Here’s a question for you: how does one drop move an ocean? It’s all well and good to say that you want to drive positive change in the world — but actually doing so? That’s a bit trickier. 

Now, there’s arguably no better place to kickstart sustainability efforts and practice giving back than at the workplace. We’re already collaborating every day; leveraging that teamwork, that community, to drive positive change seems like a no-brainer. But how do you decide which causes will bring people together, and how can team leaders motivate their employees to take action? 

In the debut episode of Sustainability @ Work, we dive into the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to build a truly effective corporate giving program — one that prioritizes meaningful change across a range of worthy causes, rather than simply cutting a check once or twice a year. 

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Key Quotes

03:15 - “[Charitable giving] is no longer something you do LATER; it is part of your initial mission. It’s part of why you see yourself being a good leader.”

04:47 - “When I came on, [Gerent Gives] was Gopi’s first thing: ‘What are we going to do to give back? It’s great we know your day-to-day priorities, but how are they going to be enhanced by giving back?”

08:37 - “A really key part of this is ‘how do we do this differently, and how do we make this fun?”

12:44 - “There are ways we can help people in ways you don’t think of as volunteering, that’s going to give back to another human.”

13:08 - “How can you and your family get out and make a difference? Because sure, it’s great Gerent has this program, but how can I get my family involved?”

16:54 - “These are simple things that people WANT to do, they just need to be reminded.”

18:31 - “The world is changing. What we do for our clients is important, but just as important is what we’re doing for the world.”

19:10 - “Leadership needs to understand this is an investment of their time, but what they’re getting you in return is a culture, a group of people who want to leave the world a better place.”