Which Path do You Take to Create Meaningful Work?

There are multiple paths to career satisfaction but finding meaning in your work may be the single most contributing factor to long term satisfaction in the workplace.  According to the post, Getting Beyond Engagement to Creating Meaning at Work, “Those who succeed at creating meaning — either on their own or with the help of their boss — tend to work harder, more creatively, and with more tenacity, giving the companies that employ them a leg up in the marketplace. What’s more, study after study suggests that when employees experience meaning, their employers enjoy higher rates of customer commitment and investor interest.”

 The question is twofold: As employers, how do you create meaningful work?  As an employee, how do you create meaningful work for yourself?

Business sustainability presents the unique opportunity to increase profitability, gain and maintain a competitive advantage over the competition, and create meaningful work in the process.   The key is in value alignment.  How can organizational values and employee values pair up?   Sustainable businesses with existing CSR and sustainability plans may have it a little easier, but those without can still create value.  Consider the use of the following strategies to align corporate and employee values to create meaningful work.
 

• Corporate volunteering
• Green teams-   allow participates to meet, collaborate, and discuss on topics unique to their position in the organization.  Namely, issues and areas of specific interest in how it relates to their job, their departments, and the overall organization.
• Create individual employee sustainability programs. The basic premise of a personal sustainability program is to reduce the carbon footprint, lighten the load on the planet as well as reap the benefits of living a more sustainable lifestyle.  Line this up with the corporate sustainability plan and initiatives.
• Educate: Offer ongoing workshops, training, lunch and learns, and educational activities to educate workers on the environmental issues (energy, water, waste, and others) and the associated actions causing the problems.  Identify new behavior and eco actions that individually workers can take to create new patterns of behavior and choices that support environmental solutions and are aligned with the company’s overarching sustainability plan. 

 
Now, from an employee’s  perspective:

• Consider your approach to your current position.  No one knows your job better than you.  You have a better chance of discovering ways to improve processes and integrate sustainability concepts than anyone.  Perform your job from the perspective of how can I do my job in a more eco friendly manner.
• Take eco action in your daily activities: recycle, commit to paperless, share with others what you are doing and why you are doing it and get them involved.
• Engage management by incorporating sustainability concepts in your personal development plan.
• Take on new sustainability roles and projects in the organization: start a recycling program, lead a paper free initiative, host a lunch and learn providing local and organic foods
• Become the “go-to” person for all things green
• Expand your corporate green network: engage in internal business activities, networking events, internal and external training, professional organizations, and business communities.  An easy option to engage in your company’s community outreach programs.

Creating meaningful work is both the responsibility of the employer as well as the employee.  How are you creating meaningful work? 

via blog.taigacompany.com

CauseOn Brings Consumers Bargains While Giving Back to Community

CauseOn is innovating on the concept popularized by Groupon and others in which customers who sign up for the service receive “daily deals” specific to their city or area. They can either have the daily offers emailed directly to them or go to the CauseOn site to access the daily deals. CauseOn brings customers the best possible prices on deals ranging from restaurants, spas, salons, tickets, tours, hotels and entertainment, localized to their metro region.

While others have developed online coupon sites, no other site incorporates the deep partnership with causes that sets CauseOn apart. Each CauseOn metro site partners with leading local causes and allows customers who purchase CauseOn coupons (CauseOns) to designate which cause will receive the contribution from their purchases.

According to a 2008 study on cause marketing and consumer behavior, 85% of Americans say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about and 79% say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal, if the other brand is associated with a good cause.

CauseOn partners: Komen for the Cure, Dougy Center, Girls Inc., YWCA

Portland CauseOn is live now for consumers to sign up. The first deals will be offered on Sept. 1. Consumers can join on the site at no cost and then have daily deals pushed to them via email. CauseOn’s initial daily deals will include products and services such as Yoga classes, rock climbing gyms, bakery goods, tanning services, restaurants and cosmetic surgery treatments. Initial Portand deals will be offered by:

• Key Laser Institute, Portland’s premier full service laser skin care provider.

• Seven Planet, the world’s first chain of green general stores.

• ECO Dry Cleaners, a new type of dry cleaner, utilizing non toxic cleaning agents.

• The Circuit Gym, one of the largest bouldering gyms in the world, expanding soon.

• Yoga Union, a community wellness center” and premier city wide yoga destination.

Sustainability: A Platform for Supply Chain Clarity

The challenges facing businesses over the past decade have provided a greater understanding the role supply chain clarity has in maintaining stable supply.  For many small shifts at the front end or at the consumer interface have often resulted in swinging consequences down the chain.  Moving forward, business sustainability is providing a common platform of discussion and greater visibility for businesses and their suppliers.

Companies, small business owners, and entrepreneurs now more than ever find themselves at the crossroads of supply chain risk and opportunity.  With legislative pressures and shifting consumer expectations positioned to effect overall business consumption, the question facing many supply chain driven industries and companies is whether or not they are equipped to respond.

 A defining characteristic of sustainable organizations is demonstrated in the ability to effectively manage the flow of information among key business relationships.  Our sustainability consulting experience leads us to believe that supply chains which experience the least amount of supply variability in times of uncertainty and/or change are arguably the most sustainable.

As a result of the dynamic economic climate, some organizations are taking a more cautious  approach before taking action; whereas, leading supply chain organizations are seizing this time as an opportunity to rework traditional business practices and supply models.  We find many businesses addressing forward-looking business sustainability questions.

•    Could legislative policy or major market shifts create disruptions in our supply chain?

