by Amy Bosworth
Corporate Relations Director
After completing the most successful United Way campaign to date, raising $491,000 globally, Edwards Lifesciences is working smarter. With a vibrant, dedicated workforce, the company’s leadership team recognizes how important it is to have a community engagement strategy in order to retain talented employees, and that a key component of company and personal health is an aggressive community investment focus and opportunities to volunteer.
As competition for talent in the workplace increases in our economy, it is that much more important for an organization to create opportunities for knowledge sharing, internal relationship building, and an overall sense of well-being for employees through a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.
Research suggests that when employees hear about a company’s CSR program, they try to interpret the message in light of the organization’s culture and will apply that meaning to a sense of well-being within the workplace. Everyone does it and it happens at a subconscious level. The most successful workplaces are committed to promoting an environment that adds meaning to an employee’s life. (paraphrased from http://www.openspaceslearning.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/RWs-Business-Case-for-Corporate-Volunteering.pdf)
At Edwards Lifesciences recent United Way Campaign event, employees were transfixed by the passionate words of John McGrath, Corporate Vice President. Mr. McGrath encouraged employees to give back, citing his personal reasons and commitment to give. He stated that he doesn’t give to charity, but gives to change. Mr. McGrath made it clear that it’s important to support nonprofit organizations leading the charge with results, and that United Way is able to drive community change farther, faster, and more strategically than any other entity. John believes that making an investment in the community is important, and stretching an employee dollars with Edwards Lifesciences dollar for dollar match, matters.
Edwards Lifesciences has leadership that is committed, and employees respond. Amanda Fowler, Executive Director, Global Corporate Giving with Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, believes that an employee commitment to giving back, with leadership backing and defining corporate engagement, makes all the difference in a workplace. She states, “When our employees volunteer in the community, it makes them not only feel great about themselves, but also about the company that they work for, and we often see their productivity and happiness soar.”
With the huge success of Edwards Lifesciences’ global campaign, we are excited to work with them here locally in Salt Lake City! We can’t wait to see how these dedicated employees change the odds for kids and families, right here in our own community.
Thank you, Edwards Lifesciences, for showing what it means to LIVE UNITED.
