Microsoft enhances Employee Giving Program to raise next billion for nonprofits
The following post is from Lisa Brummel, Chief People Officer at Microsoft.
(From left to right) Microsoft employees Vatsala Isaac, Kendall McElliott, Rachel Ash and Gilmere Vieira at the company’s 5K Run/Walk, an annual Employee Giving Campaign tradition.
It’s been a busy autumn at Microsoft. When I watch the buzz of activity across the company, I see creative people collaborating and moving toward a vision. Our people are equally passionate about contributing to their communities outside of Microsoft. This energy is on full display during October, our annual Employee Giving Campaign – a magical time of year for all of us.
Last year was a significant moment for the Employee Giving Program as we marked the 30th Employee Giving Campaign and the milestone of $1 billion raised for more than 31,000 nonprofits over those three decades (inclusive of corporate match). But we’re not done.
This year, we enhanced the Employee Giving Program to make a bigger impact: we increased the matching funds available to each employee to $15,000 (up from $12,000 in previous years), and we’re helping newly-hired Microsoft employees kick off their giving through a $50 donation to their nonprofit of choice. We’re on track to beat last year’s number, driven by our motivation to support nonprofits in making the world a better place.
As October comes to a close, so do the more than 300 Giving events that occurred throughout the month. We ran, jogged or strolled at the 5K. We raised funds in a relay across time zones with our international colleagues through the 24-Hour Global Give & Go – and one Microsoft employee even ran around campus for the full 24 hours to raise money for the Sankara Eye Foundation. We “flocked” colleagues’ offices with flamingos, set up dunk tanks and held bake sales. We contributed recipes from around the world to the award-winning Microsoft Cookbook to benefit FareStart. We bid on auction items such as breakfast at the Woodland Park Zoo with the twin sloth bear cubs, running the scoreboard at a Mariner’s game, and renaming Microsoft Way – a source of local media intrigue – to benefit Washington State Opportunity Scholarship and United Way of King County.
I am not alone in observing the generosity of Microsoft employees. This month, the company received two reputation-based honors. Consulting firm Performance Inspired surveyed nearly 5,000 consumers to discover America’s Most Inspiring Company, and consulting firm Reputation Institute invited 55,000 consumers across 15 markets to identify the Companies with the Best CSR Reputations. Microsoft received the top ranking in both surveys, with consumers applauding the company’s long-standing legacy of giving to the community through employee-driven and corporate philanthropy.
Choosing where to work often means finding a company whose values match your own. Our employees regularly tell us they choose Microsoft because they know their personal commitment to philanthropy will be honored, encouraged and matched. We have worked together to build a culture of giving that is truly part of Microsoft’s DNA. Whether you’re a Microsoft employee, a nonprofit organization, or a member of one of our global communities, we invite you to share your stories with us and follow our #msftgiving journey – onward toward the next billion!