PPB April 2019

countries. “We’ve been helping children for 15 years now, and it is so rewarding to see the children grow up in the program and fulfill their dreams,” he adds. Whether local or global in focus, the most important part of any company CSR is its heart. The greatest mission won’t be a success unless your employees and coworkers share a passion for the project. “Find an organization that fits your brand and matters to your goals,” says Eileen Spitalny, co-founder and sales and PR team leader at supplier Fairytale Brownies. The Phoenix, Arizona, baked goods supplier found that fit with KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to giving all children a safe place to play. “When you believe in the organization, supporting it will be fulfilling and joyful. And the more you give, the more you receive in so many ways,” she says. Starting Your Program There may be hundreds of motivations in social responsibility, and thousands of organizations and missions to support, but all of those programs begin with someone finding their passion. To introduce CSR to your company, you must first identify the social good you want to do. When trying to answer that question, remember that “you” isn’t just you, but your entire business. You may harbor a deep commitment to a specific charitable organization, but if your staff and coworkers don’t share that same motivation, support for your programwill be weak. If you aren’t sure what that unifying mission could be, talk to the people around you. “Take a look to see if people are already doing something charitable behind the scenes that could be developed into a program or canvas the company to see what ideas they might have or causes that may be close to their company and employees,” says Devin Piscitelli, CEO of Akron, New York-based supplier Aakron Line. The family-owned company has supported NAEIR (National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources) since 2000 and, in that time, has donated more than $7 million in products to help schoolchildren. The company’s current Buy One, Give One program allows distributors to buy from 10 product categories that initiate like donations to NAEIR. He says if there is already a group of people driving a cause, it can be helpful to bring them into the decision-making process and leverage their passion and experience to strengthen the CSR. “Form a committee to lead the program and have a team that can do the brainstorming, the implementation, the promotion and the maintenance,” Piscitelli says. Having internal advocates can help to quickly get your CSR off the ground, but don’t forget to do your due diligence. Even nonprofit organizations committed to improving lives can have questionable leadership—Livestrong is a perfect example—or may donate a much smaller portion of proceeds to their mission than you would expect. “Check on the administration costs,” Chaklos explains. “Some charities only give 20 to 40 percent to the end cause, and 60 to 80 percent goes to administration costs.” Above & Beyond’s Mike Chaklos, third from right, and his son Noah, fourth from left, were in Kipsongo, Kenya, in January to oversee the company’s Mercy Home program. Pictured with them are Elizabeth Ramati, center, and her five children ages six to 15, and Pastor Benjamin Simiyu, second from right, director of Kenya Mercy Homes. Built On Purpose | FEATURE | APRIL 2019 | 27