Why is corporate philanthropy important?

Businesses of all sizes and industries can impact the communities surrounding them by having corporate philanthropy programs. These are investments and activities that a company voluntarily gets involved with to account for its social impact, including financial investments, product donations, in-kind services, and volunteerism.

The impacts that philanthropy offers a company, its employees, and society are invaluable. For local organizations, grants, financial support and volunteer hours can help provide supplies, resources and manpower that otherwise would go unfunded. These benefits can help strengthen the community with more opportunities for residents and boost the local economy.

Employee morale and recruitment efforts can also be bolstered through a company’s philanthropic programs. When a company shows that it cares about the community and emphasizes a sense of giving, employees and job seekers can feel that they are or can be part of something bigger beyond the typical scope of work. People are also passionate about serving others, and some companies even offer employee funds that provide monetary funding to colleagues who are going through unforeseen financial burdens.

How companies can get involved

Consequently, when a company has philanthropic programs and is well established, the local community, clients and potential customers can have a positive perception of the company. This positive image encourages community members to utilize the company’s services over a competitor who is not as involved with the community and helping others.

Examples of how small-to-mid-sized business support their communities:

Regardless of the size of a company, businesses can incorporate giving and philanthropy through several different options.

Community Grants: Surrounding community organizations can apply to a company with a community grant program explaining how the grant would support their mission, or the company itself initiates community grants.

Volunteer time off: Volunteer time off is employer-sponsored paid time off to do volunteer work, allowing employees to take a day away from work to contribute to non-profit efforts.

Matching gifts: Companies with matching gift initiatives match the employee’s dollar amount of funds to eligible charities and non-profits.

About RK

RK Industries (RK) is the parent company of seven wholly-owned subsidiaries focused on construction, manufacturing, fabrication and building services. It operates four manufacturing and fabrication facilities in the greater Denver area and has helped construct some of the most prominent buildings shaping the Denver skyline. For close to 60 years, RK has had the privilege of supporting numerous nonprofits and charities that improve the quality of life in the community and the quality of life for its employees. Today, RK continues its proud tradition of philanthropy through the RK Foundation and RK Cares.

RK Foundation

Established in 2011, the RK Foundation allocates grant funding and supports employee volunteer hours to local nonprofits and causes that align with our three focus areas: community development, education, and health. The RK Foundation is funded by recycling all of the scrap metal produced at RK’s four shop facilities, construction projects, and service sites. All proceeds are directed to the RK Foundation, supporting community organizations in a unique and sustainable funding model.

Community Development: RK believes in the power of individuals, groups, and businesses working together to strengthen the communities in which its employees and clients live and work. It seeks to support organizations that innovate and generate tangible solutions to issues affecting communities in the Rocky Mountain region.

Education: Quality education systems are the foundation for successful businesses and communities and are a key driver of disrupting so many families’ poverty cycles. We have a strong connection to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and a passion for developing career technical education and pathways for the skilled trades. Our purpose is to invest in various educational pathways that allow a diverse workforce to flourish. We respect and admire 501(c)(3)s that are relentless in their pursuit of delivering better quality solutions.

Health: Healthy stakeholders and communities are a priority and a driving force behind our giving. RK supports health initiatives in the local communities and focuses on employee wellness, physically and mentally. RK places special emphasis on funding mental health awareness, suicide prevention and men’s health initiatives.

RK Cares

RK Cares serves as RK’s philanthropic and corporate citizenship arm, overseeing employee engagement and community outreach efforts. Throughout the year, RK Cares organizes various volunteer opportunities for RK employees, their families, and friends. Volunteer events include packing food at local food banks, mobile blood drives, making blankets, wrapping holiday presents for kids in need, and assembling care packages for deployed military members, to name a few. RK Cares volunteers regularly log around 400 hours during the group volunteer activities on an annual basis.

In 2019, the RK Cares Foundation was formally established to oversee the new employee hardship fund program, the HERO Fund. The HERO Fund empowers our team to help one another reduce the burden when unexpected emergencies occur. It is an emergency relief fund that is a resource for RK employees and their immediate family members when they experience financial hardships such as medical emergencies, the death of a family member, and loss of housing or transportation due to unexpected circumstances. RK employees donate collectively to support co-workers and their families to help each other recover and rebuild.

RK is proud to support its communities and the health and well-being of its employees. It is a company that understands that helping others is part of its business model. Providing support outside its typical project initiatives is a way for RK to give back and be a helping hand through the power of its financial and employee volunteer resources.

