providing construction and clean-up with the Urban Ecology Center (Milwaukee, WI), helping with plant bed maintenance with the Detroit Zoological Society, supporting a family day at the Delaware Children's Museum where toys will be collected for children in need, planting flowers at Butterfly Dreams Farm (a Theraputic Riding Program), cleaning and planting at the Austin Zoo and Animal Sanctuary, sorting and packing donated items at Children's Specialized Hopsital (NJ), and more.

Timberland

Timberland has a long history of corporate action related to sustainability informed by their environmental philosophy, their Green Standard:

Service is a key value at Timberland, and they promote the value among employees through the Path to Service^™ employee volunteer program, which provides 40 paid hours for volunteer activities to full-time employees and 20 paid hours to part-time associates as well as two annual global days of service (Earth Day and Serv-a-Palooza).

For Earth Day 2013, employees organized over 100 events to promote community service. In China, Timberland employees are working with employees of the Pou Yuen Factory to plant trees and paint a local children's community center. New York employees are working with Concrete Safaris of East Harlem to update their gardens. In Stratham, New Hampshire, over 300 employee volunteers can choose among six different events, from re-greening a local dog park to sewing teddy bears from eco-friendly materials to be donated to children in need.

Anticipating the 2013 Earth Day events, Brianne Wood, Community Service Manager “I am looking forward to a great showing this year and the smiles on everybody’s faces after seeing the work that we’ve accomplished at the end of the day. I’m so grateful that Timberland gives us such a wonderful opportunity for us to give back to our local communities and it is amazing to see how much we can achieve together.”

Both Kohl's and Timberland's Earth Day celebrations highlight the respective company's ongoing commitments to sustainability, and the events reflect authentic values. Without a genuine commitment to sustainability and community service, Earth Day events might backfire. Although Bank of America promotes Earth Day as well as other environmental programs, the Rainforest Action Network has criticized the financial institution for having the third highest rate of investment in the coal industry (Bank.Track.org). If a company is planning for Earth Day but can't back their activities with a history of involvement with and commitment to sustainability, they might better use their resources to develop an environmental philosophy.

Organizations that want to provide service days but might be overwhelmed with initiating a program from the ground up can rely on Timberland's Service Tool-kit to outline key milestones and delineate logistics.

Want more examples of Earth Day activities? Check out this post by Jennifer Hermes.

The Social Responsibility of Corporations Is To....

Milton Friedman (1962, 1970: 33) famously asserted, "There is one and only one social responsibility of business–to use it resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud." His 1970 article in the New York Times Magazine elaborates his rationale, including the misuse of principal's investment capital by the agent and the notion that social responsibility equates to a pseudo-tax of the corporation.

In the past decade or so, though debates about corporate social responsibility (CSR) remain (May, Cheney, & Roper, 2007), most practitioners and academics have moved beyond Friedman's thinking, determining that CSR provides numerous benefits both to the organization and to multiple stakeholders. Job applicants find organizations with CSR programs as more attractive places to work, customers value the community commitment implied by CSR, and CSR initiatives bestow a license to operate in the local community. Some research suggests that CSR programs can provide a financial advantage or a tax reduction. (I won't even mention how CSR can't possibly make up for the externalities involved in industry.) In 2013, India mandated that corporations meeting certain criteria spend 2% of its profits (determined by averaging profits in the past three years) on CSR programs. Even without these incentives or requirements, some executives firmly believe that good ethics demand investment in CSR.

This is not to say that CSR programs give firms leave to perform irresponsibly in other areas or that all CSR programs are created equal. In some cases, companies with a reputation for CSR can pay a penalty in reputation costs when they engage in harmful behavior. If CSR initiative are seen as inauthentic or fail to resonate with the company's strategic mission, values, or core competencies, stakeholders will be suspicious of them. Overall, though, investment in CSR should be viewed as a necessary strategic initiative.

Although companies provide varying levels of detail on public pages, then often like to tout their CSR and environmental programs with extensive information and photographs. I was surprised , when I was researching Amazon's CSR activities for this blog, to find very little on their website relating to community involvement and corporate philanthropy. After some digging, I found a very sparse section on "Amazon in the Community." There, the company summarizes their philosophy on CSR:

At Amazon, if we do our job right, our greatest contribution to the good of society will come from our core business activities: lowering prices, expanding selection, driving convenience, driving frustration-free packaging, creating Kindle, innovating in web services, and other initiatives we'll work hard on in the future.

I couldn't really believe it: this credo seems straight from Friedman! As reported by Slate, complaints about Amazon's penuriousness were published as early as 2007. In 2012, The Seattle Times called Amazon a "virtual no-show in hometown philanthropy." Their article reported, "several current and former Amazon employees said they have wanted to change the company culture to encourage more giving. But colleagues told them not to bother — they'd be better off figuring out how to do good on their own." One employee who asked if he could arrange for a donation to a non-profit directly from his paycheck was informed he would be charged a 6% fee by the payroll provider.

Since these exposés, Amazon seems to have increased its CSR activities. Their community page lists a number of non-profit organizations who have received grants or in-kind donations. Amazon also mentions employee volunteer efforts, but provides no details. Even before Amazon was criticized for their lack of largess, they did use their visibility to increase donations from individuals. After 9-11, Hurricane Katrina, the Japanese Tsunami, and Hurricane Sandy, Amazon posted notices that allowed their customers to make 1-click donations to the American Red Cross.

More recently, they have introduced Amazon Smile. When customers shop through the smile.amazon.com portal, 0.5% of their purchase total is donated via the AmazonSmile Foundation to a non-profit selected by the customer. (On Huffington Post, Brady Josephson warns how this program might prove disadvantageous to charities.)

