Chuck Brown, CEO of Infinity, Inc.

Summer is the time of year when much of the office staff is away as families go on vacation and kids are out of school. But more and more companies are also giving employees additional time off to contribute to others in the community, or give back, so they have a purpose of more than just earning a profit.

From taking a mission trip to help with medical needs of the poor, to gathering books for students to read while home for the summer, companies in Savannah – and across our state – are stepping up in a new effort to give back in a project known as goBeyondProfit.

goBeyondProfit is raising awareness among corporate executives about the importance of giving back in each community in Georgia. Part of a nationwide corporate trend to look beyond just making money, CEOs are asking each other to take the pledge in Georgia to goBeyondProfit and help others in need as it is not only the right thing to do but it is also good for business.

Research shows that companies that focus beyond making money return six times more to shareholders than explicitly profit-driven rivals. Employees of companies that give back are also happier and feel more productive.

While capitalism is the foundation of American business and profits are essential to make an economy thrive, CEOs across the country are embracing this new trend of making charitable contributions to society. Some are rolling up their sleeves and volunteering in their communities to help others first-hand with their time and talent. Others are donating funds or supplies to provide aid to those who need a helping hand.

The former CEO and founder of BlackRock, one of the nation’s premier investment firms, said earlier this year that as governments fail to manage the host of issues facing our country, society is turning more and more to corporate America to respond to our nation’s challenges.

At our Savannah-based IT services firm, employees are encouraged to help others by participating in events that help the community. These events range from book drives to improve the reading skills of Chatham County public school students to toy drives that brighten the holidays for homeless children at Savannah’s Union Mission to food drives that support our local Second Harvest food bank in combating hunger.

We create flexible opportunities for our staff to get involved by sharing volunteer requests and fundraising events such as races. We’ll sponsor our interested employee runners or golfers and will work to accommodate schedule changes with those who want to volunteer their time.

It is my belief that if every company could give back in some form or fashion to help solve community challenges ranging from medical care to legal assistance, educational support, workplace development skills, mentoring, disaster relief, environmental efforts, homelessness and more, we would reduce the enormous cost to society to care for those in need.

I’m not suggesting that any company should forsake the primary purpose of a successful business model which includes serving clients, raising revenue, and hiring employees. I simply believe that supporting local efforts and giving back results in greater success for everyone—my community, my employees, and my company. And if more business leaders enthusiastically embrace giving back in ways that fit for our unique businesses, we may actually begin to meet some of our communities’ greatest needs.