Photo via Fast Company
Many Atlanta companies excel at writing checks to worthy causes, but MG2, an architecture and design firm affiliated with Colliers Engineering & Design, discovered that genuine community impact requires something more valuable than donations alone: the presence and participation of employees across all levels. CEO Mitch Smith explains that the firm's initial approach to corporate giving, while well-intentioned, lacked the breadth and inclusivity needed to create lasting change in the communities where MG2 designs and operates.
The firm's response was to launch an annual Day of Giving program that invites every employee—regardless of role, seniority, or department—to spend a paid workday volunteering alongside community partners. Rather than positioning employees as expert consultants or distant donors, the program frames participants as neighbors and learners, working on projects ranging from home construction to food bank operations to neighborhood cleanups. This inclusive model has proven more effective at aligning employee values with company mission than traditional corporate philanthropy.
According to Smith, the program's true value lies in the shared experiences it creates. When employees work side by side on community projects, they develop deeper connections to the neighborhoods where they live and work, while simultaneously strengthening workplace relationships across departments and hierarchies. The firm views this approach as consistent with its design philosophy: communities thrive not through single initiatives, but through many people contributing their time, talent, and commitment to shared goals.
For Atlanta-area business leaders evaluating their own community engagement strategies, MG2's model offers a practical blueprint: effective corporate stewardship requires consistent presence, active listening, and the involvement of entire workforces rather than designated committees. When companies invite all employees into community work as stakeholders—not observers—they build both stronger neighborhoods and more cohesive organizations.
