The Power of Business to Do Good

In 2017, the global refugee crisis erupted around the world. We saw significant displacement – from the Syrian civil war, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, conflicts in South Sudan and Yemen, and more. The images circulating on the news were horrifying and heart-stopping.

At the time, I was executive director of a corporate foundation. Two colleagues came to me separately, desperate to take action, to do something about this unfolding crisis. The three of us began talking, and soon we’d gathered more colleagues to form a small committee to think about what we could do.

After meeting with different nonprofit organizations and poring over news and UNHCR reports, we decided to launch a fundraising campaign to provide rent for one year to five Orange County refugee families. The families had re-settled in Orange County from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. We chose to team up with Access California Services, a local nonprofit that serves Arab and Muslim communities and supports resettlement, among so many other incredible services.

Over the course of one month, generous colleagues raised $100,000, or $20,000 for each family. Alleviating the housing burden for these families meant they could gain meaningful employment, care for their children, learn English, and rebuild their lives; we could help them fast-track their integration.

I share this story because I am a huge believer in the power of business to do good. While terms like CSR, corporate citizenship, and community investment are often used, it's the collective effort of individuals and the organizational culture that drive meaningful impact. When a company fosters a culture of service, employees become catalysts for change, generating innovative solutions and amplifying the impact of social initiatives.

The success of our 2017 fundraising campaign was a testament to this. It was driven by passionate employees who spearheaded the effort and rallied support. While CSR practitioners craft strategies, it’s 1000% the employees who collaborate and engage to make the strategy happen.

Yes, government has the financial resources. And nonprofits do the crazy hard work. But business? Business has far-reaching influence and can deliver social impact efforts that create real value.

I will forever be a fan of CSR done right. Corporate leadership may shape certain CSR aspects, but I firmly believe that the best efforts are ones that are co-created – by the CSR practitioners, engaged employees, and nonprofit partners. 

We can do business better. In fact, it’s a strategic imperative.

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

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🎾WORTH A WATCH: BILLIE JEAN KING SERVES FACTS

Just last week, I came across an incredible 30 second video produced by e.l.f. Beauty and featuring tennis legend Billie Jean King. I can’t stop watching it – and I giggle out loud every time. In the video, BJK serves facts in the form of tennis balls to a corporate board room, comprised of seven men and one woman. It’s all part of a campaign called “Change the Board Game,” which urges more companies to include women on their boards.  

e.l.f. Beauty can walk the talk; their board is made up of ⅔ women and ⅓ diverse representation. But there are only four publicly traded companies with similar boards – out of 4,200 total companies (!).

I am loving this clever campaign. Kudos to e.l.f. Beauty for pushing diversity on boards. 

See three more funny, smart, quick campaign videos where BJK serves facts here.

🪩WORTH A LISTEN: IT’S PROM SEASON

It’s about time for that classic rite of passage for American teenagers – prom. One of my favorite podcasts, “This American Life,” recently re-aired their Prom episode from June 2001. Listeners are transported to proms in Kansas, Wisconsin, and Chicago. The stories are sublime…and a little heartbreaking. 

Listening to this episode, I was reminded of my own prom back in Pittsburgh – where my date tried to merge onto the parkway and instead crashed into the car in front of us (poor guy; everyone was ok; it’s literally all I remember from my prom!). 

Did you go to prom? If so, what do you remember from this standout night of your teenage life?

📖IN THE ZONE: A PROMPT

How do you consistently find flow in your life? 

Some examples to get you thinking: Through exercise, reading a book, drawing, journaling, playing a musical instrument. The options are endless!

💘NONPROFIT LOVE

When Diana Mao was in college, she traveled to Cambodia on a microfinance research trip. On the trip, Diana and her team interviewed a single father of seven children who lived on less than $3 day. To the team’s shock, the father offered his youngest daughter, around seven years old, to a male colleague for inappropriate purposes. This moment changed the trajectory of Diana’s career forever; she made a commitment right then to fight human trafficking. 

Diana co-founded Nomi Network in 2009, naming the organization after an 8-year-old Cambodian girl who had been trafficked by her stepfather. 

These days, Nomi Network is working in Cambodia, India, and Dallas, Texas, creating pathways to safe employment and empowering women and girls to break cycles of exploitation in their families and communities. 

Diana and the Nomi Network team are bringing freedom to survivors and women and girls at risk of trafficking. Want to get involved with this growing and impactful nonprofit? Check out the Nomi website to join the email list or sign up to volunteer.