Kathleen Ryan Mufson
Director, Corporate Citizenship
Are you a skeptic about corporate citizenship? Do believe companies are built only to make profits? Or that corporate citizenship programs are just window-dressing? Well, let me assure you that at Pitney Bowes, corporate citizenship is not only real, but at the heart of what makes our company the great global leader that it is.I first found out about this 26 years ago, when a good friend’s father counseled me that Pitney Bowes was the right company to work for because of its excellent reputation. As proof, he spoke about the company in the context of its products and services, employees, stakeholders, customers, and communities. It was great advice, and I’ve always been glad that I took it.
Little did I know then, though, that I would one day have the good fortune to steer PB’s Corporate Citizenship efforts.
Thinking back on it now, what my friend’s father was really telling me was that Pitney Bowes was a company of strong values; a company built on innovation; and a company with a long-term view of its business and the marketplace; all of which remain true today, and underlie our work in Corporate Citizenship.Like all programs at Pitney Bowes, our Corporate Citizenship efforts begin with a strong mission and clear goals. Ever present in our decision making is how sustainable a program is going to be. Consistent with everything we do, we measure and analyze our success, always with an eye to improving and making sure that the programs we develop will have meaningful, long-term impact.
Our programs also have the added advantage of that special culture that I had heard about years ago. As such, all of our programs, including our business practices, our environment, our diversity & inclusion, our leadership & engagement, our customers & suppliers and our community efforts are interconnected, demonstrating our enterprise and global commitment to leading responsibly.
I know that when we develop our philanthropy and volunteerism programs, we are bringing to bear all that is great about this company. Our programs are infused with:
- a clear purpose,
- a passion for innovation,
- a commitment to ethics,
- a strong sense of environmental stewardship,
- a diverse outlook,
- a drive to lead, and
- a drive to effect positive change in the wider community
Without any one of these attributes, we would not be able to do the important and good work that we do. 
Our philanthropy has a strong strategic focus on literacy and education, and it is making a difference. A recent accounting showed that last year, we reached more than 31,000 students, providing enrichment and learning to school districts in need of help. Our employees volunteered 76,000 hours of hands-on and skills-based volunteerism.
We are very proud of these results, and we have all of our colleagues and their commitment to each other, our company and our communities to thank. The education issue, with its wide-reaching impact on personal opportunities, a competitive workforce pipeline, community building and the overall health of the economy, can be daunting.
But, as noted by Cory Booker, keynote speaker at the recent CECP (Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy) annual conference, “breathtaking opportunities are often disguised as insolvable problems.” I couldn’t agree more. And for that reason, my colleagues and I are also inspired by the passion and expertise of our non-profit partners including:
- Reading Is Fundamental
- Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship
- Everybody Wins U.S.A., and
- The National Center for Family Literacy
Together, we are able to help young children fall in love with reading, mentor middle and high school students on entrepreneurship skills, and engage families with the power of learning. And best part of all, more and more individuals are seeing the potential and breathtaking opportunity to get involved to make a difference.As you can probably tell by now, I’m very passionate and excited by what can be accomplished within a culture that sees and embraces the big picture. I bet you’re not one of those skeptics. I bet you’re just as passionate about your company’s programs. We would love to hear from you.
