MILWAUKEE — As a global company focused on building technologies, it’s no surprise that Johnson Controls has no shortage of opportunities for employees to go beyond the four walls of the office and help people in their community through service initiatives.
Dr. Alka Khungar, the director of customer value for Johnson Controls, says the company’s dedication to community service goes back to 1952.
“We’ve got locations across the world and we’ve got a fantastic employee base, which is great when we are looking at our efforts to do something for the community,” she says.
In the past 10 years, the Johnson Controls Foundation has provided more than $77 million to support U.S. charitable organizations. That’s on top of the regional efforts in which the company is involved around the world, says Khungar.
“Our efforts around the community focus a lot around the volunteerism,” she says, noting all Johnson Controls employees are “very well-educated” about the opportunities within the organization to participate in community service programs.
“When our employees are volunteering in the community, the community gets the benefit, and the employees also get the benefit of being able to do something which makes them feel good, makes them be part of the community and makes them get that feeling that we are giving back,” says Khungar. “It’s a win-win.”
Johnson Controls’ Commitment to Service Starts Early
Part of Johnson Controls’ onboarding is focused on its community service programs, says Khungar, who notes some job candidates proactively ask about whether the company has a service component to it.
One initiative that’s gaining in popularity is the gift matching program, she says. The company also regularly runs different sorts of drives throughout the year, including for back to school and the holiday season.
In June, Johnson Controls hosted a global event focused on sustainability, where all employees are encouraged to participate in volunteering with different organizations that are doing something to help clean the planet or make the planet healthier.
Khungar finds that working with her fellow Johnson Controls employees on a service project can change the relationships they have for the better. She noticed that in her early days with the company when they were building a digital marketing team and also when she was part of an effort with Habitat for Humanity.
“Not only did we get to network with the entire division, but we also got to know each other on a personal level,” she says. “It was interesting to see how a couple of our people on the team that we never knew were fantastic when it came to painting.
“Many of us learned a few skills on how to use the right equipment when you’re doing things in the house and sometimes even as simple as how to hold the hammer and how to position yourself when you’re up on the roof. It’s a great time to bond and also to understand different ways in which people work and think,” says Khungar.
Why Johnson Controls Embraces Giving Back
Some of Johnson Controls’ community service efforts come on the weekends, while others are done during work hours, says Khungar, but that’s never been a problem.
“If you do something to get to know your community better, to understand their needs, to see what they’re looking for from a business perspective, it’s actually not money lost because we didn’t spend time making money,” she says.
“It’s more about spending the time to understand our customers better, so that when we do come back and we are putting together something for our customers, we make it relevant for them.”
Johnson Controls offers a global volunteer program that allows employees to talk about which organizations or which charities they want to invest in, says Khungar. For her, the cause that’s closest to her heart is the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Many employees also have been drawn to a card-making effort that benefits St. Jude’s Hospital.
Overall, the company is aiming to reach 2 million volunteer hours by the end of this year, says Khungar.
Having the Security Industry Association at the forefront of Security Industry Community Service Day helps everyone under the industry umbrella understand the importance of giving back.
“I think it’s great because we get to see that there is such a good alignment with not just what we are trying to do here at Johnson Controls, but also with the security industry in general,” says Khungar.
The dedicated day—set for the first Friday in June every year—also helps to create awareness about some of the community service opportunities that are available, she says. Many of Johnson Controls’ volunteer efforts focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) programs.
Khungar has some advice for companies in the security industry—or any other walk of life—who aren’t sure how to start their community service efforts.
“The first thing everyone who wants to get started is to understand the mission,” she says. “What are you passionate about? Pick something that you are passionate about, and it doesn’t mean that you have someone in the family who may be suffering with something.
“We are encouraged as employees not only to join and become board members there, and that helps us understand even better sitting on that side what this community actually needs,” says Khungar.
If you participated in Security Industry Community Service Day or are involved in other service-based initiatives, contact SSI digital editor Craig MacCormack at [email protected] to be part of our ongoing Security Gives Back series.
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