Timberland Shares Its Approach to Building Strong Communities at Points of Light Conference in Seattle
Global outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland recently joined other community-minded companies at the National Conference on Service and Volunteering in Seattle. The annual conference, organized by Points of Light, is the largest service-focused gathering of non-profit, government, business and civic leaders in the world. With over 70 workshops spanning eight tracks, the Conference offers a unique opportunity to learn from industry leaders and work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world.
Atlanta McIlwraith, Timberland’s senior manager of community engagement and communication, joined representatives from CarMax, Twitter and Southwest Airlines at the workshop “From ‘Space’ to ‘Place,’ Building Strong Communities Through Corporate Volunteering.” McIlwraith’s presentation focused on Timberland’s 2016 urban greening commitment to create and restore green spaces in five cities over five years. She also reflected on the 25th anniversary of the company’s Path of Service™ program, which offers employees up to 40 paid hours each year to volunteer in their communities.
“The Points of Light annual conference is a two-day infusion of inspiration, ideas, and an incredible opportunity to learn from and share with others committed to community engagement,” said McIlwraith. “While it is certainly a privilege to share Timberland’s stories with others, one of the biggest perks of being a presenter is learning more about the amazing work being done by other companies.”
After each company shared its ‘space to place’ initiative, audience questions focused on lessons learned and successful engagement strategies for diverse workforces. Panelist comments echoed a common theme of connecting and listening to employees and communities to design programs that best meet their needs. CarMax discussed enabling employees in its retail locations to identify local partners, while Timberland shared the example of its Global Stewards, employees who volunteer for a two-year term to drive Timberland’s service and CSR agenda in locally relevant ways around the world.
“One size definitely does not fit all,” commented McIlwraith. “It’s important to build a program that provides both structure and flexibility. With a strong foundation, employees have a reference point and some parameters on how they can engage, but flexibility is essential for any program to maximize involvement and adapt to changing needs of employees.”
To learn more about Timberland’s support of the communities around the globe where employees live, work and explore, visit: https://www.timberland.com/responsibility/community.html.
