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Investissement communautaire par les comités d’investissement communautaire de TELUS

Submitted by Canadian Busine... on May 19, 2010 - 11:38.
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Associated Group(s): 
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility - CBSR
Location: 
Canada
Content
Summary: 

TELUS, qui est membre du CBSR, a récemment obtenu le titre d’entreprise la plus philanthropique en 2010 par l’Association of Fundraising Professionals, ce qui en fait la première entreprise canadienne à recevoir cette reconnaissance mondiale. Ce succès est principalement attribuable aux comités d’investissement communautaire, une grande idée du président et directeur général de TELUS, Darren Entwistle, et de la VPE de TELUS et présidente nationale des comités d’investissement communautaire de TELUS, Janet Yale. En 2005, ils ont créé les comités d’investissement communautaire, un programme d’investissement communautaire unique dans lequel TELUS délègue la responsabilité de financer des organismes de bienfaisance et des programmes à la communauté où il est implanté.

Implementation: 

« Les comités d’investissement communautaire déterminent la stratégie d’investissement communautaire nationale de TELUS en s’assurant que les fonds sont attribués pour soutenir les secteurs qui en ont le plus besoin dans chaque communauté », affirme Jill Schnarr, vice-président de l’investissement communautaire et de la participation à TELUS.

La responsabilité repose sur neuf comités d’investissement communautaire de TELUS répartis dans tout le pays, dont 60 % sont composés de gens qui connaissent bien les besoins de leur communauté, et 40 % de membres de l’équipe de TELUS.

Pour élire les membres d’un comité d’investissement communautaire de TELUS, les présidents et vice-présidents du comité déterminent les secteurs où une expertise particulière est nécessaire à la communauté et présentent des noms de candidats potentiels. Les personnes choisies sont approuvées directement par M. Entwistle.

Le processus de candidature encourage les organismes de bienfaisance et les organisations à être durables à long terme et prévoit une section pour qu’une organisation indique le résultat de son financement. Les comités d’investissement de TELUS n’acceptent pas les propositions de financement pluriannuel, mais offrent du soutien durant la deuxième année si l’incidence est importante. De plus, TELUS n’impose pas à une organisation les résultats qu’elle doit atteindre, car il reconnaît que chaque organisation est différente et que ses objectifs sont de répondre aux besoins de la communauté.

Challenges and Solutions: 

TELUS a vu le nombre de candidatures augmenter considérablement au cours des deux dernières années, mais l’entreprise ignore si cette augmentation est attribuable à la récession ou à la popularité grandissante du programme. Cette augmentation du nombre de candidats a entraîné la difficulté de dire non.

« Il est très difficile de dire non à des organisations qui sont très utiles à leur communauté. Notre comité d’investissement communautaire de Vancouver a reçu environ 150 demandes par réunion, mais il ne peut en approuver que 10 ou 15 », affirme M. Schnarr.

Malgré ce défi, les comités d’investissement communautaires de TELUS continuent d’être un exemple de programme d’investissement communautaire novateur.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

« L’un des grands avantages de ce modèle de comité d’investissement communautaire de TELUS est que nous sommes en mesure de voir les effets majeurs de ces organisations ont au sein de leur communauté. Par exemple, nous avons fourni du financement à “Opération rentrer au foyer” à Ottawa pour soutenir un projet de fabrication de bijoux appelé BeadWorks. Nous avons écouté quelques histoires de courage de jeunes participants à risque, qui ont vu leur vie changer radicalement après avoir appris les rudiments essentiels du commerce et acquis une expérience de la vente en apprenant à fabriquer et à vendre des bijoux. Certains d’entre eux ont repris l’école et d’autres travaillent dans des commerces de leur communauté. Peu importe si le financement a bénéficié à un, quinze ou cent jeunes, c’est fantastique à voir et cela montre le bien-fondé du travail des comités d’investissement communautaire », affirme M. Schnarr.

Results: 

En 2009, TELUS a fait don de 4,1 millions de dollars par l’entremise de ses comités d’investissement communautaire, qui ont accordé la priorité à des projets soutenant les jeunes et l’innovation.

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Community Investment through TELUS Community Boards

Submitted by Canadian Busine... on May 10, 2010 - 12:43.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility - CBSR
Location: 
Canada
Content
Summary: 

Canadian Business for Social Responsibility member TELUS was recently named the top philanthropic corporation for 2010 by The Association of Fundraising Professionals, being the first Canadian company to ever receive this global honour. A large component of this success is the company’s community boards, the brainchild of TELUS president and CEO Darren Entwistle and Janet Yale, TELUS EVP and National Chair of TELUS Community Boards. The two created the community boards in 2005, a unique community investment program in which TELUS delegates the responsibility of funding charities and programs to the community in which it operates.

Implementation: 

“Community boards localize TELUS' national community investment strategy ensuring that funds are donated to support the areas of greatest need in each community," says Jill Schnarr, vice president of community investment and engagement at TELUS.

