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Making good: elements of a values-based company culture

3 May, 2016 - 16:53
  • Provide a safe work place and clean work environment.
  • Pay fair wages to all employees.
  • Provide benefits of some kind for employees that may include health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, a retirement investment plan, a pension of partial salary to be paid once an employee retires, and reimbursement for continuous learning.
  • Host employee appreciation events.
  • Be respectful to all employees.
  • Treat all stakeholders with respect and fairness.
  • Have a suggestion box or method where by employees and stakeholders can make suggestions that you review and consider.
  • Be a good corporate citizen by supporting some NGO/non-profit entities either by paying your employees to volunteer for these named causes or making cash donations or sponsorships to financially help support these organizations. This type of activity is known as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility.) An example of a company that has been a good corporate citizen and routinely practices CSR is Grupo Bimbo which, according to the company’s website, was established in 1945 and is considered one of the most important bakeries in the world. In 2007, Grupo Bimbo’s net sales amounted to $ 6.7 billion dollars. In keeping with the company’s social responsibility, Grupo Bimbo participates in important community projects such as the reforestation of protected natural areas in Mexico as well as in a series of different projects for community welfare. You can read all about Grupo Bimbo’s Social Responsibility work in health, commitment to the environment, commitment to associates, and commitment to society at: http://www.grupobimbo.com/display.php?section=6  1 
  • Adopt a triple bottom line philosophy. “Triple bottom line” means your company cares equally not only about making a profit but also about taking care of the people associated with your company and conducting business in a way that is good for sustaining a healthy environment for the planet. So to summarize, the triple bottom line philosophy means you care equally about people, planet and profits.
  • Develop sustainable business practices. One who cares about the environment of his business goes to the trouble and expense to make sure that he:
    • has a recycling program for not only garbage but also old electronic devices and toxic waste disposal from batteries and printers.
    • utilizes office cleaning supplies that are environmentally safe and don’t outgas. “Outgassing” is a term that refers to indoor air quality and describes the slow release of gas from a manufactured material such as furniture or carpets. Often the term is used to describe the potentially unhealthful attributes of a newly manufactured material as this gas is released indoors.
    • carries out office remodeling and construction in a safe for the environment fashion by using low VOC, (“Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects.") 2, paints that do not out gas as well as insulation made from recycled materials.
    • replaces company light bulbs and lighting fixtures with energy efficient light bulbs.
    • produces marketing materials that use soy-based ink and are printed on recycled paper stock. He uses the recycled logo mark on materials to communicate to stakeholders that he is concerned with sustaining the environment.
    • works with vendors, suppliers and all of his stakeholders that support environmental protection tactics.
    • conserves energy and resources whenever possible. Moving to a four day a week, ten hour a day schedule can by way of example conserve energy and ultimately “cut kilowatts to create a slender gas and electric bill”.
    • rewards employees for traveling to and from work in sustainable ways such as walking, riding a bicycle, taking public transportation and when appropriate car-pooling.
    • if applicable, purchases company vehicles that are electric or electric hybrids.
    • stays current with environmental literature to keep employee’s knowledge base strong on conserving energy.