CellMark: Cultivating a Culture of Workplace Giving
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
San Rafael, CA: Marin County is one of the most affluent communities in the United States. Despite that, tremendous need persists in the area. With the middle class shrinking, and income inequality rising, it is certain to be a tight Christmas for many Marin families.
This does not sit well with the PaperSeed Foundation in San Rafael, an organization supported by CellMark, one of the world's foremost providers of supply chain services to the pulp and paper industry. PaperSeed’s main focus is improving education for disadvantaged children. However, it frequently partners with CellMark on “giving campaigns” that empower communities near the company’s offices.
CellMark employees always embrace and anticipate opportunities to give back, which include volunteer days, school supplies drives, and most recently, a Giving Tree. For the second consecutive year, PaperSeed’s California Committee partnered with the Fairfax-San Anselmo Children’s Center (FSACC) for the Giving Tree program. The team put up a Christmas tree in CellMark’s San Rafael office. It featured ornaments marked with a child’s name, along with a gift the youngster hopes to receive this year. CellMark employees selected an ornament, and accommodated the children’s wishes. It is a great system: The children are delighted, CellMark employees give back to their community in a meaningful way, and PaperSeed enables both groups to enjoy a little more holiday cheer.
PaperSeed California members & volunteers strike a pose next to the Giving Tree before leaving to drop off gifts.
Top Row: Sioeli Palu, Garen Suen, Megan Lima Middle: Wendy Ju, Diana Gray
Front: Chris Cho, Max Nelson
“FSACC is right here in our community. We know who the kids are, and we know what they need,” said PaperSeed California Vice President Megan Lima. “That really facilitates matters for employees. Everything’s here for them. All they have to do is shop for someone who’s not only deserving, but very appreciative. It’s a great feeling.”
Global Mission, Local Results
PaperSeed has established committees in CellMark offices around the globe, with remarkable results. For example, our Singapore office helps orphanages in Thailand. The relationship started in 2014, when employees traveled to Thailand to drop off donated supplies and provide other assistance. This year, the team arranged a grant that enabled installment of a brand new computer lab.
CSR Benefits Everyone
Studies show that giving back to the community activates portions of the brain associated with reward and pleasure, and is quantifiably good for employees’ mental and physical health. As such, a robust Corporate Social Responsibility plan in place is an effective way to cultivate a happier, healthier workplace. It also helps attract and retain excellent people, who increasingly seek positions with companies featuring established CSR programs.
Leadership is critical to creating an effective CSR program. Program leaders take real ownership, and pursue projects they find meaningful. They also establish strong relationships with organizations they support, which enables seamless communication between CSR program leaders and their counterparts.
It is often wise to select a charity with which you are familiar. Doing so facilitates communication, enabling organizations to provide sound guidance regarding specific help they need (food, clothes, playground refurbishment, etc.). With a bit of planning, hard work, and dedication, participants can create meaningful, effective ways to give back to the communities in which they work and live.
About the PaperSeed Foundation:
PaperSeed provides funding to community-based organizations to strengthen educational opportunities for children and young people in underserved and resource-lacking communities. CellMark—one of the world's foremost providers of supply chain services to the pulp and paper industry—underwrites all operating and administrative expenses for the foundation, thus allowing 100% of donations to directly benefit projects that strengthen education. Today, PaperSeed operates on a global scale, working together with CellMark, business leaders and community-based organizations to create deep and lasting impact. Learn more at www.paperseed.org.