United Shore’s Pay It Forward program bakes CSR into the culture

United Shore’s program, Pay It Forward, not only provides employees with opportunities to participate in community initiatives, it encourages active involvement—leading to a first-place win in the “Corporate Social Responsibility” category of Ragan’s 2017 Employee Communications Awards.

Through United Shore’s intranet UZone, employees who are recognized for going above and beyond on the job earn points they can use toward charitable contributions. These aren’t just cash donations, but the purchase of actual items community organizations need. 
Currently, 27 charitable organizations are included in the program, many suggested by employees themselves. 

One example: When Hurricane Harvey struck, the organization’s 2,000 employees donated through the Pay It Forward program more than 16,000 times. “Employees even started rallying their own subgroups to get more Pay it Forward points in order to donate more,” according to United Shore. (When an employee uses points, it shows up on UZone’s home page.)

The buzz the program has created in the community has led to a torrent of calls from charitable organizations seeking to be included. The impact on the community is clear, but it’s also worth noting the impact on the culture, which is one of relationships rather than transactions. Monica Haider, United Shore’s vice president of engagement, says the program is profound because “it speaks volumes about who United Shore is as a company.”

Congratulations to United Shore’s Monica Haider