It’s lunchtime. I know this because the yellow school bus pulls up, and one by one a few dozen children spill out and flood the lobby of our corporate headquarters in Philadelphia. Loud and often full of laughter, they are greeted by a dedicated group of Comcast employees who participate in our Beyond School Walls mentoring program, run in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. The students, who attend an elementary school about 20 minutes north of us, are hard to miss – by me or by many of our employees who see and hear the children in crowded elevators during the lunchtime rush at Comcast Center. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s amazing how much these student "Littles," many who face challenging personal circumstances, grow and change throughout the year. They develop the confidence that a mentoring relationship can provide. Perhaps not surprisingly, our employee "Bigs" grow, too, becoming more engaged and committed to their work and our company.
That connection – from the workplace to the community – is at the heart of our commitment to giving back.
It’s also why we are honored to be included among The Civic 50, an annual initiative that identifies and recognizes companies for their commitment to improving the quality of life in the communities where they do business. Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service, conducts The Civic 50 survey in partnership with Bloomberg L.P.
Whether through mentoring programs or our commitment to bridging the digital divide through Comcast’s Internet Essentials, we work hard to integrate our Community Investment efforts across our businesses. We don’t simply write a check. Rather, we take a holistic approach to giving, using our unique assets to drive lasting change in our communities. We encourage our employees, including our leadership team, to take active roles and help guide our efforts. And we measure the impact we make, as we continually look for ways to improve what we are doing.
My inbox is often filled with messages from employees sharing their pride in working for a company that takes our community commitment seriously. They tell me about the hours they spent refurbishing a school playground on Comcast Cares Day, or the joy they felt reading the news about our newest technology initiative at Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.
This is our second consecutive year as one of The Civic 50. While we are honored to be recognized for our efforts, we know there is more to do. We look forward to striving in the years ahead to make a difference and improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.