Pro Bono for Economic Equity Archives | �鶹ԭ�� News Center

Bringing Social Impact and Employee Development Together for Business Success

Megan Smith — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:15:00 +0000

Purpose is becoming an essential part of job satisfaction today. Almost of Gen Z and Millennials say this is the case. These generations are also likely to decline future career opportunities with employers that don’t align with their values.

As these cohorts collectively account for , it is imperative today that businesses integrate these insights into their retention strategies.

In 2021, �鶹ԭ�� launched the Pro Bono for Economic Equity program, a collaborative effort with that supports historically under-resourced businesses and social enterprises across North America through employees participating as pro bono consultants, addressing systemic and critical strategic business challenges. Over these last three years, �鶹ԭ�� employees have dedicated over 22,000 hours to providing pro bono consulting to more than 70 Black and Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada and the United States.

The Pro Bono for Economic Equity program is a testament to the value of integrating pro bono work into corporate development strategies. Ninety-five percent of participating business expressed confidence that the involvement in the program helped them feel more prepared to address future challenges for their organization. The exceptionally high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 92 further underscores the program’s effectiveness and the participant satisfaction.

Anthony Wingham, co-founder of Nuez Acres, said that one of the most impressive aspects of the program was the openness and honesty from the beginning: “As an Indigenous person, I’m used to conversations about business that either come with a price tag or feel exploitative, where ideas might be taken without genuine support. However, from the start, the discussions were transparent and collaborative. We were able to share our unique strategies and delve into areas where we needed real support.” 

Marsha Guerrier, CEO and founder of HerSuiteSpot, shared about the impact of the participants and the work they did together on her business: “The people that are volunteering in these programs come with a level of expertise that when we’re so small we simply can’t afford. The team that �鶹ԭ�� gave me to support my challenges and needs was dynamite. They really went all out for me. It felt good to meet with the team.”

The program doesn’t just benefit participant businesses, but also �鶹ԭ�� employee participants.

Pro Bono as a Leadership Development Tool

“Pro bono work provides a platform to upskill employees and grow the company’s leaders,” said Katie Booth, head of North America Corporate Social Responsibility for �鶹ԭ��. “Employees report significant gains in critical areas like teamwork, intercultural sensitivity, and strategic planning, which are core competencies that drive business success in a globalized economy.” 

While this initiative forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, it also invests in employee development that pays dividends in human capital and business acumen. 

In fact, 98% of �鶹ԭ�� employees involved in the Pro Bono for Economic Equity program have reported acquiring or refining essential skills.

Verena Lommatzsch, head of Technical Services for �鶹ԭ�� Business Technology Platform at �鶹ԭ��, reflected that stepping out of her comfort zone and collaborating with people from diverse cultural backgrounds was incredibly enriching: “It sharpened my ability to navigate complex, multicultural business environments.” 

“On a personal level, the program prompted me to rethink my approach to new challenges, reminding me that success isn’t solely about maximizing profit,” she added. “Professionally, it was incredibly valuable as well. As a global leader, I am often distanced from day-to-day business activities. Being hands-on and working directly with two colleagues I hadn’t met before was a great opportunity to challenge myself and learn new skills. I also gained a new perspective on what it means to be an entrepreneur, including using software to establish an online store and managing wholesale connections.” 

This intersection of personal growth and professional development is where the Pro Bono for Economic Equity program truly shines. Participants are not only building their own capabilities but are also contributing to the resilience and adaptability of the businesses they support.

�鶹ԭ�� employee Rahaf Assaleh shared that the program provided a deeper understanding of Indigenous cultures and their unique business practices: “It taught me to think creatively and resourcefully with the limited resources that Indigenous business owners often have, helping me to explore innovative ways to achieve business goals and foster growth.” 

The program’s impact extends beyond individual development with 74% of participants reporting that their involvement has prompted them to engage more deeply with local, historically-marginalized communities. This increased engagement enriches employees’ lives and strengthens �鶹ԭ��’s commitment to breaking down unconscious bias and continuing support for the social justice movement, alongside its focus on social responsibility.

“At �鶹ԭ��, we believe in the power of shared growth,” Booth said. “The program exemplifies how pro bono initiatives can drive innovation, enhance employee satisfaction, and contribute to economic equity. It’s a win-win that benefits our employees, the businesses we support, and society at large.” 

Companies that prioritize aligning employee development with social impact initiatives are not only investing in the future of their workforce but are also positioning themselves, and the impact businesses they work with for long-term success.

The time is now to rethink corporate strategies and ensure that they reflect the values of today’s purpose-driven workforce.

Megan Smith is head of Human Resources for �鶹ԭ�� North America.

Take Small Steps and Create Big Impact Through Volunteering

Atalanta Kyriazi — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 12:15:00 +0000

If the more than 105,000 �鶹ԭ�� employees all took just one step toward creating the change the world needs by taking action outside of their day-to-day work, imagine the impact that would result. �鶹ԭ�� Corporate Social Responsibility () and its champions work together to bring opportunities to all employees who are looking to make a positive impact in ways that are meaningful to them.