Written by Ileana Morales

10 Year Impact Report, accessed April 8, 2022

Corporate Philanthropy: Definition and Benefits, accessed April 8, 2022, Indeed

RK Cares Hero Fund: An Employee Compassion Fund, accessed April 8, 2022, RK Industries

The Importance of Corporate Philanthropy, accessed April 8, 2022, CHRON.

What is Corporate Philanthropy?, accessed April 8, 2022, Selflessly

By: RK 

Optimism is high for the construction industry in 2018, but as with any business, the reality of the challenges facing our field is a possibility and you need to stay prepared to weather the storm.

Here are a few tips to help your company remain competitive.

Issue: Skilled Trades Shortage

2017 saw a massive increase in the need for skilled workers, and 2018 is no different. Unfortunately, the industry is having difficulty finding skilled laborers to keep up with the demand. The shortage of skilled tradespeople means builders are facing the stark realization that in order to staff their job sites and stay competitive, they need to provide training, competitive wages and also be prepared to offer more overtime.

Tip:

• Implement creative recruiting strategies and apprenticeship programs to entice students to learn a trade rather than attend a traditional four-year university.
• Offer onsite job training, university credits as part of an apprenticeship program, and benefit packages to sweeten the deal.

Issue: Accelerated Schedules

Unfortunately, with soaring land and material costs, owners and developers are demanding faster construction time lines which leads to accelerated project schedules and places a strain on subcontractors.

Tip:

• Plan ahead. By creating a staffing plan and sticking to it, you will then be prepared to staff your job site during peak construction and avoid paying employees overtime.

Issue: Industry Bias

Graduating design students may feel as though the construction industry isn’t a line of business that will foster their design skills and put them to use. Although the adoption of Building Information Modeling (BIM) was adapted at a leisurely pace, successful companies are investing money into building robust BIM departments. Graduating design students have the skillset necessary to fill these positions within the construction industry.

Tip:

• Recruit those graduating with design degrees that require basic skillset and knowledge needed to work in a CAD department. This sought after skill is also appealing to those graduating with a focused design degree from major universities while also guaranteeing more efficient work practices for employers.

RK understands that even when you face challenges, you still need high quality craftsmanship and skilled professionals to create accommodations that represent your company. For additional details on how we can assist you, please contact our sales team at 303.355.9696 and/or rksales@rkindustries.com.

By: RK Mechanical

If you were to ask a high school student about the options that their guidance counselor gives them for the future, most would tell you one thing: college. In the past 50 years, most schools (and parents) push their children to go to an institution of higher learning; they see it as the only option for gaining success, achievement, and a happy life.

Let’s face it though: a lot of people are not cut out for college. This isn’t a bad thing either. There might be a stigma about it that has cropped up in recent years, but some people don’t want to be in school for another 4-8 years after just finishing 12 of them. It used to be that guidance counselors would offer the option of a vocational school, depending on the student that was sitting in front of them. Not so much anymore.

In an article from Forbes magazine’s website[i], Genevieve Stevens, interim dean for instruction at Houston Community College’s central campus, said that “For two or three generations, the focus has been to go to college, get a degree and in doing so you will ensure a brighter future with more access to employment.  We started focusing on academic institution, but left behind the notion of work-force education.” In light of this trend, the skilled trades industry has suffered.

According to the same article, ManpowerGroup has listed for the last three years running that the hardest segment of the workforce to staff has been the skilled trades – welders, electricians, machinists, which are so prevalent in manufacturing and construction. There are indications that it’s only going to get worse in the coming years. RK Mechanical has a potential solution to this worrying development.

RK has an apprenticeship program where apprentices get trained, and at the end of four years, they finish with a Journeyman’s license. Additionally, RK partners with the Community College of Aurora, Colorado (CCA) to give the apprentice the opportunity to complete an AA degree in Applied Science as part of that apprenticeship program.

The message that RK wants to deliver is that college is a great path, but not the only one. A skilled trades path provides a rewarding career, financial stability, a sense of accomplishment, and a career track of increasing responsibility and rewards. The other great thing about working for RK is, in addition to the skilled trades path, you have the college option as well, in light of their partnership with CCA. It really is the best of both worlds.

[i] Wright, Joshua. “America’s Skilled Trades Dilemma: Shortages Loom As Most-In-Demand Group Of Workers Ages.” Forbes.com, March 17^th, 2013. www.forbes.com/sites/emsi/2013/03/07/americas-skilled-trades-dilemma-shortages-loom-as-most-in-demand-group-of-workers-ages.