Jane Hamilton, community relations manager, says her department's focus is community outreach. Her team works with an employee philanthropy committee to grant funding for community programs that the employees find worthwhile. Employees can take paid time off each month to work on approved projects. It makes their community involvement so much more practical. Under the program, engineers from AFC's Petaluma headquarters are working with kids on a robotics project at nearby Technology High School.
Volunteers also give local young people information and encouragement on careers in telecom.
This employee committee will encourage company-wide efforts to reduce AFC's use of natural resources. AFC is a growing corporation, but it's working to preserve its small-company values. Employee feedback is encouraged, and easily done, since management announcements are made via e-mail.