ACCP Staff
If you are an ACCP member looking for more ways to get involved, look no further! There are many ways to volunteer with ACCP, including as a Member Group Co-Lead. Member Groups are a great way to connect with peers in the ACCP community, learn from each other, and have fun.
Member Groups are regional or industry focused groups that meet virtually and in-person three to four times a year to collaborate on ideas, ask and answer questions, and network. The meeting format can range from a Q&A with a CSR topic expert to an open group discussion.
As we have continued to grow our Member Groups this year, we are looking for eager members to volunteer as Member Group Co-Leads! Each group has at least two Co-Leads who, with direct support from ACCP, schedule meetings, determine topics or speakers, lead the meetings, and are the main contact for group participants. Volunteering as a Co-Lead is a great way to meet and get to know peers in your regions and industries of interest.
Tiana Austel, Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist at Illumina, shared her thoughts about co-leading the MedTech & Pharma Industry Group.
How has your relationship with fellow members changed since becoming a Co-Lead?
Co-leading the MedTech & Pharma group has allowed me to connect with an incredible number of cutting-edge practitioners across industries. Corporate citizenship can be an isolating profession, with small teams, and it’s a wonderful to feel so connected and unified with other like-minded individuals. While we meet monthly, I’ve had the joy of connecting with many ACCP members outside of those meetings. Acquaintances, become colleagues, become friends. Now, I feel as if I know a corporate citizenship practitioner in almost every major city in the U.S.!
What is the most fun aspect of being a Co-Lead?
The most fun aspect for me is seeing collaborations grow through casual exchanges in member meetings. Members are so incredibly open and giving of their time and talent, it’s an environment ripe for world changing collaboration. As a self-professed “problem-solver” by profession it’s amazing to see some of the world’s leading MedTech & Pharma groups collaborate to tackle the world’s biggest issues.
How has being a Co-lead helped you in your job?
Corporate citizenship is a large field with many nuances. After joining as a Co-Lead, I became much more familiar with the nuances of the industry as a whole instead of my specific niche. Additionally, my larger network as a consequence of the group has led to expedited career growth as I now have a large group of professional mentors and allies I can rely on for any questions or advice.
Why is it important for a member to lead these groups?
Joining a Member Group has helped me not only gain new professional connections but deepen those connections through regular communication. I’ve learned so much from other members not only on how to run a more successful corporate citizenship program but also how to succeed as a corporate citizenship professional. It’s been an invaluable resource for my professional development and I hope more people will get involved in the future – there are so many opportunities!
If you’re interested in volunteering as a Member Group Co-Lead or want to learn more, contact lacey@accp.org.
