Marina Rivas
Marketing & Brand Manager, Great Place to Work Ireland
True corporate social responsibility (CSR) goes beyond external commitments. It’s about building cultures of care that support employees through life’s toughest moments.
As CSR evolves, more organisations are realising that lasting impact often begins within — by creating cultures that support people through the realities of life, not just the milestones.
Qualities of a values-driven, high-trust culture
While public commitments and sustainability goals are important, the most meaningful expressions of responsibility often come through how an organisation shows up for its own people during moments of vulnerability.
At Great Place to Work, we’ve seen how values-driven, high-trust cultures go beyond surface-level perks. Truly supportive organisations proactively address the often-unspoken challenges employees face — from menopause and serious illness to caregiving — with empathy, strong policies and tangible support.
When workplaces prioritise care, the
impact extends beyond the office.
Enhancing visibility and support
Supporting employees through every life stage demands more than good intentions — it requires engaging with issues often overlooked at work. Menopause, for example, remains a silent struggle for many, despite its impact on wellbeing and performance. The Menopause Hub — Ireland’s first dedicated menopause clinic, pioneered by menopause trailblazer Loretta Dignam — has helped bring this issue to the forefront, partnering with Great Place to Work on the Menopause Excellence Awards to recognise organisations leading the way in awareness, support and policy.
This same commitment to meaningful support underpins the Cancer Care at Work initiative, developed by Core Research and Purple House Cancer Support, in collaboration with Great Place to Work. Given that nearly one in two people in Ireland will face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, Cancer Care at Work explores how workplaces can better support employees affected by cancer, whether as patients or carers. The initiative is based on a co-designed policy developed with employees who have lived experience and includes measures like enhanced health insurance, home and nutritional supports, flexible work options and a buddy system for returning employees.
Culture of care driving social impact
When workplaces prioritise care, the impact extends beyond the office. Supporting employees through illness or life transitions creates a culture of empathy and connection, fostering stronger, more compassionate communities. CSR starts internally, with how we treat our people. By embedding care into everyday culture, organisations demonstrate what true responsible business looks like. On World Environment Day and beyond, the most sustainable companies are those that recognise the importance of caring for both the planet and the people who depend on it.
