By Kristen Uppercue
Business leaders and corporations are increasingly prioritizing corporate social responsibility—the practice of engaging in philanthropic and charitable endeavors and supporting volunteer and ethically oriented practices. According to the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, the crises communities continue to face along with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have only accelerated this practice.
In the Mountain State, Dominion Energy, Truist Financial, United Bank and West Virginia American Water have made a significant impact in facing these issues amongst their customer bases, employees and the West Virginia communities they serve.
Dominion Energy
Dominion Energy has maintained the fourth largest solar fleet in the country, transformed its energy grid to be greener and more secure and reduced its carbon emissions by 52%. These accomplishments are part of its initiative to deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy, protect the environment, serve its customers and communities and empower its workforce. The company is currently in the process of building the nation’s largest offshore windfarm and has plans to include nuclear technology in its offerings, allowing it to produce energy that is 100% carbon free.
“Providing clean, essential energy to millions of customers safely is a critical part of what we do,” says Christine Mitchell, chair of the West Virginia Community Investment Board at the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm.
Last year, Dominion Energy announced a $5 million commitment to support nonprofit organizations advocating for social justice and equality with grants designated to help minority-owned and small businesses. The foundation, which celebrated its 75th year of giving in 2020, has supported approximately $520,000 in grants across West Virginia.
The foundation also supports Dominion Energy’s employee involvement in local communities by matching donations employees make to eligible nonprofit charitable organizations dollar for dollar. Employees can also request a $500 grant for a qualifying nonprofit after volunteering for 20 hours with the ability to request up to three grants each year.
Through the Employees in Action volunteer initiative, the company and its team members supported and undertook a variety of projects in 2020, including creating accessible outdoor spaces for disabled community members and holiday care packages for foster system youth; distributing homemade blankets, hygiene and water care kits and meals to citizens experiencing homelessness; restoring a home for a family in need; revitalizing a school library; removing trash along waterways; restoring historic artifacts for Parkersburg’s Oil & Gas Museum; and planting hundreds of trees.
“Our tagline is actions speak louder,” says Mitchell. “Actions speak louder is exemplified through our employee’s volunteer service throughout the communities we serve. Our employee volunteers are the heart and soul of our company. They share a special commitment to improve our communities, one project at a time.”
Truist Financial Corporation
Truist Financial Corporation formed in December 2019 when BB&T and SunTrust Banks merged. Bobby Blakley, West Virginia regional president for Truist, says that the company’s purpose is to inspire and build better lives and communities.
“We’re bringing our purpose to life in a goal-oriented and measurable way through environmental, social and corporate governance,” he says. “We’re creating initiatives, structures and processes that embed social responsibility across all our businesses—in our social impact and diversity and inclusion practices, environmental and financing initiatives and underlying systems of governance.”
Truist Foundation, the company’s philanthropic organization that was established in March 2020, has supported historically black colleges and universities through grant funding, committed at least 10% of its total supplier budget to minority and women-owned businesses, dedicated $15 million to energy and water reduction efforts and committed $2.4 million in renewable energy and sustainability financing.
Through its $60 billion Community Benefits Plan, Truist lends to and invests in low- to moderate-income communities. The company is the first regional bank to offer a social bond—$1.25 billion to fund social programs, including affordable housing, community development and low-income housing tax credits, according to Blakley.
“Our goal is to help level the playing field, so all people have equitable opportunities to thrive,” he says.
Its support to Sprouting Farms, a nonprofit farm and education resource center in Summers County, will help develop a virtual learning platform to deliver agricultural job training programs in partnership with other workforce development agencies that serve low- to moderate-income residents, including disadvantaged youth; those who are unemployed, formerly incarcerated or in recovery; and other vulnerable populations. Truist Foundation has also supported the launch of the West Virginia Women’s Business Center. The company also offers a matching gift program for employees who financially support nonprofits they’re passionate about.
“The Truist Foundation does more than write checks to nonprofits,” says Blakley. “We’re partnering with communities to co-create initiatives that drive lasting change.”
United Bank
Nationally, United Bank provides more than $2.5 million in donation and sponsorship funds annually, benefitting more than 1,000 organizations with 25,000 team members spending time as volunteers.
The bank’s Premier Partner Program allows it to develop relationships with local nonprofit and public-sector agencies, including those that address youth empowerment and youth education in a bilingual environment and provide safe and affordable housing; services and employment opportunities to veterans; free, high-quality medical care to low-income, uninsured adults; and emergency shelter, adoption and other services to children and at-risk youth.
This year, United Bank hosted the 25th annual Kids Golf Classic golf tournament fundraiser to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg, generating $273,000 and impacting 1,000 local youth.
Its mission to support local communities extends to its employees, who have participated in a variety of volunteer activities, especially throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Team members held food and product drives to benefit 29 organizations in communities where United Bank is located.
The company originated more than 8,900 loans through the Paycheck Protection and Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs, totaling more than $1.3 billion and more than 78,000 hours of COVID-19 responses across its employee base.
As a member of Philanthropy West Virginia, United Bank matched $25,000 for the organization’s Giving Tuesday event and collaborated with other members to increase support of the nonprofits directly serving West Virginia amidst the pandemic.
United Bank’s CEO and Chairman of the Board of United Bankshares, Inc., Richard Adams, was named the Washington Business Journal’s CEO of the Year for COVID-19 Response in recognition of the company’s support and commitment to its employees, customers and communities during the pandemic.
“We recognize that the COVID-19 crisis brought on new challenges for our communities and has, unfortunately, had a disparate impact on certain business sectors and populations,” says Christina Cudney, corporate social responsibility officer at United Bank. “United is committed to actively supporting community organizations, small businesses, nonprofits and customers as we all work together to identify solutions that will help us emerge from the pandemic stronger and better than before.”
West Virginia American Water
West Virginia American Water serves one in three West Virginians, making it the largest water service provider in the state. The American Water Charitable Foundation, established in 2010, issues funding for initiatives related to clean water, conservation, education and community sustainability and has invested more than $7.2 million through grants and matching gifts.
In 2020, the foundation awarded $11,900 to Friends of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve; $25,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations to support COVID-19 relief efforts around the state; and $22,720 to 29 additional nonprofits, including employee donations.
The company also partnered with the National Recreation and Park Association to provide Charleston and Huntington with grants totaling $400,000 to construct splash pads, giving it the opportunity to educate the community about the environment and water stewardship.
“This will help families build an appreciation for the environment, enjoy the wonders of water and be reminded of how we all play a role in caring for this critical natural resource,” says Laura Martin, director of communications and external affairs at American Water’s Mid-Atlantic Division and a member of the American Water Charitable Foundation board of trustees. “American Water has long believed in the importance of being a good neighbor and good steward of the environment. We believe in supporting and enhancing the communities where we live, work and operate.”
The company contributes more than $300,000 each year to community events, activities and organizations. In 2020, it contributed $28,000 to 30 fire department and emergency management agencies; $10,000 to four environmental organizations; $29,150 to fund 22 bottle filling stations for public facilities, schools and community centers; and $197,850 to other charitable contributions and community partnerships.
Ninety-four percent of its employees participate in charitable giving and community service projects. These efforts are supported through the Employee Volunteer and Matching Gift Program, which matches volunteer time and monetary donations on a one-to-one basis up to $1,000 per employee each year. The foundation has matched more than $1.7 million to public charities, including more than 42,000 hours of volunteer time.
“West Virginia American Water is very much a local company that has a heart for charitable giving and community support,” says Megan Hannah, the company’s external affairs manager. “Our employees live and play in the communities we serve, and it’s important for us to give back to those communities through our dollars and volunteerism.”
