Volunteering as team
CATS believes in strengthening the community by focusing on the younger generation who are the future of this planet. Just as much as the team enjoys providing services to the clients, they also enjoy providing services to the local community on regular basis.
Adopt-A-School
One of the largest CATS projects is the “Adopt-A-School” plan. CATS adopted a primary school where the company and its team provide volunteering manpower for choirs, teaching support, IT-Solutions and maintenance. Every week the team tackles another project based on demands and needs of the school. During the weekend of April 8th, CATS team members came together to assist with a project to repaint the school and reorganize several areas. Not only were CATS colleagues present, but also family of some colleagues. This symbolizes the philosophy behind CATS, a family owned company. The goal of this project is to provide additional manpower to liberate the school of extra choirs, maintenance and challenges, allowing more opportunities for the staff to focus on education.
Besides this primary school, CATS has contributed to the higher education system for many years. The company takes in several interns annually from local schools and invests knowledge, experience, guidance and career opportunities. The interns learn how to work in a service-providing environment and are exposed to Business to Business (B2B) or Business to Consumer (B2C) relations.
Economical transition
Curacao is transitioning from an industrial to a service-providing economy. The transition creates opportunities for service providing companies to step up and guide the community in the right direction and share their experience and expertise. A service economy makes room for entrepreneurship and small business development, which will require CSR awareness.
Why is CATS focusing so hard on giving back?
As a business company, it is crucial to ensure local economical, social and environmental growth. This is also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Business Dictionary defines CSR as "A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates.
The term was formed in 1953 in the publication of Bowen’s “Social Responsibility of Businessman”. Several world organizations came together and challenged one and other with the question of “How can business people contribute to a more sustainable future for the planet”. Many businesses took on this positive challenge and developed in-house CSR plans. CSR is still an upcoming method in numerous countries, but the trend is picking up rapidly.
CATS developed its own in-house CSR plan on how to contribute positively to economical, social and environmental growth, locally. The company applies its plan at all branch, adapted by the countries’ needs.
How are you contributing to your community? Share your story, we'd love to hear it.