Communications "Buzz" initiatives

All the "buzz" in communications seems to revolve around three key initiatives: "Diversity", "Green" and "Corporate Responsibility" but how many of these are lip service and how many are effective initiatives? How many even have goals and measures?

Basically, corporations are involved in these initiatives to show that they're good guys, they mean well and hey, they're a good place to work (attain and retain top talent), right? I mean, they are saying all the right things... but how many are actually following through and doing them, living them?

Diversity
I was recently involved in a "Diversity" project where, frankly, they just wanted to roll out some technology. Sure, they had some content on diversity, a calendar of multi-cultural events they linked to, committees in the key areas, and a prayer room. But if you went to their executive suite it was still all old, white men; maybe one woman and one person of colour (usually not both). Certainly senior level is not reflective of the organization or the population. But we give them credit for trying - or do we?

Green
I also recently had the chance to observe an organization that had implemented a "Green" program and were very committed to it. They certainly had recycling bins everywhere and encouraged everyone to use their own mugs and not paper cups. They encouraged car pooling and had a place on their intranet to sign up and connect with people to facilitate care pooling. However, they had such convoluted and involved processes that everyone was still printing not just one but up to three copies of things - one for their file, one for their boss and one to move on down the process. And they didn't even know the number of boxes they have in storage -some documents with legal requirements that needed to be printed and signed and saved for a number of years but admittedly, extra documentation that, well, they've always kept and were nervous not to even though not a legal requirement.

Corporate Responsibility
Now, for corporate responsibility; I used to be with an organization that for a few years just went out and planted trees. Isn't that nice? sure. But did the effort (one day a year) equal an adequate corporate responsiblity initiative? no. Oh, they did a food drive and toy drive at Christmas but they were more like tired, obligatory offerings. I did get involved and we asked employees what they wanted to do and surprise, they wanted to use their skills to help the community. We had several events and people started to feel they made a difference; we added a scholarship program; we went back at Christmas time to the community and gave under privileged children we'd met toys and the families that we'd helped food. Admittedly more could have been done but how easy to just ask employees what they want to do and start connecting the possibilities with other events through the year. There is nothing I am more proud of then planning and organizing those events - which also incorporated diversity and environmentally friendly activities.

Let's take the "buzz" out of initiatives and put in some planning, some effort, and some measures; let's start by asking employees what they want to do, what they can do, and let's start connecting the efforts; in other words, let's live the values.