Bonterra, the software company devoted to nonprofit-group operations, was formed a year ago when four separate organizations combined into one. So respecting colleagues with a variety of perspectives has been a foundational element of its culture.

“We are better when we have diverse pools of thought, and inclusivity goes hand-in-hand with that,” said Pete Karns, Bonterra’s general manager of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy.

Speaking at From Day One’s August virtual conference on offering workers purpose and fulfillment, Karns and his colleague Terilyn Juarez Monroe, Bonterra’s chief people officer, asserted that company leaders should go out of their way to bring together diverse colleagues under a common social purpose. “Because at the end of the day, what we’re trying to do is build community and build a sense of belonging within our companies,” said Juarez Monroe.

That approach appeals directly to contemporary workers, particularly those on the younger side of the age spectrum, who want the companies that employ them to provide a sense of meaning beyond their pay and benefits. A more communal culture helps organizations to identify company-wide values, and pinpoint causes that CSR teams can focus on.

It’s this intertwining of CSR and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) that is so vital to the sustainability of Bonterra’s company culture, especially through worker retention.“When we think about DEIB and CSR, we know that we need to make sure that it’s not just one single moment in time, but it’s woven across the entire [employee] experience,” said Juarez Monroe. “So when a candidate hears about your company, what makes you special in your values, they’re not only hearing it, but they’re seeing the action, they’re seeing the results on your websites, they’re hearing about it with their hiring managers, sharing those proof points. And then when they’re an employee, they’re actually living it as well.”

This lived CSR experience is manifested at Bonterra in a few different ways. Juarez Monroe highlighted the company’s skill-based volunteerism in organizations that reflect Bonterra’s DEIB values as one particularly fruitful venture. This type of initiative not only gives employees that sense of purpose, it also helps build them up as potential company leaders.

“When we look at all of these initiatives as separate initiatives, they feel like add-ons, they feel like more work,” Juarez Monroe said. “People love it when we can actually show that all these things are integrated, that when working together we can actually have greater impact.”

Juarez Monroe also advised companies to not be shy when there’s a call to take a stand on an issue, like reproductive rights or social justice. She said employees want to see that more so today than at any other point in her career.

“People want us to actually show what we’re doing in support of these things, or to see how we’re going to respond, and how that aligns to our values and our purpose,” she said. “And so we have an opportunity to re-engage our employees, and by doing so, keep them retained in the organization, but also help attract others.”

Finally, Juarez Monroe said she envisions a future for CSR and DEIB initiatives that include more collaboration and partnerships, perhaps between corporations and nonprofits or, really, any organizations that can reward each other in some relevant way. Afterall, a single organization can only do so much, but a coalition makes expanding horizons–and impactful outcomes–far less daunting.

Editor’s note: From Day One thanks our partner who sponsored this thought leadership spotlight, Bonterra.

Michael Stahl is a New York City-based freelance journalist, writer, and editor. You can read more of his work at MichaelStahlWrites.com, follow him on Twitter @MichaelRStahl, and order his first book, the autobiography of Major League Baseball pitcher Bartolo Colón, at Abrams Books.