2013 CSR Awards: Workplace Innovation

Winner: AT&T Empowers Employees to "Do One Thing" to Improve their Communities and AT&T's Business

Telecommunications giant AT&T wanted to give a new ring to its Do One Thing (DOT) program, a companywide effort that encourages employees to execute measurable actions that are good for themselves, their communities and the company. The program, which rolled out in May 2011, is designed to educate employees about sustainability, boost internal understanding of AT&T’s commitment to social and environmental good and create a simple way for interested employees to get involved in sustainability efforts.

To reach the company’s 240,000 employees AT&T created (and communicated though) an easy-to-use internal communications network to help build communities. It also provided tools to help employees measure their actions. What’s more, the company was able to spark widespread adoption by mobilizing entire teams behind DOTs or “Team DOTs.”

Since launching, DOT has logged impressive results. For example, AT&T saw a cumulative of more than 11,000 hours volunteered in various communities as a result of Team Dots; one retail store manager encouraged store reps to teach seniors to use cell phones. Individual employees reporting DOTs spiked 35%, to 12,502, in the third quarter of 2012, compared with the second quarter. In addition to nurturing new communities the effort also has helped AT&T’s bottom line, with the company saving $700,000 annually by boosting its customers’ paperless billing to 20%, from 1%, in a three-month period.  —Matthew Schwartz 

Honorable Mentions:

  • International Paper Co - It's About LIFE

  • MSL New York - MSL New York Community Connected

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