On Tuesday, April, 15, 2025, we gathered over Zoom to discuss the meaning of stakeholder orientation and how it applies to a conscious business. Unlike a “traditional” business focused solely on profit, a stakeholder orientation encourages a wider perspective, considering how business actions affect all parties involved.
The concept is simple, yet powerful. By actively engaging with stakeholders and addressing their concerns, a conscious business can not only foster trust and loyalty, leading to improved customer retention and employee satisfaction, but contribute to its long-term sustainability. Essentially, prioritizing multiple stakeholder needs can contribute to a company’s long-term viability by ensuring responsible practices and mitigating potential risks associated with neglecting social and environmental impacts.
One of the core elements of a conscious business’s stakeholder orientation is philanthropy, as it involves aligning charitable initiatives with the company’s values and goals, fostering engagement with stakeholders, and contributing to social causes, ultimately driving long-term sustainability and success. The April meeting centered around the philanthropy element of stakeholder orientation and, to gain a better understanding of the role it plays, we invited C3MD member the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC)— a local organization that fosters the power of collective giving to address the needs of women and girls— to contribute to the conversation.
Our guest speakers for this meeting were WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz and WGC Advisory Board Member Kashonna Marrow, president and CEO of Simply Kashonna. They joined us over our virtual lunch-time meeting to talk about the importance of philanthropy and its impact on Stakeholder Orientation. As expected, the conversation did not disappoint! And, with 14 attendees eager to partake in the discussion, there was much to discuss. If you missed the meeting— or want to revisit what we covered— we encourage you to watch the video below.
If you missed this month’s meeting, or want to revisit part of the discussion, watch the recording on the C3MD YouTube channel!
You can watch the video recording here.
Save the date for our next *IN-PERSON* event on Thursday, May 15th at 5 PM. Join us for our spring networking event at Sapwood Cellars Brewary for some fun, refreshments, and great conversation. Connect with other business professionals committed to leading with purpose and making a difference, and have an artisan brew too – if that’s your thing – in a cool, consciously driven space. You must register to attend this event. Can’t wait to see you in person! View details and get your tickets to this popular event on our website.
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