Our companies have been giving back to their community for generations – and today, it’s not only considered cool but expected – 86 percent of U.S. consumers expect companies to do good (specifically to take action on social, environmental or other community issues). Our members continue to lead in this arena, recognizing that their corporate giving and community service strategies are key to attracting the very best workers. (In fact, 79 percent of Millennials consider a company’s social responsibility track record when deciding where they will work. And once they’re on a team, that connection keeps them engaged – reducing employee turnover by up to 50 percent.)
This commitment is why our Chamber was a founding member of B:CIVIC and a big part why we married the work of B:CIVIC with our Leadership Foundation last fall. B:CIVIC helps companies of all sizes develop their strategy for how they want to engage their team, give back to our community and have a meaningful impact. And, we are always looking for ways to shine a spotlight on the incredible work our companies are engaging in – it’s why we are helping launch The Civic 50 in Colorado.
What is the Civic 50? It’s like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval (OK, you have to be over 50 to even know what that is, so ask someone in the office to explain it to you) for corporate responsibility. It’s a consistent way to measure on a national level for corporate citizenship. And, when companies achieve this level of standard – it is really stellar. Colorado has been chosen as the second community in the country to offer a regional version of The Civic 50. Our local version will be launched in partnership with B:CIVIC and CSR Solutions, allowing us to recognize the best of the best in Colorado.
There’s lots of ways you can get involved. No matter the size of your company, we want to hear about what you’re doing in the community. Join B:CIVIC on April 24 for its networking happy hour, Sparks ‘n Sips, to learn more about The Civic 50 and how you can apply. Colorado honorees will be recognized at the B:CIVIC Summit in September.
Get ready to hear some amazing stories. We are already seeing a number of our members achieve this level of recognition as national Civic 50 honorees – Aetna, American Express, AT&T, Bank of America, Charles Schwab, Comcast, Deloitte, FedEx Corporation, GE, Hogan Lovells, IBM Corporation, KeyBank, KPMG, PwC, S&P Global, Southwest Airlines, UnitedHealth Group, Verizon, Wells Fargo and Western Union. Get inspired by their work by learning more about their approach to giving back here.
We hope you’ll join us at the Civic 50 kickoff and join the work of B:CIVIC. Chamber members can use the promo code Chamber1 to attend at no charge.
Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber.