Corporate social responsibility has never been more critical, and Boston businesses are stepping up to offer nonprofits vital financial support, volunteer hours, and expertise. Below, some of Boston’s most generous corporate philanthropists share which organizations they choose to support and how they’re making an impact, both locally and globally. Through their stories, we hope you’ll come to appreciate their efforts on behalf of our city. Click through the links below to find out how you can donate your time and resources to these organizations, too!
LAZ Parking
Founded in 1981 with a single valet location, LAZ Parking has grown to become the second largest parking company in America. Regional Vice President Brian Haley discusses the accomplishments of the company’s foundation and their commitment to employees, clients, and the local community.
What inspired you to create the LAZ Parking Charitable Foundation?
We have always been very involved with charities near and dear to us. In 2010, we created the
LAZ Parking Charitable Foundation to contribute time and financial resources to charitable organizations that make a positive difference in people’s lives. The creation of the foundation also allowed us to align our regional offices to focus on a primary charity for fundraising and volunteer activities to give our 12,100 employees the opportunity to give back to their communities in a significant way.
How do you choose the charitable organizations you support?
Our national sponsorship is determined by a selection process with input from each regional office. We reach out to all employees, and they are offered the ability to submit an application for a charity to be considered for our national fundraising efforts. In addition, the local offices have the ability to donate a portion of funds raised to sponsor other charities that are important to that region. For example, we have been supporting the
Special Olympics nationally for more than 10 years, and this selection came from one of our employees whose son is a Special Olympics athlete.
How does giving back to the Boston community tie back to the goals of your company?
LAZ Parking has a strong people culture. We are very passionate about supporting our team, clients, and the community. Since starting the foundation, our employees are more connected to giving back. They come to us with different charities they feel can use our support, which allows us to live out our company values. The connections we make volunteering are very powerful and help build teamwork and camaraderie.
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