Corporations often talk about being responsible, such as lessening their impact on the environment, improving the communities in which they do business, or helping solve the many problems in the developing world. Another important way companies can have a positive impact is creating a culture of volunteerism with their employees.

GSK has long been an advocate for employee volunteerism, but this year, GSK decided to up the ante. This month, GSK launched “Orange Day,” as GSK employees across the globe plan to take advantage of a company-paid day off to volunteer in their communities. The cumulative effort will transcend our already significant level of community service. One of the organizations that GSK employees are helping is StandUp For Kids, run by volunteers who assist homeless teens in Atlanta, as well as operating 39 other programs in 22 states and the District of Columbia, including Raleigh, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, where GSK has a significant presence.

The generosity of GlaxoSmithKline is overwhelming,” said Dale Alton, StandUp-Atlanta's executive director. “Your gifts allow us to help more kids on more nights in the future. I have never seen anything like the instantaneous and unforeseen outpouring of support from your people.

“We have 106,000 employees around the world,” Andrew Witty, CEO, said. “Giving everyone a day of service is like 300 people volunteering full-time for an entire year. As long as I'm in this job, I will encourage everyone to take this opportunity to show that GSK is made of passionate, engaged people who take pride in making a difference for people who need help the most.”

The program launched on January 22 in Atlanta, where GSK employees assembled hundreds of health, hygiene and food kits. Essentials in the kits included energy bars, safety pins, and tubes of Aquafresh toothpaste and toothbrushes contributed by GSK's Consumer Healthcare division.

Becca Orchard, StandUp-Atlanta's director of community support, told the group that 13 teens die on the streets of the US every day; in Atlanta, about 2,500 teens are homeless. People like a 19-year-old man who told the group that he left home after suffering abuse, ending up on the streets, where StandUp offered him help and hope. Thanks to StandUp, he now lives at a shelter and takes classes at a college in Atlanta.

At the kick-off event, Tricia Schwab, US Pharma Sales VP, emphasized the value of personal and team growth, asking leaders at each table to talk about their volunteer experiences and share ideas on how to take Orange Day back to their district and sales professionals. As table conversations started, a local district sales manager was inspired to do more than put the survival kits together. He passed around a plastic bag, asking everyone to reach into their wallets to support StandUp. Funds collected totaled $8,320.

The excitement in the room continued to build as Tricia told the audience that StandUp For Kids has no facility in Atlanta, sharing quarters with another non-profit organization just three hours once a week, but they had donated space that needs $75,000 in renovations. “I think we can help with that,” she said and presented Becca and other StandUp volunteers with a check for $75,000 from the US Pharma business. The room erupted in cheers and emotion.