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By Brian Wommack, SVP, Communications, CRN
April is National Volunteer Month—a month dedicated to recognizing the importance of volunteering and honoring the significant contributions volunteers make by generously donating their time and talents to worthy causes.
Often, this is thought of as something people do as individuals—maybe through a favorite charity, cause, religious group, or neighborhood group. But the truth is, corporate volunteerism is on the rise, and with good reason. It just makes good business sense.
Today’s workers are concerned not only with work/life balance, but many also want their work to have purpose and to be infused with corporate responsibility. Some employers have responded by creating VTO (volunteer time off), modeled after paid time off (PTO), that can be used to devote to a day of volunteering. Other employers have connected with worthy charities and encouraged entire teams or entire locations to volunteer for the same project on the same day. That way, not only does the charity get the benefit of the work, but the participating workforce gets to experience teamwork and team building as a part of the initiative.
CRN Members should know about a special opportunity coming up in September. As a part of September’s Hunger Awareness Month, and coordinated with CRN’s Nutrition Access Task Force, Chairman Barry Ritz will in June challenge each and every member company to to get involved in some way with the seemingly intractable problem of hunger in America. There are many ways a company can participate—raising money or conducting a food drive, donating products, or spending a few hours, or an entire day, working at a food bank or a food pantry.
There is still plenty of time to plan something big for September. Why not use April as a trial run, and build to something like you’ve never done before in September?
Don’t have a volunteering committee at your company? There is no time like the present to start one. It can be a great leadership opportunity for the right individuals, and can also be an important way people connect with the company’s higher purpose.
Need help getting started? Your CRN Foundation and the Nutritional Access Task Force stand ready to support you with ideas. Reach out to Brian Wommack or Micah Osborne if you’d like to chat. And for those of you who do something in April or September or anytime in between—snap some pictures of your volunteers in action and we’ll feature them in a future Daily Supplement.
Brian Wommack is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of the association’s overall strategic communications efforts, and entrusted to enhance and protect the reputation of the dietary supplement industry. Under his leadership, CRN’s Communications team is reimagining its member communication strategy and has launched new initiatives to proactively promote responsible industry and provide consumer education. Learn more about Brian.