Social Change

On July 7, 2017 at the Avery Dennison corporate headquarters in Glendale, California, employees presented a donation to the United Way of Greater Los Angeles. The $10,156 donation was a surprise to the United Way and the culmination of a creative sustainability effort led by Avery Dennison’s 207 Green Team.

For Josh Kaplan, giving back to the community is part of who he is. Driven by the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, or “repairing the world,” he believes each of us has the power to create change and participate meaningfully in the world around us.

For any business looking to reduce its environmental impact, establishing a sustainability game plan is critical, but complex. Companies that set out on this path will want to look at ways to use fewer and renewable resources in their products; make their facilities more efficient; adopt sustainable procurement practices; and launch internal initiatives like recycling programs.

Whether by selling goods to run a local food pantry or helping someone halfway across the country after a natural disaster, the eBay community is making a difference.

Did you make a new year’s resolution? Each year many of us resolve to change a disliked trait or accomplish a personal goal. Whether you love them or hate them, resolutions serve a purpose. They encourage us to make a conscious decision to improve our life in the coming year.

VolunteerMatch, the web’s largest volunteer engagement network, and Forward It On, a web-based corporate giving platform, announce today a partnership to engage companies and their employees to drive social change through volunteerism. VolunteerMatch and Forward It On believe that individuals, including corporate employees, will benefit by engaging in volunteerism in a direct and authentic way.

“Lead with purpose and profits will follow.” This mantra from Helen Sahi, RBIS’ senior director of Sustainability, echoed last week during a panel discussion at London Fashion Week.

Points of Light, with support from KPMG Foundation and the Corporation for National and Community Service, will celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15 by engaging more than 90,000 individuals in acts of service through 1,575 service projects and civic dialogue events in more than 50 communities in partnership with local Points of Light affiliates and nonprofits across the country. MLK Day marks the beginning of the service year as hundreds of thousands of individuals will honor the memory of Dr. King by contributing their time, talent and voice to improve their communities.

MLK Day of Service is an opportunity to remember history and re-commit ourselves as citizens by volunteering in service to one another. It is also a time to consider how much work still remains to fulfill Dr. King’s dream. We at Common Impact believe service is a powerful tool for strengthening the communities in which we live and work.

As MLK Day approaches, Common Impact is encouraging our partners to make it a day "on," not a day off. To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's legacy were lifting up our inspiring employee volunteers who have a strong commitment to civic engagement and are deeply involved in strengthening the livelihood of their local communities.