Garratt Hasenstab, Director of Sustainability at the Verdigris Group, a real estate development and consulting firm, says, “Verdigris Group is focused on being a leader in the area of corporate social responsibility. We have developed and established a comprehensive set of sustainable business initiatives that facilitate our triple bottom- line approach to operating our business.” He notes that the firm has operated “as a certified carbon-neutral business since 2007.” The firm engages its employees actively in all of its sustainability initiatives.
John G. Taft, great-grandson of President Taft and CEO of RBC
Wealth Management-USA, which reports $227 billion of assets under management, describes one of their CSR initiatives, “The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year global commitment to help protect the world’s most precious natural resource: fresh water. It includes a $50 million philanthropic commitment to organizations that protect watersheds and ensure access to clean drinking water.” He notes that “Clients are often invited to participate in RBC sponsored local events with nonprofits.” Taft further explains, “For the sixth year, RBC employees around the globe will participate in Blue Water Day on June 14. On this day, employees will volunteer their time to participate in a Community Makeover with a local nonprofit to help preserve fresh water in urban areas.” He adds, “I have personally attended Blue Water Day activities and have seen firsthand the commitment of our employees to the environment. Last year, in Minneapolis, we cleared invasive species from a local riverbank so the natural vegetation can thrive and be a natural filter for runoff that flows into the river. The demonstrated commitment by the company and employees makes me proud to work for RBC.” He sums up the benefits to the company this way, “Employees and customers want to work with a company that they respect.” Gary Beu, Managing Director of People and Leadership Development at the consulting firm West Monroe Partners, says, “At the end of 2011, West Monroe Partners launched its “1+1+1 Program,” a corporate social responsibility initiative through which we would donate 1-percent of our time, 1-percent of our treasure and 1-percent of our talent, each year, back to organizations in our communities.” He adds, “Since kicking off our 1+1+1 Program, West Monroe Partners has collectively matched 1,500 employee volunteer hours, completed nearly 4,000 hours for pro bono projects across the United States, and donated over $250,000 to non-profit organizations.” Joe Mechlinski, CEO of the Baltimore-based consulting firm entreQuest and author of Grow Regardless with whom I did a live interview recently, sees “giving back to the community” as “an essential key to a successful business because it not only lifts moral and builds capability among the team, but it also clears people’s minds allowing them to make better decisions.” The eQ team conducts “Give Back Days” where the employees serve meals at Our Daily Bread, a local soup kitchen, work with Habitat for Humanity on local housing, mentor children through b4Students and Big Brothers Big Sisters and more.
Shel Horowitz, a CSR consultant who says he practices what he
preaches, says, “For the past ten years or so, I’ve been very publicly touting the benefits of eco/social responsibility—in my books, articles, blog, and speeches. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that during this period, my business underwent significant growth in average per- client revenue and total revenue.” While some can quickly identify the benefits of their CSR initiatives, others can’t see past the benefit to others to measure the benefits for their own firms.