Trintechers in the Community

Cheryl Lorica
Manager, Software Development
Dallas, TX

1. What does social responsibility mean to you and how do you think Trintech exhibits this on a corporate level?
Social responsibility is the duty of each person to do the right thing and act for the benefit of society. Everyone should be conscious of the impact they are making. This includes social, economic and environmental impact.

Trintech exhibits corporate social responsibility by encouraging its employees to participate in helping the community through volunteering, fundraisers and going green efforts.

2. What are you involved in outside of office that allows you to give back to the community?
I help give back to the community in different ways. I’ve offered my time, such as volunteering in a Senior Living Center to read books, share stories and play Bingo with the residents. I’ve volunteered to build a home with Habitat for Humanity. I’ve also offered my skills by working with the Girl Scouts STEM project to help introduce the future leaders to STEM.

I’ve also donated resources, such as food and clothing to people in need, donating to non-profit organizations such as Susan G. Komen (breast cancer research), ASPCA (helping animals in need) and NPR (supporting independent journalism). I also lend money via kiva.org so that individuals around the world can use the money to improve their lives.

I also support going green efforts by recycling, reducing waste and conserving energy & water.

3. Where do you most enjoy volunteering and what about those organizations inspire you?
I enjoy volunteering for the Girl Scouts STEM program because I feel passionate about the goal and because I believe that my contributions are making a significant difference in the girls’ lives.

Women are underrepresented in STEM-based careers, and I’d like to see the numbers gradually grow. That’s why it’s important to instill interest in STEM during the girls’ formative years and help keep their interest in it. It’s vital to open the world of opportunities for these young girls.

I was a Girl Scout when I was a kid, and the organization helped me grow as a community member and a leader. I want to help the Girl Scouts organization to invest in a better future for the younger generation.

4. How would you encourage others at Trintech to get more involved within their community?
There are different reasons why people volunteer – whether it be having a common interest with the organization’s goals, wanting a person or organization succeed, enjoying the feeling of purpose, enjoying being around people, or all of the above. No matter what their reason is, I’d encourage each person to participate in something they’re passionate about. Their passion will help maintain their interest in helping the effort.

People are also most likely to participate when they see other people’s success. It would be great to share the results of the effort with the whole company, such as sharing event pictures and relaying how you/the team made a difference in the life of others.

5. How does Trintech support your efforts to give back?

Trintech offers each employee 16 hours of volunteer work, so each employee could take off 2 days from work and volunteer in an organization they feel passionate about. As a bonus, Trintech incentivizes employees to take those hours by awarding Kazoo points (internal rewards) to people who take a volunteer day off.

In addition, there have been plenty of activities at Trintech that focused on giving back to the community. The Trintech Social Responsibility team organized fundraisers for organizations like Toys for Tots, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Special Olympics, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, and many others. I’ve also participated in fun activities with Trintech such as building skateboards and bikes for kids with Buckner Relief Center.

Trintech also supports the “Going Green” effort by offering reusable totes instead of plastic bags and promoting the use of reusable mugs and water bottles. Trintech does a great job of involving all employees in practicing social responsibility!