�鶹ԭ�� CSR’s strategy utilizes two approaches to create sustainable impact: being an enabler and an exemplar. As an enabler, we provide products and services that help meet sustainability challenges and create opportunities for customers. As an exemplar, we lead by example in our own sustainable business operations and practices to bring our purpose of helping the world run better and improving people’s lives to life. It is no secret that �鶹ԭ��’s commitment to creating positive economic, environmental, and social impact is a draw for potential employees and customers.

There is no better example of that than the work employees do to bring that CSR mindset into the work they do every day. �鶹ԭ��’s impact is greater because of leaders who integrate the CSR mindset into the business culture, like Maggie Ramaiah.

Meet Maggie Ramaiah

Ramaiah’s social impact journey began much like so many of ours. She was involved in one-off events here and there, trying to prioritize doing something good while at work so she could show up more authentically and with more energy to give it her all. However, when she joined the �鶹ԭ�� Academy faculty as vice president of the �鶹ԭ�� Academy for Customer Success – Sales Program, she began to take her dedication to making an impact to the next level, not only for herself but for those around her as well.

Ramaiah is a passionate supporter of enabling others to pursue their passions through pro bono volunteering. She knows that with some organization, the impact we can make collectively is limitless. �鶹ԭ�� has tremendous power to make an impact in a small amount of time. These beliefs are why she works to bring out the best in others by providing opportunities to contribute in a tangible way that is meaningful to them. This core value of investing in employees builds strong leadership competencies, which in turn leads to greater collaboration, innovation, and trust among each other and with customers.

“In the corporate environment, we are all driven by success, but the CSR mindset is about human beings. We can do something good for everybody that we come across. It doesn’t have to be big; small little steps make a difference, too.”
Maggie Ramaiah

Ramaiah has participated in pro bono volunteering programs and was inspired when she created change. During her time with Pro Bono for Economic Equity, a program �鶹ԭ�� has partnered with that focuses on supporting Black- and Indigenous-owned businesses in North America, Ramaiah was assigned to a team of three pro bono consultants who had never worked together. Over the course of six weeks, Ramaiah and her team worked part-time with GoLogic Solutions, based in Chicago, Illinois, to propose an organizational structure for new business models. This was her aha moment. “At �鶹ԭ��, we have everything done for us from a process and resource perspective. We just have to look for it. However, for an organization that is run by one person, or maybe two or three people, everything is so constrained,” Ramaiah said.

“Every resource that we put out there from an �鶹ԭ�� perspective, we might think is a few hours’ worth of work, but for [social enterprises] it’s a whole end-to-end project that they might not have been able to create,” she added. This is a unique way of appreciating the skills that employees bring to their company and a view that builds confidence, empathy, innovative thinking, and other leadership qualities. Ramaiah’s inspiration to increase her impact footprint came from her experience creating change for an entrepreneur as part of Pro Bono for Economic Equity.

Ramaiah saw the opportunity to integrate skills-based volunteering and pro bono consulting into the curriculum of �鶹ԭ�� Academy, multiplying her impact and enabling others. She offered associates the chance to use what they already knew as well as skills they were developing for good by supporting social enterprise clients through the TRANSFORM Support Hub, a virtual pro bono consulting initiative between �鶹ԭ��, EY, MovingWorlds, TRANSFORM, and Unilever.

Ramaiah’s goal is to build future leaders who think with a CSR mindset. A CSR mindset is something they can carry with them throughout their career and can be transferred to any team, program, or even company. Specialized experience is not required for employees to build leadership qualities and evolve the way they think at work and about business. Many only need an example set, or the opportunity presented to them. Being a multiplier does not require special skills or knowledge. It can be planning a team volunteer activity, ensuring that each team member knows that volunteering their time is important for their professional growth and overall satisfaction at work. It can also be as simple as sharing stories and takeaways from your own impact experiences or asking your network for support on a social impact project.

There is not just one way to set an example and enable those around us to make an impact – what resonates with some might not resonate with others, and it is important to build in choice for meaningful and transformative experiences. At �鶹ԭ��, being a multiplier for good and investing in our employees, either as an enabler, an exemplar, or both like in Ramaiah’s case, leads to innovation through experiencing new ways of working, trust with our customers, quality leadership with values that the world needs, and a greater ability to achieve our goal of helping the world run better and improving people’s lives.

Join Us

Ramaiah’s journey to being a CSR champion went from her pursing her own interests and passions to helping others find theirs by integrating the CSR mindset into the programs she leads. If you feel inspired to continue your journey as an exemplar and an enabler, we invite you to share this story and on the TRANSFORM Support Hub.

Heidi Pio is a non-profit in residence at �鶹ԭ��.
Atalanta Kyriazi is a non-profit in residence at �鶹ԭ��.