Outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland joined sustainability and impact leaders from around the world at the 8th Annual Sustainatopia, a global event for investors, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, foundations and companies across social, financial and environmental sectors.
The three-day conference, which kicked off in Boston, MA on October 9, brought together thought leaders from more than 60 countries. In its second year participating in the conference, Timberland shared how the brand engages employees to participate in the company’s legacy of protecting and restoring the outdoors and supporting communities in which it operates.
Timberland’s senior manager of community engagement and communication, Atlanta McIlwraith, spoke on the “Empowering Employees through Purposeful Work” panel about the brand’s employee engagement strategy. Alongside leaders like Dell, WeSpire, Seed Strategies and Project WET, McIlwraith shared best practices for engaging a global workforce to activate purpose.
“It’s always inspiring to be a part of an engaged conversation about empowering employees,” said McIlwraith. “In the past 25 years of our Path of Service Program, we’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t. I always enjoy the opportunity to share both sides of the story to help organizations strengthen their own community-focused programs.”
McIlwraith highlighted how Timberland defines and communicates purpose, how to find and balance a strategic focus for engagement while allowing employees to choose and serve their own passions and the role the brand culture plays in employee engagement, including strategies to shift company culture over time.
