These days, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer just a project on the periphery of a company’s mission. It’s an integral part in developing a company’s employees and creating a positive impact on a community.

That’s what happened on May 3 when Hinge Inquirer teamed up with Renovate to Educate (REd) to improve the educational experience of the students of Gotamco Elementary School in Pasay City.

REd is a non-profit organization that’s responding to the realities of Filipino education. Inadequate infrastructure in schools, such as broken chairs and insufficient bookshelves, are not unheard of, and it contributes a great deal to the level of quality education a student receives. In an effort to improve a student’s experience, and thus their learning, REd’s nationwide initiative has impacted over 150,000 students from 65 schools in 28 cities across 14 provinces.

Doing their part to contribute to REd’s mission through its CSR, the entire Hinge team gathered to spend the day repairing, repainting, and building furniture for the school’s 1148 students and 40 teachers.

In total, over 73 desks and chairs, 11 blackboards, four library tables, and two classrooms were repainted. All 73 desks and chairs were also repaired, plus three classroom doors. Meanwhile, six bookshelves were built and a large mural along the school’s main staircase was painted by the collective effort of the Hinge team.

While the day demanded a lot on a physical level, it was the level of satisfaction gained from the outcome that made it a worthwhile event for everyone in attendance. 

The benefits of corporate social responsibility

While most CSRs take place out of the office, its impact can be felt inside the workplace as it’s known to promote a positive environment as employees become more engaged on a professional and personal level.

Companies that adopt and prioritize CSR thrusts can also potentially encourage more innovation and creativity from employees. Knowledge of a company’s CSR is also likely to attract and retain engaged employees as knowing that you’re contributing to a greater cause can increase employee satisfaction, which is a notable factor to the millennial workforce’s mentality.

All this boils down to the fact that employees simply like working for a company that is doing real, tangible good, especially when it means that you’re contributing to a worthy cause that’s directly benefiting a community.

Beyond its internal effects, the true value of CSR is the good it can do to its surrounding communities. There are a number of issues plaguing the country, and one way a company can be part of the solution is by removing the word corporate from CSR and viewing it simply as a social responsibility. Hinge’s efforts at Gotamco are proof of this. 

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