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Jessica Davis

Companies That Care - 1 views

www.companies-that-care.org

started by Jessica Davis on 26 Apr 11
  • Jessica Davis
     
    Companies That Care is a national, non-profit organization devoted to improving employee well-being and connecting communities through education and inspiring employers to integrate their "10 Characteristics" into their businesses. Their goal is to make a difference in communities and workplaces nationwide through community-building initiatives and providing education about how to be a company that cares. Their motto is: "Think what could be accomplished if we all worked together!" Their social agenda is to enable individuals and communities to thrive, while strengthening our communities and our society, resulting in a sustainable future for generations to come.
    The 10 Characteristics are:
    1. Sustain a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees
    2. Make employees feel their jobs are important
    3. Cultivate the full potential of all employees
    4. Encourage individual pursuit of work/life balance
    5. Enable the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation,
    benefits, policies and practices
    6. Develop great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as
    results
    7. Appreciate and recognize the contributions of people who work there
    8. Establish and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity
    9. Get involved in community endeavors and/or public policy
    10. Consider the human toll when making business decisions
    The website is copyrighted with a 2011 date. The site was designed by Neiger Design, Inc. Programming and maintenance by Victoria Lantz Web Design and Development. The intended audience is primarily employers. There are many ways to get involved such as join the Companies That Care Exchange, participate in a mentoring program, volunteer opportunities, celebrate Companies That Care Day, nominate worthy organizations, sponsorships, join the staff, and shop for miscellaneous products.
    The Center for Companies That Care was founded in 2003 by three women who are experts in workforce effectiveness, workplace issues in the business, culture change, organizational redesign, leadership development, program management, and childcare issues. Marci Koblenz, Companies That Care founder and President, co-wrote the book A New Paradigm: The Work and Life Pyramid of Needs and is often cited in business publications including the Wall Street Journal and Business Week. There are also contributing founding sponsors that include healthcare corporations, marketing and design firms, and pharmaceutical companies.
    In the section named Kudos there are testimonies from company representatives declaring their opinions of special events sponsored by Companies That Care. One comment was: "Being involved in the Community of Caring has not only made us better internally, but it has made us learn to be more socially responsible to the external world. It's not just about us. It is about giving back to the broader community as well - and this is an easy way for us to get involved." In the area of News & Events you can view their newsletters, articles, press releases, press mentions, their annual report, and a calendar of upcoming events as well as a review of past events such as the Annual Companies That Care Symposium.
    This site advertises for products and services. There are four annual membership levels, which are Member, Partner, Steward, and Luminary. Membership fees range from $2,500 to $25,000. Each level provides valuable benefits in leadership, visibility and recognition, organizational development resources, social responsibility, education, learning and development, and governance. There is a Giving Store, which offers the opportunity to donate and items for employees, which include an insulated mug, lunch sack, Frisbee, and a recycled glass plate.
    I chose this site because I thought the message they were portraying was very interesting and beneficial. However, when exploring the site there wasn't very much information regarding the work they've accomplished; rather, they mostly inform the reader of what they can offer. I suppose one would get more out of this organization if they were a member, which is quite pricey. I would like to have read more about what they've actually achieved and differences they've made in the workplace as well as changes that communities have observed. I would also have liked to know what volunteers were doing specifically.
    I did end up finding a poster titled "Blueprint for the Future of Employees and Communities: The 10 Characteristics Every Company Needs". The poster not only included the 10 key points, but best practices that correlate to each attribute. The ones I thought most valuable were: solicit input from employees and use it, provide the same benefits for all levels of employees, provide growth and advancement opportunities, empower employees, offer flexible schedules, provide supportive culture and leaders, manage stress, offer comprehensive health and wellness benefits for full- and part-timers and families, implement paid time off and time off banks, offer benefit options that can be tailored, create a culture of conscious appreciation, develop a community relations strategy, provide paid time off for volunteering, seek alternatives to layoffs such as across the board pay cuts and shortened work weeks, and finally, create a culture of caring for others.
    I wish it wasn't so expensive to be a Company That Cares. For small businesses the price would be unattainable. Unfortunately, their education would benefit all companies, but so many won't be able to afford the information.
  • Ernest Moore
     
    Jessica, when Ilooked at this site I thought it was geared more to corporate managers and executives. Although it had some good informationit just seemed to me that it was more interested in saying that there are good companies dedicated to work family issue and provider seminars. If I was a executive at a company, it would be a site I would look into but, if I wanted to see ideas as to the work/family issues I would look somewhere else.

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