For Momentum is kicking off the month of November with a Take 5 interview with Suzanne Quigley, QVC’s Director of Community Affairs and CSR efforts. Learn more about QVC’s #GivingTuesday campaign, the power of relationships in CSR, and some fun facts about Suzanne!
Suzanne Quigley has over 19 years’ experience in corporate philanthropy, community involvement and project management. Currently she is the Community Affairs Director at QVC, where she is responsible for developing and driving a community involvement strategy appropriate to QVC’s business, mission and heritage. Previously, she was Vice president and Community Initiatives Director at Capmark Finance Inc. and the manager of housing and community initiatives for the Fannie Mae Foundation’s Northern Regional Office in Philadelphia, PA. Let’s Take 5 with Suzanne!
Look into your crystal ball…what’s the next big thing in corporate philanthropy trends? Not that this wasn’t always important, but authenticity is increasingly vital in the 24/7 connected world that we live in. It’s important for companies to give back, yes, but also to give back to a cause that makes sense for their core identity. It isn’t a branding exercise – though certainly CSR is an extension of reputation management – but more a case of do your causes resonate with what your company stands for? Do your philanthropic efforts resonate with employees and customers and strike a chord with their values? As companies are increasingly scrutinized both by external consumers and internal stakeholders it’s essential to be genuine in all facets, but especially when it comes to corporate philanthropy.
What’s the most amazing thing people should know about you or your job? Just as strong relationships power QVC’s business, they also motivate us to take positive actions every day regarding our team members, our surrounding communities, the planet we all share, and the products we ship and source. As good neighbors, we are committed to giving back to those communities where we do business. Representing QVC in this role is such an honor and I do not take it for granted!
It’s really the amazing people I have the opportunity to work with every day – both at work and in the community. The respect and concern they show for others is truly inspiring and makes me look forward to getting to work every day.
What do you wish people knew about QVC’s community impact efforts? From the beginning, relationships have been at the heart of QVC’s business. With women making up the majority of our customer base, we feel a deep responsibility to support the causes and issues that are important to our female shoppers and loyal followers.
How does QVC plan to participate in #GivingTuesday this year and what inspired your team to participate in this global day of giving? Last year, QVC was the first company to globally support Giving Tuesday with the launch of a Peace Love World shirt created especially for QVC, proceeds benefitting Nest. Having the opportunity to support a cause worldwide helped us connect with Nest – furthering our corporate initiative to support female entrepreneurship – it has been such an inspiration to all who are involved. Nest is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering artisan women around the world with increased economic opportunity. The nonprofit’s work focuses on providing women who practice diverse craft types, from basket weaving to pottery making, with the tools, training, and resources that they need to flourish. Craft is the second largest employer of women in developing economies.
There’s an amazing collaboration story between Peace Love World, Nest’s Artisan Network and QVC, in creating the exclusive shirt for the 2017 Giving Tuesday campaign.
It started with Alina Villasante, CEO and founder of Peace Love World, offering the Giving Tuesday designed shirt as a canvas to include an embellishment from Nest’s Artisan Network. Rebecca van Bergen, Nest CEO, and her team identified an Artisan Network in Guatemala, known for their beautiful embroidery and capability to produce (by hand) an order for 17,000 embroidered heart patches. Nest, QVC Global Sourcing, and Peace Love World collaborated through final shirt production in China to deliver this year’s QVC’s Giving Tuesday Peace Love World’s product offering. A minimum of 60% of the purchase price will benefit Nest, which ultimately helps women whose hands, hearts and heritage support themselves, and their families.
A very special and heartfelt thank you to our Peace Love World family for inspiration in the design from Nest artisans through a heart embellishment. We are so excited to share the story of the artisans who helped make the shirt this year and further the awareness of Nest in building the capacity of artisans around the world, helping to create jobs and level of self-sufficiency not previously attainable.
What person has had the most influence on your career? My parents influenced me the most to seek a vocation over a “job” – something that not only helped me become self-sufficient, but also was meaningful to me. Their example of “meaning” I experienced when they built their own construction business with a commitment to staying connected to their local and faith community by giving of their time, talent and treasure. They were service-orientated people before it became in fashion to give back.
Five Fun Facts about Suzanne:
- Favorite App: Find My Friends – I come from huge family and it’s nice to know where they are around the world at any given time
- Hobby: Playing sports with my 8 year old son
- Currently Reading: Option B by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
- Favorite Place to Unwind: Jersey Shore
- Guilty Pleasure: Binge TV watching
Leave a Reply