Impact with Altitude

This year’s theme of the B:CIVIC Summit, Impact With Altitude, is representative of Colorado’s overall attitude toward corporate social responsibility (CSR). As a state, our businesses are engaged and generous in their communities. This was made clear by the GOODBUSINESS: The State of Corporate Philanthropy in Colorado survey that B:CIVIC undertook earlier this year. Collectively, we are making an impact – at altitude. However, as the report also demonstrates, community engagement strategies and employee expectations are evolving. Today, businesses of all sizes can, and should, benefit from effective corporate social responsibility. 

Founded in 2013, B:CIVIC (Businesses Committed to Investing and Volunteering in the Community) works to expand corporate philanthropy and community engagement. Over the life of the organization, members have collaborated to convene conferences, in addition to: networking, monthly educational programs, best practices and resource sharing. B:CIVIC recently joined forces with the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation to expand its reach to even more organizations across the state.

The lineup of this year’s summit, October 25, features presentations focused on a variety of topics, including:

• Employee engagement
• Data analytics
• Brand building
• The ROI of social investments
• Workplace culture
• Designing community engagement for small businesses. 

Organized into three categories – thinking, doing and sharing – each session aims to inspire and educate both the presenters and the audiences.

“The 2018 B:CIVIC Summit will advance the conversation with a balanced combination of both national experts in their fields, and peer practitioners sharing their best practices,” says Kirsten Vermulen, B:CIVIC’s executive director. “Regardless of the size of your organization, you will find something to take away with you to increase your impact.”

In addition to speakers and workshops, over the course of the day participants will have the opportunity to network with peers on all sides of the industry: entrepreneurs, consultants, nonprofit representatives and CSR professionals.

When Gov. John Hickenlooper spoke at B:CIVIC’s inaugural conference two years ago, he talked about our state’s predilection toward collaboration and our employees’ love of place (‘topo-philia’) that inspires them to work for employers that allow them to create meaningful community impact in partnership with others. That collaboration continues today as CSR, marketing and communications and human resources professionals gather on October 25. Please visit here for details and registration.

Heather Baker is the director of marketing and business development at Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC; where she also manages the firm’s charitable foundation. In this role, she has created an integrated communications and community relations program in a medium-sized law firm that rivals programs in much larger organizations.