You are on page 1of 4

Running head: CSR ALLSTATE

Crystal McField
International College of the Cayman Islands
Seminar on Business and Society

Reflection Paper Corporate Social Responsibility Outing


BE 425
LECTURER: Dr. David Marshall
Date: May 20, 2016

On Friday, May 20, 2016, the seminar class visited and took part in a social initiative at
the YMCA Northern Chicago. This event was a great experience which motivated me to make a
difference in my community in the Islands.

CSR ALLSTATE
YMCA stands for young men Christian association and offers communities swim classes,
yoga, and health and wellness programs for the community to enjoy. Founded in 1844 by George
Williams, the YMCA has matured into an organization focused on youth development, healthy
living, and social responsibility.
Allstate, on the other hand, has over 30,000 staff members inclusive of agency owners
and their staff members. The company focusses on enhancing their staff through leadership
development programs for recent college graduates while offering training and experience in
marketing, accounting, corporate relations, and media. Today the company was represented by
Ms. Laura Fravletti and a host of other staff of the marketing and corporate relations department.
The Allstate Company prides itself on the companys mission ensuring everyone has a good life
and protection from risk.
Creating a business value and social value makes an impact on consumers and customers.
Another highlight of the company was the two main areas of focus Purple purse and good starts
young. Purple purse focuses on domestic violence and empowering survivors to obtain financial
stability which allows them to find freedom. Another focus is good starts young. This program is
directed to teens and young adults. It is centered on empowering and enhancing their lives
through exposure. The program has reduced teen accidents, developed social and emotional
skills along with academic success. It inspires young people to engage in service learning,
improves college and workplace readiness.
For the event, the seminar class along with representatives from Allstate was volunteering
at YMCA. We were painting and cleaning benches, planting trees, gardening and removing fence
wiring. This experience was life changing for me. I felt empowered and obligated to make a

CSR ALLSTATE
change no matter how small. I was also impressed with the passion and commitment showed by
Allstate employees to support their various community ingenuities. After seeing their passion I
have begun to wonder how we could give back to our community at home and help raise
awareness.
This experience reminds me of my childhood; many non-profit organizations would come
into my neighborhood and give out toys for Christmas, food vouchers and help create a better
surrounding for the community. I was very young and didnt understand why but as I am older I
can relate and appreciate these initiatives and my community. I do not feel that Cayman has
experienced the magnitude of the US in regards to homelessness and unemployed people who
cannot find basic necessities for survival. The Cayman Islands government has provided many
services such as Needs Assessment Unit and Department of Children and Family services to
provide and assess family situations. They also provide shelter and counseling for individuals
along with a workforce agency focused on helping persons find employment.
According to text, strong relationships between businesses and the community are formed
by building healthy cohesive and collaborated partnerships. Communities expect corporations to
support programs and raise awareness of social conflicts. This shows consumers and customers
that corporations are committed to corporate citizenship. (Lawrence, A. pg.402) With this
partnership business will increase profitability and social value.

References

CSR ALLSTATE
Lawrence, A. & Weber, J., (2014). Business and society: Stakeholders, ethics, public
policy (14th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

You might also like