Company earns award in partnership with India-based B2R Technologies for creating new employment opportunities in underserved areas and promoting environmental sustainability
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD) (NYSE: RRD), a leading global provider of multichannel solutions for marketing and business communications, was awarded the 2020 Global Impact Sourcing Award (GISA) in the purchasing organization category by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP®) and the Rockefeller Foundation. The GISA recognizes both buyer and provider organizations as well as organizations that impact communities by creating jobs in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry in underserved areas.
Impact Sourcing is a specific extension of the BPM industry in which organizations intentionally hire and provide career development opportunities to individuals and communities who otherwise have limited prospects for sustainable employment because of their location. RRD’s journey with Impact Sourcing began in 2014 when it started working with B2R (Business-to-Rural) Technologies, the first rural BPO organization to operate out of the villages in the foothills of the Himalaya mountain range. Through its partnership with B2R Technologies, RRD developed a team of more than 100 members, 50 percent of whom are women, from over 50 villages across Uttarakhand, India. Additionally, RRD expanded its footprint in India, allowing the company to more effectively service its global clients across multiple time zones.
RRD’s work with B2R Technologies is what earned the company the 2020 GISA. Winners of the GISA were selected by a judging panel from IAOP’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee based on the following criteria:
- The significance of impact sourcing to overall business strategies,
- The impact it had on local communities, and
- The efforts that were undertaken to ensure success.
“Our Impact Sourcing program is a key component of our agile business model that enables us to deliver superior service to our clients, engage with some of the best talent globally, and create real change in communities worldwide,” said Kiran Shankar, President, RRD Global Outsourcing. “Our partnership with B2R Technologies has allowed us to create programs that uphold RRD’s values, are highly sustainable, and promote an inclusive environment. It’s an honor to have that work recognized by IAOP and the Rockefeller Foundation.”
In addition to creating new employment opportunities, RRD and B2R Technologies have made efforts to promote environmental sustainability in its India facilities by recycling paper, using low-power-consumption desktops, planting trees and locating centers within walking distance from impact workers’ homes to cut down on the need for fuel. These initiatives have resulted in B2R’s carbon footprint being significantly lower than its urban counterparts.
“RRD shares B2R Technologies’ vision of creating and sustaining rural livelihoods,” said Dhiraj Dolwani, CEO, B2R Technologies Pvt. Ltd. “This work is not only vital for our business’ success but the success of the communities we touch. IAOP’s recognition of RRD is a resounding endorsement of the fact that business is key to solving social issues.”
Following the initial success of their work with B2R Technologies in 2018, RRD became a formal member of the Global Impact Sourcing Coalition (GISC). To learn more about RRD’s global outsourcing services and capabilities, visit rrd.com/global-outsourcing.
About RRD
RRD is a leading global provider of multichannel business communications services and marketing solutions. With more than 50,000 clients and 39,500 employees across 34 countries, RRD offers the industry’s most comprehensive offering of solutions designed to help companies—from Main Street to Wall Street—optimize customer engagement and streamline business operations across the complete customer journey. RRD offers a comprehensive portfolio of capabilities, experience and scale that enables organizations around the world to create, manage, deliver, and optimize their marketing and business communications strategies. For more information, visit the Company's web site at www.rrd.com.
About B2R Technologies
B2R Technologies is a unique BPO company established in 2009 as a for-profit social enterprise and pure-play Impact Sourcing service provider based in the hills of Uttarakhand, India. Currently, B2R operates six delivery centers with about 350 employees, bringing them into the economic mainstream with skilled jobs and a career alternative to migration, servicing a strong base of domestic and international customers. For more information, visit the Company's web site at www.b2r.in.
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Source: RRD
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