Though Amazon has made some positive strides in the past few years, primarily by encouraging giving through customer efforts, as well as through increased donations to non-profit organizations, to meet the minimum expectations of key stakeholders, they need to increase their CSR efforts. Some stakeholders who are dissatisfied with current efforts include employees, vendors, and the local community. Simply by listening to the needs of these groups and determining how they might meet these needs through their core competencies would be a productive starting point. Outlining strategic CSR focus areas can maximize the impact of the CSR initiatives. Employing a corporate social responsibility professional can give CSR a higher profile in the company and give a centralized point for coordination and logistics and offer consistency and better communication.

As both an intrigued observer and Amazon customer, I am hopeful that Amazon will continue to build on the momentum generated by the launch of AmazonSmile.

References

Friedman, M. 1962. Capitalism and freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 

Friedman, M. 1970. "The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits," The New York Times Magazine: 32-33.

May, S., Cheney, G., & Roper, J. 2007. The debate over corporate social responsibility. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

But I'm Not in the CSR Department!

Some readers may feel they can't make an impact for good at work because they aren't in their organization's CSR department or their company may not have events in which employees can participate. Even if you are in that position, you can become a social intrapreneur in your company to promote positive social change. Social entrepreneurs are those individuals who create a mission-driven organization, usually a for-profit company, to solve a social or environmental problem. Social intrapreneurs work within the boundaries of an existing for-profit company to solve social or environmental ills. (Gifford Pinchot, founder of the Bainbridge Institute, is credited with coining the term "intrapreneur" - see his Ten Commandments for intrapreneurs here.)

In Forbes Magazine, Joseph Agoada wrote a column, "2014's Most Valuable Employee: The Social Intraprenuer" with a promise to provide strategies for social intrapreneurs during the upcoming year. Net Impact has published a report, Making Your Impact at Work: A Practical Guide to Changing the World from Inside any Company, that includes steps an employee can take to become a social intrapreneur as well as case studies of successful intrapreneurs. Another toolkit is available through the League of Intrapreneurs, an organization founded to support "corporate changemakers who are working to transform business from the inside out." SustainAbility has produced its own guide, The Social Intrapreneur: A Guide for Corporate Changemakers. These guides and toolkits provide practical, step-by-step plans for tackling an issue about which you are passionate.

Social intrapreneurship may not be a common phrase in corporations, but attention to the phenomenon is growing. The BMW Foundation, created by the famous car manufacturer in 1970, has identified social intrapreneurship as a key focus area. The foundation views social intrapreneurship as a vehicle that benefits employees, companies, and communities. Benefits to companies are explored in a 2013 Guardian article, "How Does a Social Entrapreneur Add Value to a Business?" Author Emma Stewart asserts that social intrapreneurs provide innovative products and services, such as GE's Ecomagination line and Levi's Water
"Superheroes in Business Suits: Why the World Needs Social Intrapraneurs" by Nate Silver discusses the solutions to social challenges that arise when social and environmental change is informed by functional business expertise and supported by corporate networks and resources.

In the case of Levi's Water>Jeans, the corporation benefited through a new, innovative product that meets the needs of consumers who want to have less of an environmental impact. Employees benefit from the sense of meaning and accomplishment from achieving a significant impact in terms of reduced water usage in the production cycle of denim jeans.

Any employee of any business can make a case for a social intrapreneurship project; however, some organizational cultures contribute to the success of social intrapreneurs. Net Impact found that the support and openness of managers provided the best context for social intrapreneurship.

Now that you know you don't have to be in the CSR department to advocate for positive social and environmental change, what passion project will you advance at work?

Brookhaven National Laboratory Gives Back

The Adopt a Platoon organization was formed to support deployed military personnel. Individuals, organizations, and companies who adopt a platoon pledge to sent at least one care package a month along with cards and letters through the adopt-a-platoon program, though AAP also has other campaigns interested parties can join.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a research institution funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy, is one organization that participates in the AAP program.

Photo by Brookhaven National Laboratory. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Brookhaven doesn't provide a section on their website about employee volunteer programs, but it does seem that many employees feel called to serve their nation and community. In addition to the AAP initiative, employee volunteers recently provided gifts and gift cards for those in the community who might not otherwise have the resources to celebrate through the Community Youth and Family Services Agency's Adopt-a-Family Program. Tara Shiels of the Lab’s Community Relations Office, who coordinates the Brookhaven Lab donations, remarked, “It was amazing. On collection day, the gifts just kept streaming in to our conference room. It really put me in the holiday spirit.” The lab's press release provides photographs from Brookhaven National Laboratory Adopt-A-Family Activities.

One of the past activities that caught my eye was completed in 2010, when delegates from the lab attended the Federally Employed Women (FEW) annual meeting in New Orleans. Attendees from the lab, along with some spouses, spent two hours making 335 booms filled with natural material like hair for Matter of Trust to help soak up oil from the BP oil spill.

FEW conference attendees from BNL with the pile of 335 booms they made to help clean up the oil in the Gulf.

MaryAnn Maggio, an employee of BNL who had been heartbroken when watching the coverage of the oil spill, decided to arrange the service activity in conjunction with the FEW conference. Maggio reflected on the experience, “It’s about women being passionate and making a difference. I think we made a good showing.”

BNL's community outreach activities show the diverse forms social action at work can take and demonstrate that not all activities need to be coordinated by someone in the CSR or community relations department. Any employee with a passion can marshall an organization's resources - human or otherwise - to address a social issue.