Williams Group believes our business can work for greater good. We act on this belief in a variety of ways.

Profit sharing for public gain
Each year, 10% of our profits are used to support nonprofit organizations and causes. Every Wg associate is provided with a portion of these profits to direct to a charity of her/his choice. Through this system, tens of thousands of dollars have been distributed to over a hundred organizations in recent years. See a list of 2008 donations. Every year, Wg people contribute over $25,000 (more than $1,000 per person on average) to our local United Way.

Investing in public education
Our corporate philanthropy centers on local investments in public education—the cornerstone of democracy and equality. This year, we supplied $25,000 to furnish a new library at Congress Elementary School in downtown Grand Rapids, and helped launch the West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology—an innovative resource for workforce development and high school students at risk of dropping out—with more than $30,000 in pro bono strategic communication support.

Spreading a hopeful message of nonviolence
Wg associates give of their time to create and maintain a website commemorating the 100th anniversary of Satyagraha, the nonviolence movement founded by Mahatma Gandhi on September 11, 1906. www.centuryofnonviolence.org

Giving time
Our 25 associates donate hundreds of hours each year to community programs ranging from youth development and tutoring to raising funds for cancer research to supporting homeless ministries in our inner city. We also provide thousands of hours of on-the-job support at no charge to support the communications needs of area schools, The Grand Rapids Community Foundation, and a host of local nonprofits. In 2005, we launched a popular series of training sessions on a variety of communication skills, with these Wg Skillshops provided free of charge to area nonprofit and corporate personnel.

Promoting diversity
Wg seeks to advance understanding of gender, racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation and other differences among people—within and outside of our organization. We have provided hundreds of hours in pro bono services to help the Grand Rapids Area Center for Ecumenism (GRACE) launch its Summit on Racism in 1999; we continue to be active supporters of and participants in this program today. Our unique internships support students of color who are pursuing careers in nonprofit management and/or communications. We are active participants in local diversity events sponsored by our area’s Chamber of Commerce.

Acting green
Wg acts responsibly toward our environment. We work in an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly building that has achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Our interior construction, furnishings and materials meet advanced environmental standards. We recycle and reuse all day, every day.

Our holiday tradition
The winter holidays at Williams Group are a time to strengthen friendships and renew traditions. One tradition we all look forward to is our annual author-autographed client gift book. The big question: Will this year's choice trump the Pulitzer Prize* or make Oprah's Book Club**? Here's how we've done so far.