Last week in officeinsight, we explored the evolving landscape of Corporate Social Responsibility. So many organizations in our industry are making great strides towards expanding CSR programs. This week, we look at just a few of those companies, each on its own unique path.
Steelcase

Steelcase’s 2018 Corporate Sustainability Report offers an all-inclusive look at the company’s CSR ethos – covering every topic imaginable. The full report is worth a read, and shows the breadth of an all-inclusive CSR program – check it out here. A note from James P. Keane, President and CEO of Steelcase:
“Historically, we’ve focused our efforts around ecological advances. That’s a good start, but we believe by leveraging the strength of our people, we can do more. As we talk about social innovation, we’re thinking about how we can champion responsible resource use and positively impact people. We’re exploring ways to support environmental and economic systems while improving life for people in the places we live and work. By partnering with businesses and organizations with creative approaches to systemic issues, we can help everyone accomplish their mission. This is what it looks like to unlock human promise.”
“One community partner helping us do this is Public Thread, a small-batch sewing company in Grand Rapids. Their upcycling program has diverted Steelcase and DesignTex fabric from the landfill, and they’ve transformed our scraps into one-of-a-kind, handmade items. By training underemployed people and paying a living wage, they’ve built an inspiring, sustainable business model with positive social, economic and environmental value. You can read more about Public Thread in this report.”
Here are some other highlights from 2018:
>Partnering with The Home Depot: Together, in phase one of a new collaboration, Steelcase, Dekalb Office – an authorized Steelcase dealer – and The Home Depot diverted 290 metric tons of furniture from landfills through reuse, recycling and charitable donation.
>Donations to Public Thread: Since March 2018, Steelcase has donated 1,000 pounds of unusable scrap fabric to Public Thread, an organization that designs and makes small batches of sewn products from repurposed and upcycled textiles.
>Investing in the Community: Steelcase worked with local partners to secure donations of furniture, décor, paint and skilled labor for seven unique bedroom redesigns for The Bridge at Arbor Circle, a safe shelter for young people facing homelessness or considering running away.
>Commitment to Volunteering: Steelcase employees around the world continued to serve others by volunteering 92,000 hours since 2015.
>Progress toward Environmental Goals: Steelcase remained focused on reducing its global environmental footprint. Since the 2010 baseline, Steelcase has reduced: VOC emissions by 82%, water use by 11%, and energy use by 21%, and has continued to invest in 100% renewable energy.
>Selected as a finalist for the Circulars Awards alongside international leaders in circular economy services
>Leveraging solutions which incorporate big data + customized workplace performance tools and systems like Smart + Connected to help our customers reach their business and sustainability goals.
>Continuing to expand our furniture as a service model and helping customers with their own sustainability goals to divert millions of furniture assets from the landfill.
AIS
AIS’ Boost Program, the center of its CSR efforts, focuses on four different areas: Community Service, Family Events, Employee Enjoyment, and Health and Wellness.
“AIS has been involved in community-minded efforts since its inception but, in recent years, has intentionally increased its efforts. AIS has ‘branded’ its overall CSR efforts the “Boost Program.” The program started with an initial goal of boosting employee morale by holding fun get-togethers, giving out tickets to family-friendly shows or events, etc. As the program grew and evolved, AIS realized that there was a community involvement and charitable component that was very important to the executive staff and AIS employees. For example, whenever the company did a clothing drive or reached out for donations for different causes, people loved being involved and contributing.”

In the past year or so, AIS has held the following events:
>Make A Wish Foundation: AIS CEO Bruce Platzman has long been involved with Make-A-Wish of Massachusetts and Rhode Island where he currently serves on the board of directors. AIS team members are involved in Make A Wish activities, and this year AIS is donating nearly $700,000 in furniture for a remodeling project underway at the Make-A-Wish location in Boston.
>The United Way of North Central MA: In partnership with the United Way Mentoring program promoting early childhood literacy, AIS team members are mentoring 25 students to learn to read. AIS has participated in United Way Combat Hunger events, including meal-packing events such as its most recent one in December where AIS employees packed 22,000 meals for food-insecure families in North Central MA. Employees also participated in United Way’s Day of Caring, cleaning up and refreshing the playgrounds at two elementary schools in Leominster.

>Hosted three separate blood drives, with a total of 91 units of blood collected.
>Sponsored an event benefiting the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 907.
>Collected Christmas toys for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. AIS has been doing this for over 20 years.
>Purchased employee tickets for the Roger Williams Zoo, Beer Festival in Boston, Nashoba Apple picking, Worcester Railers game and other family friendly events.
>Monthly birthday celebrations for employees – pizza and cupcakes for those with birthdays during the month.
AIS’ Top Tips for Implementing CSR Programs
>Have a clear message when the program starts so your employees understand what the goals of the program are. The ultimate goal is to create a culture that increases the employees’ happiness. But other goals can be to get more involved in the community, increase charitable giving, etc.
>Make sure that your employees can provide feedback and suggest ideas for events/charities; they will enjoy the events more and feel more personally connected to them.
>Get your team involved in the community that your business is a part of – see the impact that the business can have on the people and families in the community.
>Make sure there are events that they can attend with their families outside of work – give them a night out at a minor league game or tickets to the circus. We spend so much time away from our families and friends at work. It’s nice for work to give back an opportunity to have some quality time.
>Accept the constructive criticism when it comes. Not everyone will love an event, but you can see it as an opportunity to continually improve the program and get buy-in from employees. Ultimately that will determine the success of the program.
>Provide a wide array of different activities. Not everyone will want to go to a paint night and not everyone will want to participate in Superbowl Squares.
Humanscale
Humanscale’s 2017 CSR report details this company’s way of working together to create a healthy, happy workplace.
“We see the way we treat our employees and the way we choose vendors as ways to make a positive impact in the world. That positive change starts here, at Humanscale.”
“We embrace diversity in our workforce and have adopted the JUST Program as a guideline for our hiring practices. The program, started by ILFI, challenges organizations to examine their hiring and management practices with a view to addressing social justice. The JUST label addresses 22 specific social and security indicators within six categories: diversity, equity, safety, worker benefit, local benefit, and stewardship. We consider every office with 5 or more employees significant enough to evaluate. In this report, our workforce was broadly grouped into worldwide geographic region. The metrics attached to each category help us evaluate our current practices and determine how we can do better.”
“Put simply, we want to make life better for people. Everywhere.”

