Helping Others on a Corporate Level

It's easy for us to get wrapped up with our own lives. It is in the nature of humans to consider our own needs before that of others, whether it be our car, home, or recreation. This isn't a negative thing. It's hard-coded into our genes. This pattern continues into our work as well because it is our work that supplies the resources to provide for ourselves and our family. Take this concept further and we'll see that corporate entities follow this direction as well, supplying and nurturing their own needs before all else.

This isn't wrong nor should we ever feel guilty for prioritizing ourselves, individually and corporately, before others. It is only when our own needs are met that we can begin to help others. Many people do this by donating their time to charities like Goodwill, soup kitchens, or church projects. Personally, I've been blessed to have helped with some non-profit causes in Africa and post-quake Haiti.

How do we take this concept of charity to the business level? It starts with Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR for short. This can be as simple as a company giving money to help charities. However, that misses out on opportunities to accomplish some organizational goals such as team building or employee appreciation while giving.

CSR & Team-Building Activities

One of our favorite team building events here is "Driving Blind." A team "crew chief" will direct a blind folded "driver" via a two-way radio. The driver will have to walk (or for an added challenge, drive a golf cart) to a checkered flag, stopping along the way to put on gloves and a jumpsuit given by other team members. For each person participating, $10 will be donated to the Metrolina Association for the Blind.

Another great event is our Build-a-Bike challenge. Your team will be broken into groups and tasked with piecing together a bicycle from scratch. After successfully assembling the bikes, the teams will head to a marked course to race against each other. The bikes will be donated to a children's charity adding a philanthropic cause to the task.

Why not consider a chef cook-off? We bring in chefs to lead teams through a culinary challenge preparing a gourmet meal. A timed event, this cook-off can be in any variety of cuisine. To make this more special, incorporate it with a Men's or Women's shelter.

Be Creative

Almost any event or activity your company hosts allows for inclusion of Corporate Social Responsibility. These are a few simple concepts. However, nearly all team-building functions can be turned into a charitable happening.

Whether it's how you choose to donate the end-product of a cook-off or allocate the proceeds, you'll find that anything you do can turn into an opportunity to better the community and your business.