In a world where you can be anything…be kind.
Our client, Dwyer Group, recently became a national recipient of the 2018 Malden Mills Corporate Kindness Award which recognizes local, national and international community leaders, businesses and outstanding educators for promoting kindness, care and respect to students and adults for a better society at-large.
Co-chair of Dwyer Group, Dina Dwyer-Owens, accepts Corporate Kindness Award on behalf of Dwyer Group. Pictured L to R: Dina Dwyer-Owens; Aditya Achar, student volunteer; and Meranee Phing, Partner with The Riverside Company.
In a congratulatory video, Dwyer Group CEO and President Mike Bidwell stated, “Because of these values, we have seen growth in franchise sales. We have had franchisees approach us and openly admit they weren’t sure about our values, but once they realized how much of an impact they provide, that’s ultimately what helped them decide to buy a franchise.”
Dwyer Group’s example can be the rule, not the exception, for how more businesses can use values to create value.
“How important are business ethics in running a profitable business?”, an article written by Investopedia, touches on ethics and values in management, employee morale and public image.
Being kind, having values and demonstrating those in a place of business creates a positive environment for employees as well as creating and maintaining a positive reputation to those in the community.
The article speaks briefly on public image and how companies fare well with their shareholders and investors. Specifically, “It is common for the profitability of publicly traded companies to decline rapidly when they encounter situations where information regarding unethical behavior is discovered.”
Riverside Inc., the private equity firm who first invested in Dwyer Group in 2003 and again in 2014, has stated Dwyer Group’s Code of Values is atop their list of reasons why they continue to invest in them. They embrace their Code of Values and how they deliver value and profits. And the results speak volumes.
When Riverside reacquired Dwyer in 2014, Dwyer had eight franchise brands and 1,600 franchise owners. Today, Dwyer has 19 consumer brands, and 17 of those are franchise brands represented by 2,800 franchise owners generating over $1.5 billion in system-wide sales in 2017.
Inc. published an article in 2017 titled, “Kindness is the New Currency. Are You Cashing In?” in which they stated, “Kindness generates more customers, greater connectivity, new prospects, forgiveness for your mistakes, and higher employee and customer loyalty.”
Kindness, ethics and values are all important to more than just the culture inside of a company, but they directly impact other entities outside of the business, that can greatly affect one’s success. Case in point, Riverside Inc. and Dwyer Group.
So, that begs the question: “What Do You Stand For?” In this blog written by Dwyer Group Co-Chair Dina Dwyer-Owens, she states, “The bottom line (and a profitable one too) is that a company that lives and leads with values will always outperform, outshine, outdo and outlive competitors who leave ethics at the back door.”
What are ways you can improve kindness in your business?
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