Partnering with Purpose: Boehringer Ingelheim Gives Back

When I joined Boehringer Ingelheim more than 15 years ago, I learned quickly that this was a company that valued purpose and encouraged all employees to “do good” in our communities.

For more than 130 years, Boehringer Ingelheim has been a private company that plans in generations and fosters the development of talent and leaders dedicated to transforming the health and lives of people and animals. For Boehringer Ingelheim’s legal team, this means navigating challenges on the frontlines of the business. In addition to serving as strategic internal resources, they also work with external partners – and some of the most meaningful are those in our local communities.

A decade ago, the Boehringer Ingelheim legal team saw an incredible need across many nonprofits in our local communities for timely and relevant legal and business information, and decided to commit in a bigger way than ever before. In partnership with the BI Cares Foundation and the United Way of Western Connecticut, they formed an integrated committee to host an annual pro bono event for nonprofits focused on providing free educational resources during some of the most life-changing events of our time. I am proud of what the team has been able to accomplish, and believe the longevity and staying power of this event can be attributed to the following:

1. Serving with purpose is in our DNA
   Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, Boehringer Ingelheim – like many organizations around the world – was determined to give back to our communities in a new, meaningful way. To do that, the BI Cares Foundation thought locally – leveraging the diverse skills of our employees to not only pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 but also make our communities stronger. They asked themselves – how can we do more for our nonprofit partners in areas where Boehringer Ingelheim employees live and work? As the BI Cares Foundation bolstered its employee volunteer program, they reached out to their colleagues on the legal team who were already actively providing pro bono work for many local nonprofits, largely because it fueled their sense of purpose in giving back. Since that time, the company’s skills-based volunteer program has grown to provide more than $1 million in donated services on an annual basis to help nonprofits fill unmet needs. 

2. The team is unafraid to tackle difficult topics
   Together with our partners, the pro bono event committee shared best practices with nonprofits on providing support to communities post-9/11 and following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings of 2012. They also provided insights on the #MeToo movement and the importance of fostering a culture of belonging. The team consistently presents topics important to the nonprofit community – from cyber security and labor law updates to copyright law and best practices in social media.

3. All voices are heard and respected  
   Subject matter experts across many areas of our business have been involved in the annual pro bono event. Together, they are committed to providing timely advice, guidance and resources to the nonprofit community. Many of our community partners like Jeff Beekman of Ann’s Place have been coming to our events since the beginning, providing feedback that helps us further refine our approach and agendas for years to come.
   
   “I always come away from the seminar with several topics that I then can use and implement in my position or in general at Ann’s Place,” said Jeff Beekman. “I have used the cyber and labor law updates to improve processes and make sure the organization is currently in compliance. I have recommended this event to many nonprofits in our area.”

For our 2021 event, our preparation is a bit different than in the past. As we can’t be together physically this year, we are able to leverage technology and provide attendees from a much larger geographic footprint with a multi-session online opportunity to discuss some of today’s most timely topics.

There is one thing we do not expect to change this year – that the employees who volunteer will gain a deeper sense of purpose from the experience, as they historically tell us they do.

I’m proud to be working with a team that “partners with purpose” and continuously provides meaningful tools and resources to our local communities.