Incentive - July 2008 - (Page 24)

COVER STORY Another Pitney Bowes marketing group member does arts and crafts with a local child at the Stamford Childcare Learning Center ment in employees.” That investment played a role in the construction of Pitney Bowes’ new headquarters building, from the decision to pay a premium for environmentally-friendly materials like synthetic drywall, 100 percent recyclable carpeting and VOC-free paint, to recycling 570 tons of construction materials and donating 40,000 square feet of furniture to charity. The environment is another area in which Pitney Bowes is ahead of the curve. Endeavors include buying carbon offsets, educating manufacturing employees to reduce energy use, recycling parts from the old postage machines it collects and many others. Volunteerism Literacy is a key philanthropic area for Pitney Bowes, and the Power Lunch reading program that many employees participate in is a key part of that. It matches Pitney Bowes employees with local schools, asking them to spend one lunch hour a week reading with a child who needs tutoring. Largely through volunteers like Paul Retter, a Pitney Bowes CRM administrator, the company provides organization assis- tance, such as gathering volunteers, coordinating with nonprofits and organizing transportation when necessary. Why is that worth an hour of his week, and significantly more during summer months, when he organizes carpooling and volunteers to bring 20 to 40 employees at a time to community centers to read one-on-one with children? “When you read to those kids, you see the smile on their face,” he says. They remember it, he adds, talking of the times he has been greeted on the street by a former student who’s grown enough that it takes a few seconds to recognize them. More broadly, he says, “I have been convinced over the years that it is in human nature to help other people. In big and little ways we are all looking for help, and when someone asks for help we are honored and want to give it. In little ways, it’s easy for an individual to do it. In big ways, it’s very helpful when a company like Pitney Bowes has programs that support volunteerism and organizes people to go out and do things in teams.” In fact, just having the table out signing up volunteers for events like the blood drive, reading to children, Habitat for Humanity and others often brings out people who sign up for one or more activities, saying they’ve been wanting to volunteer but just haven’t gotten themselves organized. Of course, from a human resources standpoint, company-sponsored volunteerism is great for recruitment and retention, “but it is also huge for career development,” says Torsone. “I am on any number of nonprofit boards,” ranging from a local hospital and theater group to her law school’s board of trustees and Bridgeport, Conn.–based Caroline House, which helps single mothers learn life skills and English,” and they offer incredible development for me.” Retter says “the contacts I make and people I meet [volunteering] help in my personal life, in business, in my job. As a volunteer I am growing my own skills and capabilities.” As examples, he points to public speaking that is useful in his career, and the do-it-yourself home renovation skills he has learned from Habitat for Humanity. On the financial side, he says that Pitney Bowes will match employees’ donations to any registered nonprofit dollar for dollar. “So I’m doubling my money, but I’m more than doubling it because I get to deduct [the personal donation] on my tax return.” Pitney Bowes does a lot on the corporate philanthropy side beyond just giving money to charities and nonprofits. For example, besides matching employees’ donations, the company has a fund established to help employees who saw their homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 that is now a permanent relief fund for Pitney Bowes employees. And members of the senior management committee are required to be involved with at least one charity. “Philanthropy is part of our business strategy,” says Juanita James, Pitney Bowes’ corporate communications officer, noting that the company works hard to measure the results of its employees’ volunteering and donations. Documenting the impact of the annual fund-raising campaign, for example, can help get participants more excited and happier, she says. s Send comments to feedback@incentivemag.com 24 | Incentive | July 2008 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - July 2008

Incentive - July 2008 Contents Editor’s Note: Accentuate the Positive In The News Cover Story: Three Profiles in Good Corporate Citizenship Case Study Incentive Interview Senior Secrets To Thine Own Self be True Incentive Primer Motivation@Work Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do Take the Spa Home Not the Only Game in Town Here and Now Writing and Desktop Gifts Watches and Clocks Gift Cards: Health and Wellness Incentives Good Health Is Not Its Own Incentive Advertiser Index Last Word

Incentive - July 2008

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