Leading the Way – Paycor’s Employee Giving Program Adopts Equity Principle
Give back to the communities where we work and serve. Think big; dream big. Do the right thing. Take care of each other. These are Paycor’s cultural tenants. And these principles have made Paycor a leader in the employee engagement space.
Giving has always been in Paycor’s DNA. For many years, Paycor employees made individual donations to charities they were passionate about. In 2018, the company doubled down to create the Paycor Community Impact Fund (PCIF) with the intent to harness the power of its employees and take the impact of their collective giving to the next level. PCIF allows employees to nominate nonprofits and vote on where to route funds. Approximately 20% of Paycor employees participate in raising money and investing more significant fundings into the communities than would be possible with individual giving. During the pandemic when volunteering was not possible, PCIF connected employees across Paycor’s locations to their communities in 47 states. In over three years, the program has raised more than $300,000 to gain national recognition.
The racial reckoning and inequities revealed by the global pandemic in 2020 convinced Paycor’s leadership that practicing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was critical to the success of the business. PCIF started bringing the equity lens to selecting the nonprofits and grantmaking process as the program became really intentional with their giving and supporting marginalized communities. Today PCIF makes sure that the organizations supported by the fund are in line with Paycor’s DEI plan and every grant cycle will see 25% of the funds allocated to organizations that are either minority led or serving marginalized populations.
In three years, PCIF has already made significant impact on the community. “We are proud to use the funding Paycor has given us to provide individuals the opportunity to attend computer classes or cook their own food,” says Deanna Hengge, Director of Development at Tender Mercies. “It has helped unhoused community members find dignity and a sense of belonging.” A two-time PCIF grant recipient, Tender Mercies works to transform the lives of homeless adults with mental illness.
Helping its business partners elevate their brands and make transformative impact in the community is GCF’s commitment to the business community. Paycor turned to GCF as a philanthropic partner, coach and champion to get PCIF off the ground. GCF helped establish the framework, shared knowledge of running the fund, and connected Paycor with organizations aligned with its mission. Today, GCF continues to manage PCIF while serving as a consultant to offer advice on best practices and strategic direction.
