DOING extra good at work and giving back to the community is a concept Committee for Ballarat's Ellen Jackson finds a lot of businesses in the region are trying - or at least wanting to try.
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Ms Jackson, who is also a workplace psychologist, said corporate citizenship is about finding the right fit, making sure this work strategically aligns best with a brand.
But Ms Jackson said corporate citizenship was something all business, big and small, could and should aim to achieve for improved productivity, customer loyalty and generally making Ballarat a better place on the whole.
Committee for Ballarat is set to host a forum next week drawing on community philanthropic leaders and an international corporate citizen expert to put the concept in focus and, help Ballarat businesses do better more often.
"Certainly for younger generations, employers who are making a difference and fulfill a sense of meaning and purpose matters," the Committee for Ballarat leadership lead said.
"It's probably not something talked about enough yet - actions might be more ad hoc or historical and employees might not know about them.
"There are great opportunities to engage employees in causes they might be interested in...The more people who come, the better able we are to initiate conversation, learning and understanding skills, tips and contacts."
Corporate social responsibility is a theme picked up by Committee for Ballarat Future Shapers last year as a leadership in action project in the emerging leaders' forum.
One group created a Giving Better Together do-it-yourself guide, focusing on strategies to link up organisations based on community needs.
An example they have offered is one business seeking to give back to community offering office space, volunteers or skilled workers to assist a charity partner seeking such features for its operations.
The project, created independently, fit Committee for Ballarat's corporate citizenship forum and the group has been invited to present.
American author Bea Boccalandro will be keynote speaker, sharing advice from more than two decades' experience helping businesses more inclusive, meaningful, environmentally sustainable and charitable - all elements she has found savvy customers increasingly look for now.
Other presenters include The Ballarat Foundation chief executive officer Andrew Eales on the Vital Signs report, the first holistic snapshot of Ballarat community health in more than a decade.
The Raven Collective Nat Illingworth will be presenting on her gift hamper social enterprise that helps to re-skill women who have fled family violence.
Western Bulldogs Community Foundation will also be sharing why the club chooses to get involved in community projects in diversity, literacy, inclusion, leadership and health.
Committee for Ballarat's Corporate Citizenship: Making a Positive Impact, Together forum is at Ballarat Goods Shed, March 23. Registrations close Friday: committeeforballarat.com.
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