Comcast recognized for Community Involvement

It is oftentimes the case that corporations are ridiculed for focusing solely on their products and services (and by extension their bottom line), and not seeking out avenues through which they can make notable contributions in other facets as well. If there was ever a concern that telecommunications giant Comcast would fall into such a category, their recent accomplishment should put those thoughts to rest.

 

 

 

Comcast NBCUniversal and The Civic 50

 

 

Just over two weeks ago, it was announced that for the second year running, The Civic 50 would be recognizing Comcast NBCUniversal as one of the most community-minded organizations in the United States. Notably, the company was the top-ranked of all communications organizations that managed to make the list.

 

 

The Civic 50 initiative, conducted by Points of Light in partnership with Bloomberg LP, is determined annually via survey, where companies are evaluated based on their use of skills and similar resources to improve the communities within which they operate. Speaking on the announcement, Charisse Lillie, Vice President of Community Investment for Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast Foundation stated, “Giving back is a significant part of the Comcast NBCUniversal culture, and we strongly believe in fostering a civically-engaged workforce.”

 

 

Throughout the soon-to-be-concluded year, Comcast donated over $18 million specifically to non-profit organizations such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), with whom they recently signed a five-year contract with the aim of expanding digital literacy and lessening the “digital divide”. There were also contributions made through local sponsorships, grants provided by the Comcast Foundation, and the airing of public service announcements. Aside from these, however, there are a couple of other notable programs that highlight that Comcast’s involvement and commitment to the community is not a fluke. Here’s a look at them both:

 

 

 

Comcast Cares Day

 

 

One of Comcast’s biggest days on the calendar is its annual Comcast Cares Day. The initiative began in 2001 with just over 6,000 volunteers, and since then has grown into what is arguably the largest corporate-organized one-day volunteer event in America.

 

 

This year’s staging of the event was in April, with over 95,000 volunteers contributing more than 570,000 hours of volunteer service. This time was spent cleaning parks, building playgrounds, renovating schools, removing graffiti, and similar exploits to enhance the comfort level within various communities. There was also the upgrading of facilities with both equipment (computers, televisions etc.) and the services that they provide.

 

The number of volunteers has increased each year – improving by some 10,000 from 2013’s turnout – and it is not impossible to imagine that figure breaching 100,000 in the coming year. Interestingly, the efforts on the day were not limited only to the United States, as some 14 additional countries were also involved, inclusive of England, India, Japan, New Zealand and Spain. This resulted in the successful execution of over 820 projects across the globe.

 

 

 

Internet Essentials

 

 

Bridging the digital divide is among the primary objectives of all who make contributions to community development, and for Comcast there is no greater demonstration of achieving this feat than their Internet Essentials initiative. The program was launched back in 2011, and though it should have ended in June of this year, in understanding its value they chose to extend it indefinitely.

 

 

Internet Essentials is an adoption program designed specifically for low-income families, and always them to acquire the much-coveted Internet service at a cost that they can afford. Recreation aside, one of the main reasons households desire web connectivity is to facilitate education, and as a result the program also makes it possible for those customers to acquire a laptop at a reduced cost. Ultimately, Comcast makes both the service and the equipment to utilize it more accessible.

 

 

In commending such efforts, it should be noted that the full extent of the initiative goes much further. Subscribers to the program who may not be as “Internet savvy” as they would want to be also have the option of receiving training via the web, through printed material or through face-to-face assistance. There is assistance provided in areas such as job search and the use of social media platforms, while there is online content that speaks to popular topics such as cyber bullying that parents can use to help educate their kids.

 

 

In terms of its reach, Internet Essentials is available in 39 states across the country (as well as the District of Columbia) and currently being accessed by over 350,000 families. This translates to over 1.5 million Americans.

 

 

Investment, integration and impact are three key areas of evaluation that are utilized by The Civic 50 when constructing their annual report. Initiatives such as the partnership with BGCA, Comcast Cares Day and Internet Essentials – which respectively associated with those three categories – are a big part of the reason that Comcast was recognized on their list of top contributors to community involvement.

 

 

 

Comcast recognized for Community Involvement