By Vicente Lima, Country Director for Symantec Brazil

I’m really pleased to announce that Symantec Brasil has been recognized in two of the most important HR rankings from our country: last week we were selected for the fourth time as one of the 100 Top Companies to Work For - IT and Telco Industry, and, for the third time, as one of the 130 Top Companies to Work for in Brazil!

Both rankings are organized and promoted by the Great Place to Work Institute in partnership with national media outlets. The IT and Telco ranking will be featured in the next edition of Computerworld Magazine, while the national ranking is published by Época Magazine – one of the most important weekly publications in Brazil, with more than 1 million readers.

The main criteria for these awards are our employees’ opinion about the company. Employees were invited to evaluate Symantec in aspects such as credibility,...

This post was written by Rebecca Ranninger, Symantec Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, and President of the Symantec Foundation.

Although FY12 was another economically challenging year for many people, Symantec employees continued to donate both time and money to their communities. Employee volunteer hours increased by 20 percent over FY11 for a total of 18,379 volunteer hours. Additionally, during the same time frame, employee cash giving rose 14.4 percent to $791,714. Symantec added nearly $694,000 to this in company matched funds through our Dollars for Doers program.

At Symantec we are sure of one thing. Our employees want to give back and they find value in it. We all want to be part of a company that upholds the same values as we do. If we demonstrate and support this, it's a win-win for all...

For four consecutive years, Symantec has been included in two of the world's top sustainability indices – the Dow Jones Sustainability Index – DJSI (Global and North America) and the FTSE4Good. These indices feature companies across the world and North America that are leaders in managing environmental, social and governance issues.

Additionally, for the past two years, we've been selected for the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index (CII) Leaders, which includes the top 100 performers of the Maplecroft CII. The CII is the single most exhaustive study of how the United States' top companies are managing and adapting to climate change, one of the most pressing issues for businesses today. The index rates companies against more...

This just out: the latest causes companies support. As a socially conscious professional, you care, but you have to focus on business objectives.You need to meet the bottom line for your company and your department. Yet let's not overlook how CSR can play into your bottom line. Your CSR department is critical, and at the same time, to be at its highest point of efficacy, must also be conjoined with how your business units operate. 

First, let's review some of the top findings across the world. Please note the difference between the U.S. and other countries' perspectives. While the environment and healthcare top the global list, the concern in the U.S. differs a bit. Please also note Brazil's growing influence in CSR and our industry.

This study found that protecting the environment (91%) and improving the quality of healthcare (89%) are the top two global concerns. In the U.S., it's poverty and healthcare. Significant...