By Tyra Haag and Amy Schwinge

“No company can exist in a vacuum.” 

That’s the message Scripps Networks President John Lansing sent to attendees at a recent Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) meeting on Corporate Social Responsibility.  Lansing’s message was simple — keep a community healthy and you promote better employees, potential employees and a strong community.

Lansing’s main points included:

• Success as a business is intertwined with employees and community
• Businesses should be altruistic in nature
• Keeping the community around you healthy is the true Return on Investment
• A community is special because it’s intentional

Scripps Networks even gives their employees paid time off (PTO) to volunteer, which does not count against their vacation or sick days. 

Of course, this concept is nothing new to the folks at Green Mountain Coffee Company. In fact, the company gives employees 52 hours of paid leave each year to volunteer in any way they choose (in addition to their PTO, sick or vacation leave). 

Green Mountain Coffee Company also produces an annual Corporate Social Responsibility report every two years, and nearly half (45 percent) of all the company’s waste is recycled each year.

Green Mountain Coffee Company’s two main concerns are social responsibility (hunger / poverty reduction) and environmental responsibility (solid waste / energy use reduction).  The company even allocates 5 percent of their pre-tax earnings to these causes. 

Businesses have the power to be a positive change agent and Green Mountain Coffee Company is hoping other businesses will join in their efforts.

The bottom line:  make a difference and make a profit.