Humanscale’s report specifically called out its focus in anti-corruption, human rights and ethics in its supply chains.
“Humanscale has chosen to set up operations in countries with lower risk of corruption, such as USA and Ireland. We have evaluated the locations of our four production facilities (100% of Humanscale operations) for risk of corruption according to the Worldwide Governance Indicators. Mexico presents a slightly higher risk. So far, we have had no issues with non-compliance at any of our facilities. Our anti-corruption policy is part of our standard of conduct. We currently have no risk assessment procedure for corruption.”
In 2017, Humanscale’s facility in Dublin, Ireland, became the home to “one feature not often found in manufacturing facilities: a garden. The plot was started by a group of Humanscale employees who wanted to make their workplace more enjoyable and give back to the community. The edible garden, tended by Peter Reddin, yielded potatoes, scallions, lettuce, and beetroot, as well as raspberries, blackberries and gooseberries. Fellow employees are free to help themselves to the bounty, and everyone is welcome to enjoy this little plot of natural beauty.”

“Humanscale’s internal operations comply with ethics, discrimination, corruption, child and forced labor and human rights per compliance and reporting under the UN Global Compact. However, we have not yet completed the Human Rights Compliance Assessment.”
CSR reports can also be a space for companies to acknowledge weaknesses and make a commitment to resolve those issues. Humanscale’s CSR report included a note about engaging with local communities more intimately.
“Our operations have an impact on the communities in which we operate – an impact that can be both negative and positive. While we currently have no formal process for engaging with our local communities and are unable to collect data related to the percentage of our operations with local community programs, we are committed to making it a part of our sustainability program.”
Configura
Configura, the design software company, chooses to focus some of its CSR efforts around what it does best – software.
“Fostering the future of software innovation is of great importance to Configura. Introducing new generations to the world of programming plays a major part in this endeavor, and Configura continually looks to support local software initiatives. For several years now, we’ve sponsored East Sweden Hack, the largest hackathon in the East Sweden region. In 2017, Configura also hosted BitCamp, a half-day to day-long event for 7th and 8th grade girls in West Michigan to learn what it’s like to be a software developer. BitCamp is an initiative of Grand Rapids-based SoftwareGR, originally conceived by technology company Atomic Object, and made possible through the support of sponsors, hosts, volunteers and partner organizations like Configura.”

The company has also worked to find its place in environmental sustainability projects.
“In 2017, Configura continued its commitment to preserving nature. Thanks to a project administered by HAkA, the breeding places of endangered turtles are being surveyed in the Banyaks island group in the Aceh Province of Indonesia. Rangers are surveying a 3-kilometerlong beach to prevent the plundering of nests in one of Indonesia’s largest turtle nesting places. Configura donates USD 20,000 per year to this cause. A small-scale volunteer program was established in 2017 with the ambition to grow. The volunteers survey the beaches and provide training for the local population. Additionally, a “nature club” for youths has been started. The club combines education and practical activities, with a goal of expanding local awareness and pride in the region’s unique nature. Collection of plastic waste (one of the turtles’ main hazards) is ongoing, and under development are ways to use the waste as raw material to produce objects that can be sold. The proceeds will be used to compensate children who collect the plastic waste. Read more about the project at www.configura.com/haka.”
Clarus Glassboards
Clarus Glassboards, the largest glassboard manufacturer in America, has created a series of projects around causes they identify with.
For Children’s Health Dallas:
“Clarus hosted 45 guests for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at our business model, including a factory tour and a chance to design a completely customized go! Mobile glassboard. Little did these guests know, Clarus printed their designs in high-definition with ColorDrop technology, assembled the mobile glassboards, and donated them to a local hospital – all within 12 hours. Designers were blown away when they stepped into the hospital’s atrium to visit with the kids they’d designed interactive glassboards for – only to see their designs on real go! Mobiles before their eyes. It’s an unforgettable feeling to know you’ve created something that suffering children will enjoy for decades to come.”

For Hurricane Maria relief in 2017, the Clarus executive team brought 28 glassboards to Puerto Rico to help rebuild a flooded school on the island and quickly get kids back into education.

And for Hurricane Harvey relief:
“Clarus teamed up with Interior Design magazine and launched a dollar-for-dollar fundraiser within the design community to help victims of Hurricane Harvey.”
“As a company that still employs Hurricane Katrina refugees, several Clarus employees stepped up to help Hurricane Harvey victims personally, traveling to Houston to partner with local charities, help in the cleanup, and recruit Harvey refugees with opportunities to work at the company.”
“From monetary and physical goods donations, to opening employment opportunities and doing cleanup, Clarus was and is proud to practice servanthood and care for our Houston neighbors.”