•    Are the business value drivers of our key suppliers and customers in alignment with the direction of the company?

•    Are we aware of the business risks or pressure points that could affect our suppliers and consequently the sustainability of  our company’s supply?

•    Are these business risks accentuated or mitigated by our current supply chain relationships?

Rather than scrambling to respond to propagating ripples of change in the supply chain, our sustainability consulting resources are focused on the opportunities of proactive business sustainability action.  We provide information and small business resources to clients of all sizes seeking to make improvements towards a sustainable supply chain.

Traceable Coffee Technology Creates Direct Relationship between Coffee Drinkers and Farmers

According to research by The Hartman Group, one-third of Americans are willing to pay more for products that benefit the environment or contribute to social justice. Increasingly, consumers crave authentic stories about the food and drink they put on their tables and a deeper connection with artisan producers. TraceableCoffee.org is the only absolutely direct, efficient, and transparent mechanism for connecting coffee lovers to over 100 farmers in far-flung corners of the world, and ensuring that those farmers receive better compensation for producing exceptional, environmentally friendly coffee.
 
“For coffee farmers in Ethiopia and other coffee-producing countries to improve their standard of living and continue to grow this luxury product, a larger percentage of the retail dollar needs to reach those farmers,” said Tadesse Meskela, of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in Ethiopia. “TraceableCoffee.org bypasses the middlemen and lets farmers tell their own stories. In turn, consumers can pay a little extra for a premium product, all of which goes directly to the farmer.”
 
Web-based technology is increasingly used to create a global community of caring and connection, offering more efficient transfer of funds and inspiring relationships between consumers in industrialized countries and producers in the developing world. 
 
“We’re using technology to put a human face on a commodity product that Americans savor every day. Coffee lovers don’t think twice about providing a well-deserved tip to a barista, so why not use your smart phone or computer to tip the actual farmers who grew your coffee,” said Thaleon Tremain, General Manager, Pachamama Coffee Cooperative. “This isn’t charity, but a chance at a more direct and meaningful relationship with your coffee farmer.”
 
The technology is easy to use, right in the grocery aisle or at home at the computer. Consumers enter a code from their Traceable Coffee package into TraceableCoffee.org or use their mobile smart phone to scan the quick response barcode on the package, right in the grocery aisle. Each of the over 100 farmers in the program has a unique digital ID number corresponding to the package codes. Users get immediate information about the farmer who grew the coffee, including high quality videos and images by renowned photographer Olaf Hammelburg. Google maps show users the exact GPS location of each small farm, and a virtual tip jar lets consumers leave a tip.
 
Traceable Coffee can be purchased online and in select grocery stores and co-ops across the country.
 

Sexy, Shimmering (Sustainable) Silver

ElegRoo Blog

Nothing shows off your summer glow like silver! Luminous and eye-catching, silver is simple and elegant enough to wear every day — from afternoons at the beach to evenings at the symphony. When the silver is recycled or produced in fair-labor/ conflict-free conditions, silver jewelry goes beyond beautiful.

Here are some gorgeous, thoughtfully designed and meticulously crafted silver baubles that we found for him and her: worth supporting as all eco-conscious, socially responsible — and all frankly fabulous.

Smart Glass’ recycled Coke bottle-and-sterling silver jewelry is handcrafted, and no two pieces are exactly alike. Featured in fashion magazines and spotted on celebrities, these recrafted pieces are at once bold and delicate.

Elegant Roots is proud to offer C5’s Avenue Green collection of stunning recycled silver pieces. The “Circles” line, shown here, draws its inspiration from the Bronx Botanical Gardens, a haven of nature within a bustling urban environment. The result: sleek, modern lines with unpredictable design, all handcrafted in Bali.

Sturdy brushed-silver dog tags by Pineapple Seed contain the Thai symbols for “peace” and “wisdom” hand-etched in clean, simple lines. Crafted in fair-labor conditions by artisans in Chiang Mai, this is a beautiful unisex gift with special meaning.

This gorgeous “Paia” bracelet by Stephen Estelle resembles luminescent drops of molten silver. Inspired by leaves, this striking design was handcrafted by a family of artisans whose lineage has been making jewelry for the maharajahs of Nepal for more than 400 years.

RedStart has done it again with these Infinity Loop cuff links, a new take on the mathematical symbol for infinity. A contemporary design inspired by ancient symbolism, these distinctive sterling cuff links are part of RedStart’s “Stream” series, which follows the curves of flowing water.

Perfect to keep you in mind of the beach when you’re in the city on Wednesday.

ER8416

Free Community Strategic Webinar, with VolunteerMatch, FedEx and Changing Our World on 8/26

Cori Cunningham of Changing Our World and Brandon Tidwell of FedEx will provide insights on how to establish strategic philanthropy programs and tactical ways to activate employees around them. We’ll focus our discussion on trends in the field as well as tell the story through the lens of EarthSmart Outreach, a cross-enterprise effort at FedEx to invest in charitable programs that align with the company’s environmental strategy.

Cori is a Senior Managing Director at Changing Our World, a consulting firm dedicated to philanthropy.  She leads the firm’s Corporate Social Engagement practice, helping corporations and brands develop and implement community engagement strategies that support both their business, and the communities they serve.  Brandon Tidwell is a Program Advisor within Global Citizenship at FedEx Services, and current manager of EarthSmart Outreach.

Best Practice Network Webinars are free, hour-long events.

Click here to register for the event | More about VolunteerMatch Solutions

Follow VolunteerMatch Solutions on Twitter