Eighty years ago, Curt Carlson launched a company with a product so small, you could hold it with the tip of your finger. It was a humble start for a company that today operates in more than 150 countries and territories around the globe. But something else, too, was born in the early days of a growing business. Carlson established a set of guiding principles. He believed successful corporations have the privilege and obligation of citizenship in the greater world, so he fostered the values of community engagement and philanthropy, integrity and leadership.
Much has changed in 80 years. But not, thankfully, our values. CWT colleagues in Minneapolis live them by hanging drywall for Habitat for Humanity homes and creating care kits for cancer patients. Our people in Manila champion them by coordinating projects to support schooling of underserved children across the region. Our teams in Washington D.C. stand for them while they donate their time and talents to help veterans.
"No man is an island, said poet John Donne. No company is an island either. We are an integral part of the communities in which we do business. We think that all of us are enriched by the relationship." – Curt Carlson
Giving is an exercise of the heart, and CWT colleagues in the United States set new records during a month-long sprint. Our 2018 Carlson Community Giving Campaign yielded a 25 percent increase in participation from 2017 and a 20 percent bump in fundraising. The robust support of volunteerism and employee donations fueled community partners and nonprofits across the country, organizations that are solving problems and confronting challenges in the areas of human rights and anti-trafficking, education and the environment, health and humanitarian crises, and more.
We are proud of our progress, and our people who are improving communities and changing lives. We know Curt Carlson would be proud too.
