CSR opportunities at the heart of successful IT
CSR opportunities at the heart of successful IT
November/December Edition, 2007: When it comes to corporate Australia, there’s a fair supply of slack sitting on the ground in need of collection to support the not for profit (NFP) sector. IDM talks to Paul Ramsbottom, managing director of Advanced Solutions International (ASI) to find out just what it means for IT companies to support Australian non-profits.
Developing stronger corporate social responsibility is not just a function of big-name IT vendors but rather, according to Ramsbottom, the responsibility or all technology companies with a small amount of cash or time to participate. “That’s an attitudinal shift and one that could see hundreds more vendors contributing to the community,” he says.
However ASI is not one to throw stones, Ramsbottom himself is doing what he believes is his small bit to support the sector. Establishing the Advanced Solutions International SMART Company Scholarship Fund, ASI is able to fund professional development opportunities like conferences, workshops and training course in the non profit sector. It means these employees who may typically feel a sense of guilt for attending such courses, are able to learn the skills they need.
“Feedback from our winners tells us that there is this guilt attached to using organisational funds for professional development,” says Ramsbottom. “That’s pretty unique to the non-profit sector. These scholarships are a longer-term strategy to build a smarter sector over time.”
For ASI, their participation in the non-profit sector is about education rather than throwing money at particular organisations. “Our small contribution shows you don’t have to move mountains to make a positive impact,” says Ramsbottom. “Money is great but education is even better.”
The skills base in non-profits is another factor usually well ahead of the game. “Their IT staff are well educated, often ex-corporates seeking a better balanced work life. Sounds good huh?,” says Ramsbottom. “While others are sometimes behind, generally speaking, non profits are risk averse and always aware of the fact that they are spending their members’ money.”
In many ways assisting non-profits comes down to the age old ‘fish-versus-teaching-a-man-to-fish’ debate. “Teaching someone how to fish is all about long term benefit. Making an organisation stronger, smarter, more efficient, more attractive to members through technology is a long term benefit,” says Ramsbottom.
It’s also not a matter of simply providing software, as most non-profits actually need less software than they already have. “Too many use multiple systems which divide information and require specialist knowledge to utilise. Many also use tailor made systems which can be limiting,” says Ramsbottom who suggests we might be surprised to learn many professional associations are well and truly ahead of their game in their use of technology.
ASI has also developed a product called iMIS specifically for NFPs including charities, fundraisers, membership organisations and associations. It’s not exactly new, but has serviced the sector for the last 15 years providing customers as diverse as CPA Australia, Cycling Australia, Caritas and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons with a centralised database, able to concentrate and replace silos of information to work as one across an organisation.