Most corporations have gotten wise to the idea that the community outside their walls is just as important as the one within their walls. You might think manufacturing didn’t get that memo, but for one Roper Corporation, a GE Appliances affiliate in Georgia, they’re leading the way.
Roper Corporation, located in Lafayette, Georgia, knows a connection to the community is a boost for their bottom line, but there’s more at-stake than dollars. Embodying a sense of innovation and collaboration is the inspiration behind their new product line and several community initiatives.
“As the largest employer in Walker County, we are truly on the front lines of community needs just with our employee population,” said Rhonda Beasley, human resources director at Roper Corp. “The feeling of family is a strong facet of our culture, and I can think of many times when our employees have helped a new hire or stepped forward as a recipient of help. It’s really in our DNA.”
Scott Brown, president at Roper, believes companies have a unique position to work with the nonprofit community and schools to influence career readiness and long-term family stability.
“There’s a huge slice of the population within our walls at Roper,” Scott said. “It makes a lot of sense for us to have partnerships with school STEM programs and local technical colleges because they directly influence our employee pipeline. Our workforce and the community are interconnected, so when the community is doing better, we’re doing better.”
For Roper employees, a spirit of collaboration is more than an idea for corporate social responsibility – it’s the heart of the company.
“We believe happiness and wellbeing start with our GE Appliances family,” said Julie Wood, senior director public relations for GE Appliances. “Investing in our business is good for our employees and what’s good for our employees is good for the community at large. Through our partnerships, like we have with the United Way, we all do better together.”