Volunteerism

What gets a CEO’s attention when thinking about how a company should be socially involved? “The more quantifiable the impact is, the more comfortable CEOs will be,” said David Ratcliffe, retired chairman, president, and CEO of Southern Company. “But sometimes you just need to do it because it’s the right thing to do.”

This week we're down in Atlanta for our annual National Conference - Forecast: Corporate Citizenship and America’s Future. Over the next three days we're bringing together the foremost voices in corporate social responsibility (CSR) for a solutions-focused discussion on how to address the tough challenges facing America today and what we can do together for the future. 

 “And what is your commitment to community?”

College students ask this question all the time of the companies for which they’re considering working. Students recognize that it’s not enough to achieve their own career successes – they’re also invested in ensuring the advancement of others.

By Yvonne Siu, Marketing Manager, A Billion + Change, Points of Light

Over the past two decades of nonprofits, businesses and individuals working together to build stronger communities through national service, the style and impact of volunteerism has changed dramatically. Today, a growing number of corporate citizens are lending their most valuable asset — the talents and skills of their best and brightest — to build nonprofit capacity at home and around the world.

I recently interviewed Daniel Horgan, Community Affairs at Capital One. The focus of our interview was on the company’s pro bono support of nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

BCLC: The Capital One pro bono program is four years old. What was the motivation to start the program?

By Sara Scheller, BCLC

January tends to inspire the best in people. The ringing in of the New Year coupled with the toll December took on our belt loops and wallets seems to motivate people to embrace this time as a new beginning. For me, January often results in my recommitment to eating healthy, getting my finances back under control, and dusting off my running shoes. Just making a few changes in my daily life can have huge impacts on my overall health and wellness—making 2012 my best year yet.

Last week, Huffington Post published an interview with Stanley Litow, President of the IBM Foundation. The piece, “IBM: Tapping Top Talent, For Good,“ showcases how the employees at IBM have established a culture of service and volunteerism, something IBM institutionalized through their Corporate Service Corps.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" That is why BCLC is pleased to partner with the Corporation for National and Community Service to convey the different ways service to others will be unfolding in American communities this weekend and on Monday, the MLK Day of Service.