It is said that positive corporate atmosphere is generated by a collective of positive individuals no matter what the size of that organisation is. Having a positive work culture allows for a more productive and motivated work force. There are numerous studies carried out which will back this theory up.
As a young trainee accountant in 1996, CSR was not spoken as part of the day to day vernacular. The term was a new phenomenon. It was something though, that was already part of the fabric of the organisation that I joined. We had a culture of giving back. There were no metrics on how it was measured. Activities like community work, involvement in local youth clubs and sporting organisations and charitable work, were not necessarily encouraged, frowned upon or mentioned. The CSR of the organisation was a result of the individual social responsibility of the people who I worked with every day.
Grant Thornton’s CSR policy has been built on 4 Pillars:
As a training firm education is a core value in our organisation and an easy fit. We continue to focus on helping our community to optimise their education opportunities by providing them with support to achieve their potential.
As an organisation we are aware that we can make a significant difference in the local communities where our offices are located and our staff are based. It is imperative that we support local causes for all our offices, to further cement our place in the local community and allow our people to support causes close to their hearts.
As a service organisation our people and their wellbeing are hugely important to us. I have always been an advocate of focusing on the whole person rather than just on a person’s work performance. That is how it was when I joined.
We as a firm are committed to protecting the natural resources of our planet and reducing our environmental footprint.
Finally I believe that where we perform all of these activities we need to be Vocal and Visual in everything we do. Promote our giving back which will further motivate all our employees to be more individually socially responsible. No matter what the size and nature of your organisation, remember it too is its own community and it is only as strong as its individuals collectively.
Nurture and embrace the individuality of your organisation and the socially responsible individuals within it.