Responsibility is held in the hands of nine TELUS Community Boards across the country, with 60% of the boards made up of people who have a “pulse” on the needs of their community, while the other 40% of the board is made up of TELUS team members.
In order to be nominated to a TELUS Community Board, board chairs/vice chairs determine where there is a need for expertise specific to the community and put potential candidates names forward. Eventual picks are approved by Entwistle directly.
The application process encourages that charities and organizations are sustainable over the long term and provides a section for an organization to identify the outcome of its funding.

TELUS boards do not accept proposals for multi-year funding but will provide support in year two in cases that a significant impact has been demonstrated. TELUS also does not dictate specific outcomes that an organization must achieve, recognizing that each organization is different and its objective is to meet community needs.

Challenges and Solutions: 

TELUS has seen the number of applications increase significantly over the past two years, although the company is not sure if it is due to increased need due to the economic recession or the increased awareness about the program. This increase in applicants has brought the challenge of saying no.

“It’s really difficult to say no to organizations who are doing something very valuable in the community – at our Vancouver Community Board, they have been receiving around 150 applications per meeting, but are able to only approve 10-15,” says Schnarr .

Despite this challenge, TELUS' community boards continue to be an example of an innovative community investment program.

Social and Environmental Benefits: 

“One of the great benefits of this TELUS community board model is that we are able to see the significant huge impact that these organizations have in the community – for example, we provided funding to ‘Operation Come Home’ in Ottawa in support of Beadworks – a jewellery making endeavour. We listened to some of the courageous stories of the at risk youth who participated and many have turned their lives around because they learned vital business skills, and gained sales experience from learning how to make and sell jewellery. Some of them are now back in school and others are working in business in the local community. No matter if it’s one, fifteen or one hundred youth impacted by the funding, it’s still amazing to see, and validates the work of the community boards, ” says Schnarr.

Results: 

In 2009, TELUS donated $4.1 million through its Community Boards, with the focus being on projects that support youth and innovation.

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CSR Assessment for an ICT Company

Submitted by Canadian Busine... on August 25, 2009 - 13:04.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
Canadian Business for Social Responsibility - CBSR
Location: 
Toronto, ON Canada
Content
Summary: 

An assessment of current CSR performance helped a telecommunications firm launch their strategic CSR journey.

Cross-functional focus and discussion on CSR issues built momentum for change, resulting in a concrete action plan to address key gaps.

Implementation: 

1. Overview of stakeholder expectations for a company operating in this sector in Canada. This overview focused on consumers, investors and employees and drew heavily on third party research from CBSR partners Globescan, Jantzi and Innovest. It provided a baseline of stakeholder expectations that could be validated down the road by stakeholder interviews.

2. Materiality analysis to identify issues of highest relevance and importance based on the impact of the issue on the company and its importance to stakeholders.

3. Detailed, quantitative competitor benchmarking for relevant companies operating within Canada and globally. This work was conducted in cooperation with CBSR partner Jantzi Research.

4. Detailed review of internal policies and practices using CBSR’s proprietary assessment tool, the GoodCompany Guidelines.

5. Gap Analysis, CSR Assessment and prioritized next steps for areas material to the company’s business. This step included an assessment of the company’s performance along the CSR Continuum for material areas (see below).

6. Executive session to share assessment and recommendations.

Results: 

• A precedent setting cross-functional meeting to discuss CSR issues. This was important and possible because CSR touches so many areas of the organization.

• Wide sharing of the CSR best practice document that helped build momentum around the case for change

• First reference to CSR content on the company’s website

• Assessment translated into an action plan including a recommendation for annual CSR reporting

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France Telecom makes electronic billing a standard practice

Submitted by World Forum Lille on December 19, 2008 - 22:59.
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About
Associated Group(s): 
france telecom (Orange)
Location: 
France
Content
Summary: 

3% of the 2,5 billion bills that are invoiced consumers every year in France have been converted to electronic bills. Orange is getting involved in this paperless system approach, in partnership with WWF.

Reducing energy and paper consumption. Promoting a paperless system, that is to say electronic billing.

Implementation: 

The paperless system approach relies on three focuses at Orange:

• Orange Business Services
This service offers its customer-companies the opportunity to convert the bills invoiced their own customers to electronic bills, while respecting european directives and tax legislation (legal clauses, accounting and document preservation standards, TVA directives, specific instructions).

• Cellar phone industry and landline telephony consumers
The partnership with WWF was launched in 2005 to promote electronic billing for landline telephony. It was renewed in 2006 and now applies to cellar phone industry customers. All private customers are offered the opportunity to choose between either the electronic bill or the printed one.

• Within the company
Orange provides electronic billing to all of its internal customers and suppliers, as part of an Environmental Management System (EMS) approach.

Results: 

♦ « Electronic billing » enables the company to save around 10 euros for a bill that is received, and 5 euros for a bill that is invoiced.
♦ The authenticity guarantee of the documents enables the company to reduce disputes and thus to make the bill process quicker.
♦ Competitive advantage, as France Telecom was one of the very first companies to offer such a service.

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