Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023 - 8

AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
AVI-SPL Receives 2023 Make A Difference Award
As part of the 'AVI-SPL Gives Back' program, the company has directly supported 37 charitable
organizations through volunteerism and fundraising. By Amala Reddie.
COMMERCIAL INTEGRATOR is
excited to celebrate AVI-SPL as the
winner of the 2023 Make A Difference
Award! Commercial Integrator presents this
prestigious award in partnership with ADI
Global Distribution. ADI is, of course, a
leading wholesale distributor of security,
AV and low-voltage products.
Commercial Integrator presents the
Make A Difference Award for the third
year in a row. This highly coveted award
recognizes and celebrates an integration
firm that has made a difference through
its philanthropic efforts. This year's winner,
AVI-SPL, is known for helping those
in need within the communities it serves.
Based in Tampa, Fla., AVI-SPL designs,
integrates, manages and supports onsite
and cloud-based communications and
collaboration technologies. According to
AVI-SPL, the company's core value is to
" thrive together. " Indeed, AVI-SPL strives
to live out this value daily. The company
attests that this mission also comes to life
in the " AVI-SPL Gives Back " program. The
initiative involves a structured outreach
in the communities where employees live
and work through volunteerism, fundraising
or both.
The 'AVI-SPL Gives Back'
Program and How it Works
The " AVI-SPL Gives Back " program happens
throughout the year, all across the
company. However, one month a year
- in August - AVI-SPL dedicates itself
to giving back. Throughout that month,
each AVI-SPL location sets aside its usual
work and takes time to perform community
service. This service includes
everything from packaging meals for
food banks to renovating animal shelters
to planting trees. In fact, the entire AVISPL
team gets out and gives back.
During " AVI-SPL Gives Back " month in
August 2022, roughly 20% of employees
joined a giving-back activity. During the
remainder of the year, approximately 10%
CI and ADI named AVI-SPL this year's Make a Difference Award winner. The
" AVI-SPL Gives Back " program involves structured outreach in the communities
where employees live and work through volunteerism, fundraising or both.
(of 4,300-plus current employees globally)
participated in making a difference in
their communities.
Thousands of Hours of Service
Based on the participation, the company
estimates devoting 2,500 hours of its
employee time to charitable giving and volunteerism
in 2022. According to AVI-SPL, it
directly supported 37 charitable organizations
around the world. The company did
so through volunteerism and fundraising.
What's more, AVI-SPL serves the community
in various ways. For example, each
office collects and donates to a local cause,
but individual employees also privately
donate to organizations of their choice.
AVI-SPL estimates that its efforts have
directly helped at least 500 families.
Indirectly, however, it is likely to have
touched thousands of lives.
AVI-SPL has done so much good work
that it was difficult for CI and ADI to
choose any particular initiative. However,
Elevate - AVI-SPL's Employee Resource
Group focused on fostering gender
equity in technology - deserves special
mention. It selected Girls Who Code for
an awareness and fundraising campaign.
As part of the campaign, Elevate raised
nearly $1,500 in donations in two weeks.
8 Commercial Integrator+Security Sales & Integration | Sept/Oct 2023
AVI-SPL also matched that donation
amount 100%!
Embracing Values of
Community Service
Lauren Lew, senior associate, Girls Who
Code, praises the fundraising efforts. She
says, " We are so grateful for the support
from [AVI-SPL's] June 2022 campaign!
Your generous gifts gave 10 of our third- to
12th
-grade clubs' students a full year of
programming. "
For Vicki Bosworth, executive vice
president of human resources at AVI-SPL,
community service is one of the cornerstones
of the company's culture. She adds,
" It enriches the lives of those we serve
and strengthens our employees' sense of
purpose and connection. Together, we're
shaping a better future for the global
communities where we work and live, and
having an absolute blast along the way. "
John Zettel, CEO of AVI-SPL, adds a
note of appreciation and continuing commitment.
" I want to express my heartfelt
gratitude to team AVI-SPL for your contributions
to our communities, " he says.
" With over 4,300 employees worldwide,
we have the power to make a difference,
and the outstanding efforts truly exemplify
our core value of thriving together. " CI
COURTESY OF AVI-SPL.

Commercial Integrator + Security Sales Sept/Oct 2023

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