My management philosophy was greatly influenced by some experiences I had working at Bell Labs 30 years ago. There were some exceptionally bright people there and I had a chance to work with some really great leaders. More than 10 years ago, I wrote about “Doing well by doing good,” where a corporation gets involved in community activities, doing the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do.
At the time, I was writing about TELUS launching its Toronto Community Board, noting that “In addition to funding various community initiatives, TELUS plans to have a national community activity day – a day of volunteerism for its employees. Congratulations to those involved.”
I was thinking back on the past 10 years of TELUS community leadership as I flipped through the latest TELUS Sustainability Report. TELUS applies a very broad definition of “sustainability,” connecting to all areas of its business: increasing digital inclusion; transforming healthcare; environmental stewardship; advancing education; and, community investment. TELUS tries to find a role for every one of its employees team member to play in this initiative.
We believe in the harmonious relationship between our team and the health and prosperity of our communities. For this reason, we take a balanced approach to our sustainability strategy development, focusing on:
- Digital Economy: connecting customers with the information and people that matter most to them
- Health: empowering better health knowledge, management and outcomes
- Environment: addressing climate change and improving resource productivity
- Education: providing opportunities for our future leaders
- Privacy and Trust: committing to respect individual privacy and maintaining transparency about how we handle data
- Community: fostering more inclusive and equitable communities.
The print version of the report is 165 pages [14.2MB, pdf], and it is worth a look, or go to the interactive site.
It can be inspirational.
As my frequent readers might expect, I turned immediately to the section on digital inclusion, looking at a number of initiatives beyond TELUS’ “Internet for good,” and activities to help settle refugees as part of its version of “Connecting Canadians.”
Its strategy is plainly stated: “By harnessing the power of our technology, the reach of our brand and the hearts of our team, we are driving business value and addressing pressing social challenges in Canada.”
Or more plainly stated, they are doing the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do.