Softchoice Cares + 7 IT Companies = A future for 500

When I heard about the Softchoice Cares mission to Bali I was intrigued. The thought of twelve employees going half way around the world to build computer labs for local kids is pretty inspiring and rare. But I was even more amazed by the number of partners who were going out of their way to contribute. Servers, networking gear, laptops, software – you name it, it was being offered.  

As a newcomer to IT, I knew Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, Lenovo, Faronics and Sophos as big powerful tech companies. But I never had a sense of the people behind these organizations. And I certainly didn’t appreciate the kind of difference these companies could make once they rallied around a cause that aligned so closely to their business.   [Read more...]

CSR Reporting 2.0: From Stats to Stories

**The following is an excerpt and link to a piece on Communicating CSR that I wrote for Sustainable Brands media outlet…

It seems there’s a gap for many organizations in reaping the benefits from their CSR programs.

A new Director Notes report called What Board Members Should Know About Communicating CSR, shows that awareness of a company’s CSR activities among its external, and even internal stakeholders, is typically low.  Not surprising given that the typical approach to CSR communications comes down to a once-a year, static PDF report that may never get read, or ends up getting buried in the back of an annual report.

So how can you communicate more than just what your organization is doing when it comes to CSR….how can you take more steps to engage your stakeholders in sharing your CSR story?

Read my full article here for insight into how other companies are using more social means to engage their stakeholders and tips to help you do the same!

Shiloh, the Husky Lab: A Human Trapped in a Dog’s Body

Name/Nickname:  Shiloh Marie Eatherton

Age & Breed:  6 years old, female, lab/husky mix

Position:  Seattle Office Custodian (Vacuuming/inhaling a few loose snacks here and there…that’s my specialty!)

Owner:  Michelle Eatherton, Vendor Marketing Manager

Pet Peeves:  Dogs that act like dogs.  Have some class. [Read more...]

Chili Secrets from a Fundraising Cook-off Champ!

Did you know that the first documented recipe for chili dates back to 1519?!?! Since then people have been battling for the best chili bragging rights at cook-offs all over the world! Jason Rand is one of those people. As Softchoice’s very own chili champion for three years straight, Jason secured his title last month at Softchoice’s 4th Annual Chili Cook-off Fundraiser for Softchoice Cares.

I had an opportunity to sit down with the man…the legend… to reveal the secrets behind his chili masterpiece… [Read more...]