The Essence of CSR: Caring About Strangers

While having a pleasant dinner out with my wife recently in the small town where we live, I encountered a stark reminder of the importance of human life and caring about what happens to people, even if they are strangers.

The town merchants and civic groups were hosting a “history hop” that gave people a chance to tour the local two-room museum and stop by some historic buildings in an effort to embrace our community heritage. The concept is quaint, especially since the “historic” buildings have mostly been remodeled in the past half-century so that they don’t in any way resemble their original purpose. The one-time general store is now a pizza place, for instance, while the little restaurant my wife and I selected for a leisurely meal had been transformed from a former livery stable. I have to admit that I’d rather dine in a modern street-side café than share oats in a stall with Mr. Ed.

We were seated outside on a patio with about two dozen other patrons, where we had a clear view of the main intersection in town. We saw many other people who were doing as we had done – pausing by the broom-maker exhibiting his craft or puzzling how a 1940s-era gas station had been transformed into the local law enforcement hub. After our salads were gone, our conversation languished for a moment. In the brief moment between words, we watched a family cross the street at the corner, a small, seven-year-old boy leading the way.

A pickup truck came around the corner and struck the child, changing countless lives forever.

I continue to piece together in my mind what we saw, but it remains unclear. There were cars stopped at the traffic light partially blocking our view, but both my wife and I clearly recall hearing the sickening thud; seeing the child swept up in his father’s arms as he tried to prevent the truck from completely running over him. The panicked shout from the boy’s father’s and his mother’s anguished cry are something I won’t forget.

Like many of the other people in the café who witnessed the accident, I hurriedly dialed 911, my fingers fumbling for the right keys. The fire station is located literally around the corner, but 30 minutes earlier we’d seen the ambulance go out on a run, so help had to be summoned from another station. Firefighters on duty at the nearby station ran down the block to help. The restaurant crowd clustered around the child whom his father had gently placed by the sidewalk. Everyone came together to offer their help, even though none of us knew the child or his family.

While watching the medical experts tend to the boy’s injuries, I observed reactions of others in the crowd. Some were physically shaken by what they’d seen, while others had unreadable expressions on their faces. Several people had hopped the fence separating the café from the street to get a closer look, while many others chose to stand back and stay out of the way. What had moments before been boisterous conversations over a meal had become soft murmurs as everyone expressed their concern for the boy and his weeping family. Sympathy was evident for the young driver of the pickup truck, who appeared horrified by the accident.

We pray the child is recovering well from the tragedy, but since the local community newspaper barely mentioned the accident other than as a tiny incident in the police runs section two weeks later, we don’t know. The nearby metropolis is apparently too big to report such a minor event in our town, although what I witnessed was significant enough to haunt me for years.

It’s strange how something like this tragic event will bring strangers together, but like any community, we want to protect our people, especially if they are children. In the aftermath, I am reminded of how so many Redemtech associates are involved in community events in the cities where they reside, giving of themselves to help people they don’t know.

Recently, Redemtech launched a project to get more involved with Habitat for Humanity. Volunteers have contributed to the construction of new dwellings for Habitat families in Reno, Nev., and Richmond, Va., with plans to help the non-profit organization build or update houses in every city where Redemtech has facilities. Redemtech already has been working with Habitat to provide refurbished computers to families in other communities as part of its widespread Serious Good initiative. Redemtech associates for many years have gotten involved with helping strangers in many ways, from running in local marathons to raise funds for charity to spreading the word about the dangers of electronic waste in Third World nations.

Caring for strangers should be the foundation for corporate social responsibility for more companies in the communities they serve. Responsible businesses are expected to go beyond what is merely required by law, and make a beneficial impact on society and the environment. Recent studies have found that the more committed a company is to its corporate social responsibility initiatives, the more devoted their employees are likely to be to the company.

Everyone who is able to help another person should take the initiative to do so, for the simple reason that everyone matters.