I have worked with a number of clients to help them communicate their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and I am building a CSR element in my own business. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and was inspired by their success in operating an ethical and forward-thinking business for over 50 years.
Our family business, the Wunderly Brothers Art Galleries, was based in the United States and imported fine art, paintings and sculpture from Western Europe. My grandfather, one of the founders, emigrated from the Alsace region in France. He was actively involved in contributing to the community where he lived and worked.
In collaboration with other local business owners, my grandfather set up an educational fund for employees, ensuring that their children had funding for advanced schooling. What makes this remarkable is the time period – it was the 1940′s. I am proud of my family’s dedication to equality in education and opportunity.
Helping other entrepreneurs to succeed
I donate a percentage of my annual earnings to fund micro-credit loans to small business entrepreneurs in emerging countries.
I helped a farmer in Tajikistan to purchase mineral fertilizers and cattle. Salimjon raises cattle and also cultivates potatoes, onions, wheat and carrots. His farming supports a family of three.
Tajikistan is located on the ancient Silk Road and is a civilization that dates back to the 4th millennium BC. It was the birthplace of great thinkers, philosophers, scientists and poets, including Rudaki, Avicenna, Ferdowsi, Omar Khayyam and Rumi. Today Tajikistan is the poorest of the former Soviet Republics. While the people of Tajikistan are working to improve its agricultural production and manufacturing sector, nearly two-thirds of the population lives in poverty.
My micro-credit loan was funded via IMON International http://www.imon.tj
I recently funded another loan to a woman entrepreneur in the Philippines. Raquel works hard to support her family by operating a small frozen foods business. She will use her micro-loan to purchase more food to sell in her shop. In the future, Raquel would like to save money to expand her business.
The funding agency for this loan is NWTF: http://www.nwtf.ph/
Environmental awareness
The majority of my work is done via the internet, but when I need to visit a local client, I use public transportation. The French transit system has an interesting feature on its commuter web site that provides the carbon emissions for your specific train journey. By entering my departure and arrival stations, I learned my carbon footprint for a typical client visit:
By train: 48 g CO2
If I had used a car: 2872 g de CO2
These were eye-opening figures and provides real incentive to go-green and keep using the train, a bicycle or walking whenever possible.
Work globally – act locally
At home in France, I volunteer time or donate to these non-profit associations in my area.
Les Restaurants du Coeur
Founded in 1985 by Coluche, a brash and big-hearted French comedian, this non-profit provides meals to hungry people, no questions asked. To date, the Resto du Coeur has served an estimated 109 million meals and has also donated clothing to the needy and homeless.
I like the straightforward attitude of this organization. Perhaps I also feel a synergy with Coluche – he was famous for his irreverent sense of humor (I love to make jokes) and we were both born on October 28th. The charity was launched by Coluche when he made a famous speech on French radio and began with the words ‘I have a little idea…’.
This is a really easy volunteer activity – every time I finish a bottle of water, I toss the plastic cap into a bag! When the bag is full, I take it to this charity and they recycle the plastic caps for cash. The money is used to purchase specially equipped sports wheelchairs for disabled children and adults. It’s a great way to make volunteering a daily activity and to help people benefit from increased mobility.
