Commercial Integrator March 2021 - 38

CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY
Community
Connected to the
Biamp Puts the Power of Charitable Involvement
in Employees' Hands
Biamp Charitable Leadership Committee accepting grant applications for philanthropic contributions
as part of the company's six-figure worldwide commitment. by D. Craig MacCormack
ALL CHARITABLE DONATIONS and
involvement are good things, of course,
but in many cases, employees don't feel
as connected to the corporate efforts as
they might be if they were more involved
in the causes themselves and they didn't
represent an initiative near and dear to the
management team.
Biamp has put the power of its corporate
philanthropy in the hands of its employees
through the Charitable Leadership Committee,
which prioritizes which non-profit
organizations and local charities the
company should help through a six-figure
annual outlay of cash, products and other
involvement.
" Biamp has always been charitable in
its demeanor and now we've created a
committee to ensure our charitable giving
is aligned with our vision statement -
connected people through extraordinary
audiovisual experiences, " says president,
CEO and co-chairman Rashid Skaf.
" Usually, you'll have someone from management
who's particularly passionate about
a particular charity and that's where the money
will go. We want it to be something that
the employee base as a whole is passionate
about and meets our vision, " he says.
The Biamp Charitable Leadership
Committee is seeking grant applications
to expand its charity outside the walls of
the company and the causes its employees
around the world find to be worthy.
The grant program is part of Biamp's
long-standing efforts to " strengthen communities
where people work, play and live. "
Organizations within the underserved
community and the AV industry can apply
for a grant from Biamp's new program and,
based on their qualifications, receive between
$500 and $10,000, according to the
Biamp grant program announcement.
" We're hoping people will come forward
with creative ideas of how we can support
their vision, " says Skaf.
38
Commercial Integrator MARCH 2021
The Biamp Charitable Leadership
Committee distributes money to local
charities based on employee feedback.
How Biamp Charitable Leadership
Committee Works
There's no particular schedule or annual
division of funds when it comes to Biamp's
charitable efforts. Sure, there are some
events and causes to which the company
gives every year, but " it's more where we
find the biggest needs, " says Skaf. " It's not
a time-based process. "
The committee recently recommended
Biamp help the victims of the Brisbane,
Australia, brush fires and management
matched the outlay from the Charitable
Leadership Committee to people in that
region, where the company has an office.
In the past, Biamp has supported several
causes, including Rock 'n' Roll Camp for
Girls, Biamp PDX Jazz Festival, Theater
in the Grove, Young Audiences, Shared
Studios, and Habitat for Humanity.
" It's always been something that's been
key to our philosophy as a company, part
of our ethos, " says Skaf. " This really is our
home - where we live, play and work. It's
something that's always been important to
me too.
" This is about connecting the company
with the local charities. It's not about
sending out checks, although we do that as
well. You should give because you want to
give, not for marketing purposes, " he says.
Biamp employees play hands-on roles
with the charities they support, says Skaf.
" It's important that our employees feel
connected with these events, " he says. " It's
not just simply a check that's being signed
in most cases. It's something that your
employees are connected with, so they participate
in some way.
" It's about connecting people around
the world so they can communicate and
collaborate and share ideas and thoughts, "
says Skaf, who's proud of the overall philanthropy
of the AV industry.
" We have an industry that's all about
people and connecting in general. They
want to share in their success with the people
around them. I don't see a lot of people
using it as a bragging right. It's truly from
the heart, " he says.
" We're growing fast and very thankful,
which is why we're able to give back to the
communities and participate in them, " says
Skaf. " We try to share our success and our
blessings with them. "
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Commercial Integrator March 2021

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