Monday Motivation at American College of Education

What is your motivation?

As part of #MondayMotivation, we’re documenting what motivates us–namely, our work as a Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp.

B Corp is a movement to re-imagine what corporate success looks like and steer organizations toward a more holistic view of progress, one which accounts for social and environmental responsibility.

In September 2016, following a rigorous assessment that examined ACE’s financial records, vendor practices, workplace culture, environmental initiatives, and charitable efforts, the college received its B Corp certification.

“It just became very clear that this was something that fit our DNA and that we wanted to move forward with,” said Human Resources Director and B Corp Benefits Officer KK Byland, who shepherded the college through the process.

Living out the commitment to social responsibility, ACE has allocated more than $120,000 in the past year to their non-profit partners across the country who provide school supplies free-of-charge to educators in under-served areas, including: School Tools, Treasures 4 Teachers, Kids in Need, Teachers’ Treasures, Kappa Delta Pi, A Gift for Teaching, and World Vision. Contributions were provided for event sponsorship, material donations, and gifts and incentives for their customers.

“We’re a company of 150 employees [and] we are potentially reaching more than five million students by partnering with these organizations,” Byland said. “And if we break down those numbers, that’s pretty darn special.”  

ACE also participates in smaller-scale efforts, from recycling programs and walking or running for Charity Miles, to volunteering with local gardens fighting food insecurity in Indianapolis, to providing college gear to elementary school students in the Portland neighborhood of Louisville.

The same hand that extends to communities outside of ACE also reaches back to internal staff.

“Our vision is two-fold,” Byland said. “As a higher ed institution, we have obligations and commitments to our students, and ultimately, we want to touch their lives and the lives of those they touch…but we also have those same commitments to our employees.”

That commitment includes allowing staff to work remotely–which also reduces the college’s environmental footprint–and encouraging them to take ‘civic time,’ or a separate bank of PTO hours to volunteer for causes close to their hearts.

“We want to be able to support the communities that our employees live in, not just the communities that our headquarters are near,” Byland said. “And we want to be able to support and enhance all aspects of employee life, not just work.”

What’s more motivating than that?Looking for ideas on how to get involved with your local community? Check back next week for a window into what ACE is doing and the community service efforts that keep us motivated.