Companies are often asked to drive business value while simultaneously supporting their communities. In my experience, both goals can be accomplished at the same time. We see it happening in multiple industries.
HP, for example, has connected its social impact efforts directly to its mission of helping people succeed through technology. Through its Future of Work Accelerator, the company supports nonprofits that expand access to digital tools, workforce training, and economic opportunity. The initiative helps more people develop the skills needed in today’s economy while strengthening the broader ecosystem of future workers and entrepreneurs, as well as technology users.
FedEx has taken a similar approach through its Entrepreneur Fund and Boost Camp. Small businesses make up a significant portion of the company’s customer base, and the program provides entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, and business training to help them grow and scale their ventures. In doing so, FedEx supports local economic growth and job creation, along with small business success. At the same time, FedEx helps bolster the network of businesses that rely on its shipping and logistics services.
These efforts share a common thread: They create programs that benefit individuals and communities in need while advancing company goals.
OUR APPROACH
As NBC celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, we also have an opportunity to make a difference. We challenged ourselves to come up with an innovative way to honor our legacy while investing in the future of the creative industry.
As a media and entertainment company, our social impact efforts are naturally focused on helping the next generation of storytellers build skills, gain meaningful experience, and develop their craft.
That legacy shaped the Power of Storytelling Grants program, developed in partnership with The Alliance for Media Arts + Culture. We selected 10 emerging producers to receive $5,000 grants to create an original 30-second promotional spot honoring NBC’s centennial milestone. Each project drew from the broadcast network’s rich archive, using our iconic intellectual property to recognize our innovation, cultural moments, and industry firsts while fostering the growth of emerging creatives. One winner’s promo was selected to run across Comcast NBCUniversal platforms as part of the company’s anniversary celebration, which culminates in an on-air NBC special on December 10th.
Importantly, the grant recipients also received editorial guidance and mentorship from employee volunteers throughout the process. Access to advisors, professional networks, and real-world assignments can be the difference between aspiring to a dream job and building the key skills that will put a young creator on the path to attaining it.
The participants selected for this program were sourced from nonprofit media arts organizations, including Kids in the Spotlight, New Orleans Video Access Center, PhillyCAM, Reel Works, RE:IMAGINE, and Youth FX. These organizations are helping cultivate creative talent across the country through paid apprenticeships, and our grant program provided them with a rare opportunity for a masterclass in editing with archival footage.
INVEST IN THE NEXT GENERATION
For the winning filmmaker, Danya Granado, the experience represented more than a typical creative assignment. It was a rare moment to engage directly with a century of iconic content and cultural history. As she puts it, “The NBCU archive represents a hundred years of how people have seen news, entertainment, and each other. Getting direct access to that material feels like an invitation to be in conversation with that legacy.”
Stories like Danya’s underscore the value of capitalizing on a company’s greatest assets to invest in the next generation of talent.
Across industries, companies are creating programs that broaden access and strengthen communities. They address real societal needs while also advancing business goals. Whether it’s storytelling, technology, sports, innovation, or another core capability, every business has a superpower. The key is to use it in ways that open doors and create pathways. It should solve real challenges while also advancing strategic objectives.
Yes, it’s community impact. It’s also smart business. When done well, it’s exactly what corporate social responsibility should be: a win-win for the community and the company.
Hilary Smith is executive vice president of corporate social responsibility at NBCUniversal.