Chaplaincy and Faith Based Employee Resource Groups (ERG’S)
There are opportunities to invest in companies that encourage faith conversations. They might employ corporate chaplains furthering prayer coverage, care for their team, customers, partners, vendors, and employees. A more recent development is the growth of faith driven employee resource groups at larger companies like Salesforce, Apple, Google, Uber, Ford and more.
PUBLIC COMPANIES THAT CARE FOR THEIR TEAM WITH CHAPLAINCY
Chaplaincy has long been a reliable marker that leadership of a company is serious about ministering to the spiritual needs of its employees. Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA) and Marketplace Chaplains have been leaders in this field and there is new energy from others to build on this for the millennial generation in Silicon Valley and elsewhere. Of recent note, David Miller, Director of the Faith and Work Initiative at Princeton has released a very compelling research paper on the case for Chaplaincy.
COMPANIES ENCOURAGING FAITH GROUPS
Another new trend that is promising is an emergence of faith friendly initiatives at larger companies like Salesforce, Apple, Google, Uber, Ford and other companies. This is a trend to watch. Many of these initiatives support Christ followers meeting publicly within the company as a group for Bible Study and prayer. The large companies that support these groups, of course encourage them from other faith traditions as well.
One of the leaders of this conversation is Christeen Rico. She’s on the International Expansion team at Apple. Today she spends much of her time focused on bringing Apple’s largest product – their retail stores – to life in new countries around the world. In addition to that she is responsible for co-leading a volunteer team to define and execute programs that strengthen community and growth opportunities for the Apple Christian Fellowship, one of Apple’s Diversity Network Association. She’s an upcoming guest on the podcast. You can also learn about ERG’s through a growing Bay Area organization, Faith and Work Movement that does a lot around Employee Resource Groups. Here’s several really great resources links from their event that we would highly recommend if you are considering starting a group.
ONE-PAGER ON GETTING STARTED WITH FAITH AT WORK with Christeen Rico
How might I foster Christian community in my workplace that can positively impact my company?
HOW TO START THE FAITH-BASED ERG PLANNING PROCESS with Julia Oltmanns, Cornerstone Inclusion
A Toolkit for Creating a Christian Employee Resource Group: The 5 P’s of Implementation
FAITH-BASED ERG CONSIDERATIONS with Lucas D.
Sample toolkit on why and how to start faith-based ERGs (2019)
INTUIT FAITH-BASED EMPLOYEE NETWORK OVERVIEW with Eduardo Salaz & Hugh Molotsi
Presentation developed to launch Intuit Christian Action Network (2009)
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