We caught up with Carla Ibarra, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, NRG before CHARGE North America on May 29th.
- In your role at NRG, what strategies have proven most effective in building long-term, meaningful community partnerships?
Our ability to build effective, long-term community partnerships comes from understanding the common objectives between our company and the community we are serving. By aligning our values and goals with those of the organizations we support, we amplify impact and guide our giving strategy with intention and purpose.
2. Can you share an example of how NRG has adapted or evolved its CSR strategy over the years?
While we have maintained some national level partnerships, NRG has found immense value through a regional and local approach to corporate giving and volunteerism. For example, through positive NRG Impact Week we address the national issue of food security by supporting local food banks, food pantries, service gardens – delivering direct aid and measurable impact to the people we call our neighbors in communities like Houston, Princeton, Lehi, or even Calgary.
We have also found success in leveraging a strong and multidisciplinary approach – from CSR to Marketing, Government Affairs, Regulatory, Legal, Communications, and so on – which has allowed us to fine-tune our giving strategy and deliver strong, measurable results for our CSR program.
3. How do you measure the impact of community engagement efforts?
We measure employee engagement through a variety of metrics, such as donations, matching amounts, time volunteered, or pro-bono time. This helps determine the efficacy of our internal outreach and promotion and how well employees connect with our programs.
Additionally, we have different metrics that allow us to keep track of our giving, While a key measure is the donation amount, such as the more than 1.6 million meals we donated, packed or prepared last year, we are calculating the real-life impact of our donations—how many people are benefiting, what members of our community are being reached, how can we increase/expand our impact, and are we making a difference in a way that aligns with our values as a company and with the philanthropic spirit of our employees.
4. What’s one mistake or pitfall you often see companies make in their community engagement work?
Assuming one size fits all. Each market, each need or focus area is different and therefore requires a different approach.
5. What role do employees play in driving NRG’s community engagement, and how do you encourage participation from across the company?
We offer a wide range of programs for employees to choose how they make their impact, some of which include paid volunteered time off, dollars for doers, group grants, ambassador requests and our matching program. We also have volunteering opportunities every week!
We also have recognition programs for our most active volunteers. One such program is Heart of Service, which can best be categorized as a social impact loyalty program. It has proven incredibly successful, and we continue to develop new and exciting ways to engage employees in giving and volunteer efforts.
6. What are you most excited about at CHARGE North America this year?
Your content lineup is incredible! As a marketer by profession, a brand enthusiast, and a storytelling advocate, I am very excited to hear from the different speakers about key trends in energy marketing, brand development, employee engagement, and so on. I look forward to learning from them and bringing back ideas to my peers. You have put together a very insightful agenda, at a great venue, and can’t wait to join you all!