With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1199442
Dana Matheson, owner of C&D Logistics in Vancouver, has a very simple reason giving back is part of his corporate strategy: "I think if you are fortunate enough to grow a profitable busi- ness then you should invest in the community that supports you," he says. "It is just good busi- ness and the right thing to do." C&D Logistics was founded in 1999, and after establishing itself as an industry mainstay, the company started the C&D Cares Initiative, which dedicates 10% of its annual profit and has donated more than $2 million since the initiative began five years ago. It is hard to find a charity that hasn't benefit- ted from C&D's generosity. Three times a year the staff cooks breakfast for the families at Ronald McDonald House. They sponsor families at Christmas, support upwards of 20 sports teams and organizations, and sponsor com- munity groups like Greater Langley Food Bank, the Child Development Centre and Cops for Cancer. C&D partners with the Vancouver Giants to run the Fraser Valley Family Day, which raises around $25,000 that is divvied between Basics for Babies, the Fire Department Charitable Soci- ety and the Washington Kids Foundation. The charitable spirit is part of the company's culture and the willingness to give back beyond the office is an attribute sought in new recruits. "Our employees love doing these things because it makes them feel like this is more than just a job," Matheson says. "It gives the job an added purpose. "They feel like they are making a difference in the community, and that gives them more of a sense of pride and accomplishment." Matheson remembers playing sports as a kid and seeing spon- sor names on the jerseys and at facilities. "That always stuck with me," he says. "If it wasn't for these companies maybe we wouldn't have minor sports, and I think it is important that all companies share in that mindset." He encourages business owners to rally their staff and get out there into the community to make a difference—and that difference doesn't have to be monetary. "Go and clean parks (C&D has adopted sev- eral) or do an event that raises money or aware- ness," Matheson says. "Serve lunch at the soup kitchen. There is power in numbers and whether you have staff of 10 or 60, if they buy in as part of your culture, that's a good number of people getting into the community to do some good." Learn more about C&D Logistics and the C&D Cares Initiative at www.cdlogistics.ca ■ C&D Logistics donates 10% of its profits to charities in the Lower Mainland because it's just good business C&D CARES… AND YOU SHOULD, TOO PHOTO COURTESY C & D LOGISTICS C R E AT E D BY BCBusiness I N PA RT N E RS H I P W IT H C & D LOGISTICS