Blue Sky Opportunity!

March 13, 2015

At the Winter Luncheon, Karen Sommer, Director, Global Public Affairs, talked about the impact of Blue Sky Involve on local communities. How’s this for performance?

“In 2014, 15,400 employees formed 1,000 project teams and volunteered 151,369 hours, with their selected charities or schools receiving $1 million in grants.”

That’s something special! The website also provides an overview of program requirements:

“Blue Sky Involve, our global, employee-driven volunteer program, encourages employees to form volunteer groups and work with local non-profit organizations or schools to support environmental stewardship or social service efforts while gaining leadership development skills. Each partner organization receives a $1,000 USD grant toward a volunteer project planned with our employees.”

The program was initiated in 2006 for local communities around the world . . . except in the Milwaukee area. That may have been a choice to promote employee engagement in local communities outside the headquarters location. If so, it worked — there have been “more than 7,000 projects and (employees) volunteered 973,969 hours of their time to local communities.” Wow!

At the luncheon Karen mentioned that a proposal was made to open Blue Sky Involve to the Milwaukee Area this year. Well, it was accepted. Milwaukee Area employees can now submit their Blue Sky Involve projects. The program is global, and that includes Milwaukee this year.

Here’s the opportunity. Blue Sky Involve is an employee driven volunteer program, but it’s an opportunity for the entire Johnson Controls community — company, employees and retirees. Working together, combining time, talent, personal networks, with that kicker from the company sounds like a great opportunity to do some good.

Project proposals are being accepted now through April 30. Final selections will be made in May. Karen also mentioned that most projects take place from June through October.

Employees, retirees how about getting together to plot some good projects?

Remember this is an “employee driven” program. So, only current employees can propose a project. But there are options . . .1) retirees and employees collaborating to create something together during the application period; or 2) retirees signing up to help eligible projects that have been vetted in May. How about it employees, put some retiree power under the hood to supercharge your project!

And, please keep WSJSociety.com in the loop. News stories about your plans, needs, and project accomplishments would be great. Maybe we can help you attract some folks to help.

Thanks for the alert Karen,

Jude Anders
Editor WSJSociety.com

(414.351.1229)
(jra4128@gmail.com)
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