To strive to do better, go farther and be more innovative for our clients, we have to be engaged members of our communities and the world around us. That’s why at Edelman we encourage everyone to “Live In Color,” which is how we describe having a culturally rich and rewarding life outside of work.
Living In Color is part of the Edelman culture, an aspiration for every one of our employees to be curious about the world around them, to explore the world outside their offices, to immerse themselves in the arts, culture, politics, literature and the charitable organizations about which they are passionate.
Some of our staff hit the ground running, literally, to train for marathons. Others volunteer with non-profit organizations that matter to them. Still others take a class, participate in community theater or coach their kids’ sports teams. We are driven by the belief that every experience outside of the office shapes our thinking and plants seeds of creativity, collaboration and compassion for us to nurture and grow.
We believe our staff’s personal and professional growth are intertwined. In keeping with that belief, we are committed to aiding employees’ efforts to Live In Color. A few examples:
Edelman Escape
The unique Edelman Escape program is an embodiment of our Living In Color philosophy. It offers U.S. employees $1,000, and more importantly, an extra week of vacation to help pursue a dream, goal or experience that will enrich their lives. Employees submit an application describing what they would like to do, and finalists are chosen each year. Past winners have spent time with a brother before he was deployed to Iraq, took a son to Washington, D.C. to learn more about the U.S. Constitution, produced a film script, worked for Habitat for Humanity and traveled to China to see the birthplace of a mother and grandmother.
Content Creators Among Us
“Content Creators Among Us” is the New York office’s spotlight on the wide-range of non work-related content employees produce. From blogs, video, screenplays, non-fiction and poetry to painting, photography, drawing and collage, we embrace new and traditional forms of communication to share our ideas. Edelman is a place where we inspire, challenge and collaborate with each other professionally. Through “Content Creators Among Us,” we share the richness of imagination that’s also present in our lives outside of Edelman. The content created by staff is viewable in online exhibitions as and in a gallery in the penthouse level of the New York office.
Employee-Driven Effort
An account supervisor at Edelman Japan took a two-week sabbatical to cycle 1,400km on a historic 88-temple pilgrimage on the southern Japanese island of Shikoku. His goal was to raise money for two charities: the Children’s Eye Foundation to fund research into Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), and Civic Force, a Japanese disaster relief organization helping those most in need after the 2011 earthquake.
Utilizing Leave Time
On employees’ fifth anniversary with the firm, Edelman London rewards staff with five extra leave days to pursue a Living in Color initiative. One senior executive leveraged this spare time to increase the visibility of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder (EGID), a rare disease inflicted on his son which stops him from being able to eat food. By raising awareness of the illness in traditional and social media, the Edelman employee hopes to further medical advancements so those affected by EGID can maintain nutrients and establish a more normal way of life.