We sat down with Scott, Global Head of FP&A, to talk about Shutterstock's inspiring journey with volunteering and how organizations can benefit from being socially conscious. With years of experience in leadership, Scott shared his perspective on giving back to the community, fostering a culture of volunteerism, and why it’s crucial for organizations to prioritize social responsibility.
Can you share with us your personal journey with volunteering? What inspired you to get involved?
Volunteering in any capacity is something I’ve always wanted to be more involved in but did not become a regular volunteer until my children started their B’nei Mitzvah preparations three years ago. Mitzvah literally means “a good deed done from religious duty” and a mitzvah project is a part of the larger process of becoming a B’nei Mitzvah. This project typically focuses on the needs of your immediate community, however, it can be difficult to find opportunities where children of age 12 or 13 can participate. I ended up finding three great causes where children can participate with their parents.
The first is Paws Crossed which is a no-kill cat and dog rescue in Elmsford, New York. I currently have three rescue dogs so this cause is close to my heart and my kids love animals so it was easy to get them excited about volunteering. You fall in love with the animals when you visit but there is no greater joy than seeing the tally of annual adoptions increase on their big board. About three animals per day get adopted.
There is also Hope’s Food Pantry, one of the largest in Westchester County and serves over 100 meals a night. They made volunteering really easy from the sign up to the participation as there are many events all over the county.
Lastly, Grassroots Grocery that is based out of The Bronx, and focuses on getting fresh produce to those who need it most. Volunteering with Grassroots is incredibly rewarding as you participate in each step of the redistribution of food, from unloading refrigerated trucks, to separating the fruits and vegetables to driving it directly to community pantries throughout Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx. Grassroots is the organization that I’ve been most involved in and was the organization that came to the Empire State Building in March to do a fund raising event called the “Great Sandwich Race”. I’m really grateful to all the participants as well as Rik Powell and Meeckel Beecher for their support in hosting this event.
As a senior leader at Shutterstock why do you think it is important to promote volunteering and giving back to the community?
Volunteering with colleagues is a win-win situation. Most of our time is spent with our colleagues at work and volunteering for the greater good has been a great team bonding experience. The healthy, but very real, competition of which team could make the most sandwiches during the “Great Sandwich Race” was evidence of that. Volunteering as a team also breaks down some of the social barriers between co-workers that may not get an opportunity to interact on a regular basis. It’s critical to the success of the company for people to understand what each other does and who they are.
What advice would you give to other leaders who are looking to promote volunteerism and community impact within their team?
Don’t hesitate to encourage volunteering outside the office but you should be considerate to let their teams volunteer for causes they believe in or in a way that is comfortable for them.There is also less friction if you can arrange for the event to be during work hours.
Looking forward, how do you envision expanding your volunteer work?
I’d like to look for a staff role or to become a board member for a charitable organization. Individual volunteerism is critical but I want to make a bigger difference by helping recruit volunteers or creating greater fund raising to the organizations that I believe in.
A big thanks to Scott for sharing his insights on the power of volunteering and being socially conscious in the workplace. Scott’s story exemplifies how our employees are driving positive change in their communities. Through our Lens for Change social impact program, we encourage team members to take advantage of volunteer time off, support the fundraising goals of the organizations they serve, and amplify their impact by requesting donations tied to their volunteer hours to maximize the benefits of Shutterstock’s annual donation match.
