Tim Hortons Local Outreach Program plus Other CSR Business News

Miratel prides itself on its professional fundraising services and its CSR business policies equally and we are only too happy to report on other like-minded businesses. Today we are spotlighting the CSR accomplishments of Canadian coffee chain, Tim Hortons followed by a few CSR news pieces we came across this past week.

Tim Horton Local CSR Business Outreach Program Part 2 – Timbits Minor Hockey

A five year old Sidney Crosby shows off his early hockey skills as a Tim Hortons Timbit Hockey player image courtesy of news.nationalpost.com

As we have previously reported, Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons is known for their coffee and for being CSR business-minded. They aim to better the lives of their coffee farmers, the environment and making a difference in the local communities they conduct business as we wrote in Part One of this series. Today in Part Two we are spotlighting another of their local outreach programs, Timbits Minor Sports Program. Most Canadians have probably seen a commercial about Timbits hockey, however the program is not just about getting kids on the ice: “The Timbits Minor Sports Program is a community-oriented sponsorship program for children four to eight years old who participate in local house league sports teams. The program’s philosophy is not based on winning or losing – but on learning a new sport, making new friends, and just taking time out to be a kid.” By sponsoring these activities they are enabling children to get active and fit at an age when childhood obesity is on the rise. “Tim Hortons currently sponsors over 200,000 children who play on hockey, soccer, lacrosse, t-ball, baseball and ringette teams across Canada and in the United States.”

By sponsoring these children Tim Hortons is giving them the chance to participate in something their families may not be able provide for them. Organized sports are expensive and in a time when the cost of living is on the rise and the global economy is on shaky ground, things like sports programs get cut out of the family budget. The children are given the full sports experience as “each sponsored team is supplied with Timbits Minor Sports jerseys or T-shirts. Timbits hockey teams are often given the opportunity to play on-ice scrimmages during intermissions at Junior, American Hockey League (AHL) and National Hockey League (NHL) games.”

As stated previously the focus is to get children involved in a team, get them moving, and give them new experiences – it’s not about winning. That is why “Timbits players are also given the opportunity to play in their own “Timbits Jamboree, a fun-filled Tim Hortons sponsored event where everyone receives a prize, food and beverages.”

This is another of their amazing local programs which could benefit a child for a lifetime with fun memories as well as habits and tools that will help them in the future.  There are many companies who sponsor local sports programs, but most of them do not do much beyond a jersey. Tim Hortons redefines sponsorship and brings their CSR business leadership to local communities. Next week we will explore their Earn-a-Bike Program.

Tim Hortons Hockey Commercial featuring Sidney Crosby

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTrmIJ7SkC0[/youtube]

Other CSR Business News Pieces

A concept that has threaded its way throughout numerous CSR posts we have written is that consumers now shop their values. This “Ethosnomics” concept is explored in the article Three Truths about Ethosnomics.

This article will make you think twice about nicking anything off the refill cart sitting unattended in the hotel hallway. Clean The World have developed a process to sanitize used hotel soap and leftover shampoo and reform them into new bars and then send it to parts of the world that can use it. They have joined with major hotel chains and you can read more about that partnership in this article CSR With Hotel Soap and “Clean the World”

Kiehl’s has long been known for their apothecary products and “giving back” and the latest goal of Kiehl’s Gives is explored in this interview with Michelle Shildkret, who leads the brand’s Global Social Media Strategy team.