In today’s socially conscious world, working for and with firms that make corporate philanthropy a priority is especially important to employees and clients. But how do firms balance giving back to their community with the bottom line? HMC Architects’ Director of Social Innovation and HMC Designing Futures Foundation (DFF) Adrienne Luce will explore this question in a panel discussion at the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Build Business 2020 conference on October 7. Luce is joined by Time Barrick from Ratio Design, Laura Nick from Garver, and Dawn Lyman from Barton Malow in the virtual session titled “The Competitive Advantage of Doing Good-Philanthropy in the AEC Industry.”

HMC’s DFF was founded in 2009 as a 501(3)(c) organization designed to deepen the firm’s commitment to giving back. Over the past decade, the DFF has invested more than $1M in its communities locally and globally with a focus on architecture and design, STEM and STEAM education, and sustainability. The foundation recently launched a new HMC Million Meals initiative and donated $100,000 to nonprofits in the Feeding America and Share Our Strength / No Kid Hungry networks to help families and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In June of 2020, the foundation stood up against social injustice and donated $10,000 to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, and matched (dollar for dollar) all employee donations to any nonprofit that works to promote anti-racism work, racial equality, and civil rights. Through HMC’s corporate giving, the DFF scholarship and social innovation grant programs, community partnerships, employee volunteerism, pro bono design services, in-kind donations, and responsible business practices, HMC is building a better world for future generations.

SMPS is a diverse community of marketing and business development professionals working together to move the A/E/C industries forward. Through networking, educational opportunities, and industry leading research, SMPS members gain a competitive advantage in positioning their firms successfully in the marketplace. To learn more or to register for the virtual event, visit the SMPS website.