At DelCor, social responsibility is not just a catchphrase; it’s a cornerstone of our business. We strive to be a model business and contribute positively towards improving the communities we inhabit – the association community, the nonprofit community, and the greater Washington, DC, community. Following are some of the ways we have, and continue to, contribute to these communities.
.org Community Food Drive
The .org Community Food Drive is DelCor’s flagship charity event and it’s a unique way that we bring together all of the communities we serve. Each spring, we sponsor the .org Community Food Drive to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. Bringing together our clients in the association and nonprofit community as well as the vendors that serve them, we’ve generated an enormous outpouring of support for this worthy cause. 2011 marked our 9th year organizing the food drive. Since the drive’s inception in 2003, we – along with our clients and other vendors – have provided 120,000 meals to the CAFB!
Progress U.
Expanding on our previous .org Learning Series on technology management issues for the association community, in 2010 we began offering a series of face-to-face meetings for association and nonprofit professionals. We call it Progress U. Each event explores a specific technology topic, such as web technologies or project management. The Progress U. series follows our philosophy that progress is about continuously moving forward, not just finding an immediate solution. It's a unique opportunity for attendees to gain insight into some of the hottest technology topics out there, to hear directly from experts in the field, to be part of the conversation by offering their own examples and expertise, and to learn about practices we employ to help our clients effectively manage their technology.
ASAE Wall of Social Responsibility
DelCor is the sole sponsor of ASAE’s Wall of Social Responsibility. The wall is a virtual symbol of associations’ and industry partners’ support for contributing to a socially responsible world. On the wall, you or your association can upload images, text, or a short video that represent your individual or organizational commitment to a socially responsible world. Through spreading the word of social responsibility and the sharing of ideas, DelCor believes that the wall will help foster growth and create new opportunities for individuals and organizations to give.
ASAE African Study Mission
In April 2011, 14 association professionals from across Africa embarked on a week-long study mission at ASAE to develop their association management skills, learn about the aspects of strong and self-sustaining membership organizations, share their successes, and form mentoring relationships with US-based association executives. DelCor and The Signature Group supported their learning by providing iPads for each of the 14 attendees, giving them easy access to meeting materials, apps, and each other. After completing the study, the participants took their new iPads and new learnings home to share with their compatriots. Read more about the mission in ASAE’s InTouch newsletter.
Environmental Impact
Before “going green” was a catchphrase, DelCor was committed to being environmentally conscious. With the advances being made today, we’re increasingly able to lessen our impact on the environment.
- As an employer, we encourage employees to telecommute and we embrace technologies that help us meet and communicate virtually.
- Our office is conveniently located in a multiuse environment, with quick access to mass transit including Metro Rail and Metro Bus.
- All of the electricity in our offices is provided through wind power, and we recycle nearly all of our business waste paper and packaging.
- When DelCor orders or configures a new PC or laptop for a client, a donation is made to help plant trees and promote reforestation, helping to offset carbon dioxide emissions.
- We also encourage our clients to go green by introducing and implementing solutions such as virtualization and online backups to reduce hardware and energy consumption, all while improving their operations.
Meetings Impact
Attendees at tradeshows often return home with a large bag full of handouts and gimmicky toys that have little use and are therefore wasteful. Here's how we're trying to be more environmentally and socially conscious of our impact as we attend tradeshows and organize our own events and meetings.
- In 2008, we decided to harness the power of the ASAE Annual Expo to give something back instead of just giving something out. That year, we challenged visitors to our booth to donate their spare change and vote for the charity of their choice to receive it. In the end, we donated $500 to Feed the Children in support of its hunger initiatives right here in the United States.
- In 2011, rather than shipping handouts back and forth to conferences, we handed out QR codes that allowed attendees to view and download materials back home, at their convenience.
- Also in 2011, at ASAE’s Annual Expo, we’re inviting attendees to Tweet photos from our booth to compete for a chance to win $500 for their favorite charity.
- At our own locally produced events like Progress U., we contract catering services, when feasible, that use local, seasonable, sustainable foods and help put people to work who otherwise fall through the employment cracks. We even donate usable leftovers to DC’s Central Union Mission for the homeless.
Employee Impact
Whether it’s a walk for diabetes or a race for the cure, DelCor is proud to sponsor our employees (and sometimes our association colleagues) in any way possible when they are participating in charity events. From 5Ks to participating on discussion panels, we’re committed to our staff and supporting their charitable interests. Here’s a sampling of some of the causes we support: