What Barbara Learned about Corporate Responsibility at Children's Book Bank.
Barbara Forrer has been an Encore Fellow at the Children's Book Bank through SVP's Encore Fellows Program, which matches seasoned private-sector professionals entering retirement with high-impact, high-priority projects at greater Portland’s most visionary nonprofits.
I have worked as an Encore Fellow with The Children’s Book Bank (CBB) since January 2014. As my Fellowship comes to an end, I am delighted to have worked with enthusiastic and passionate people at Social Venture Partners (SVP) and CBB who care deeply about early childhood literacy. CBB is making a difference by increasing the chances for children’s success as future readers, learners and citizens by filling their homes and lives with quality books.
My role as Corporate Partnership Director has involved strengthening and increasing corporate partnerships. Since its inception, CBB has been fortunate to have strong corporate support. In seeking to understand corporate involvement, I have learned that all corporate support is of value whether in the form of financial support, volunteering, or book drives. Companies with a financial giving focus that does not align with early literacy may still be interested in volunteering or in book drives to provide diverse volunteering opportunities to their employees. Maintaining a focus on relationship building and finding the best support match to meet company goals is effective in building and strengthening partnerships between CBB and corporate sponsors.
An example of the work I did during my Fellowship is that I conducted research on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), an effective tool for opening conversation with potential new corporate partners. As I have met with new and existing corporate partners, I find that most companies have an awareness of the importance of community involvement and have a desire to better understand how they can be effective in their support to the community. CSR research questions have focused on the areas of company history, priorities, benefits, employee involvement, alignment with business plan, leadership, and communications. I hoped to find similarities and trends among the business community but interestingly, I have found that company cultures are as unique as individuals.
A summary of CSR responses provided these insights:
CSR history: There is a strong history of philanthropy and community involvement (often due to the founder) but companies are interested in how their CSR can involve more employees and become more effective.
CSR priorities: Priorities are determined by leadership with increasing input from employees.
CSR benefits: Impact from CSR programs is an area that companies find difficult to measure. Some recognized benefits are improved community reputation, employee retention and new customers. Measuring their impact in the community is a challenge.
CSR influence on employee morale and retention: Companies report strong employee engagement with a high level of participation and see improved employee retention.
CSR integration with business plan: All companies reported strong alignment with their business plan.
CSR leadership: Most companies reported engaged leaders and executives involved in board service. However, there is low visibility of leader participation within the company and in the community.
CSR communications: Internal and external communication methods are diverse. They include FB posting, newsletters, videos, and email.
Corporate partnerships can be strengthened by understanding company culture and priorities, then building relationships with a clear understanding of company needs for engagement. Ongoing communication and recognition maintain positive relationships. My Fellowship with CBB has been a joy as I have had the opportunity to meet wonderful people and enjoy the relationship building.