Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z Each year, Norway Savings donates to some 400 nonprofits spanning a wide range of missions. From business-focused groups such as SCORE Maine and social service providers like Crosswalk Community Center to environmental organizations including Loon Echo Land Trust, the bank demonstrates its values through the breadth of its support. Norway Savings also provides finan- cial assistance to the Center for Grieving Children in Portland and produced a series of videos the organization uses to recruit facilitators who support caregiv- ers, bereaved parents, widowers, and others. is work helps ensure that those experiencing loss can find meaningful support and understanding during life's most difficult moments. "Trying to go the extra mile to help groups and organizations making a real impact is so gratifying, and NSB looks for opportunities to extend that support when we're able," says Dan Walsh, the bank's president and CEO. (Dan Walsh and Margo Walsh are not related.) Corporate social responsibility not only deepens Norway Savings' relation- ships with community partners but also delivers measurable business value, including heightened brand recogni- tion, stronger talent recruitment, and increased customer loyalty. "Our customers frequently tell us how much they appreciate NSB's staunch commitment to making Maine and New Hampshire better places to work and live, and almost all of our new team members share that learning and read- ing about NSB's dedication to corporate responsibility was part of their reason for joining the bank," Walsh explains. Brighter futures through employment e Portland-based staffing agency MaineWorks was founded by Margo Walsh (no relation to Dan Walsh) in 2011 to help marginalized individu- als secure employment. As a certified B Corp, MaineWorks operates as a for-profit company with a measurable social and environmental mission, guided by standards established by the nonprofit B Lab. After an established career as a recruiter, Walsh launched MaineWorks and quickly recognized a major barrier in the labor market: many employ- ers were unwilling to hire individuals with felony records. As a result, this population was often left vulnerable to unstable day labor work that frequently led to continued cycles of unemploy- ment and recidivism. "I started a company and said, I will only hire felons to take the social premise and dump it upside down," Walsh says. rough partnerships with roughly a dozen construction firms across south- ern Maine, including Wright-Ryan, AlliedCook, Consigli, PC, Sheridan and Zachau, MaineWorks connects mar- ginalized workers with meaningful and reliable employment opportunities that can be life-changing. e average MaineWorks employee earns about $20 per hour, well above the national minimum wage. Last year, MaineWorks hired 192 individuals. Of those who remained employed for at least two consecutive weeks, 76% converted to full-time employ- ment, a significant achievement for a population that often faces work- force stigma. "e people that we employ would have otherwise been unemployed. We have taken tax burden and turned them into a taxpayer. Not only is there a societal ROI, but from a corporate ROI, we have great success," Walsh says. "One of the best indicators for ROI is that many of our people actu- ally turn around and hire our people. So, it's a continuation then of favor- able effective employment." Beyond MaineWorks' core staffing model, Walsh and her sister, Elaine, also launched the United Recovery Fund, a nonprofit that helps remove additional barriers to employment. By raising funds to support transporta- tion, housing assistance, health ser- vices, work clothing, food, and other essentials, the organization helps position MaineWorks employees for long-term success. While MaineWorks' mission is clearly focused on expanding employment access for marginalized populations, the company is equally intentional about internal employee development, demonstrating the same level of care within its organization as it does in the community. "I think corporate social respon- sibility is living your values and that your values are evident by the things that you choose to do as a company. I feel like the most common fallacy is that it costs money to be a good employer," Walsh says. "It doesn't cost anything to be kind to your employ- ees. It doesn't cost anything to include your employees in meetings for edu- cational opportunities. And it doesn't cost anything to promote people and advocate for people." Sloane M. Perron , a freelance writer, can be reached at editorial @ mainebiz.biz Our customers frequently tell us how much they appreciate NSB's staunch commitment to making Maine and New Hampshire better places to work and live. — Dan Walsh Norway Savings Bank The people that we employ would have otherwise been unemployed. We have taken tax burden and turned them into a taxpayer. — Margo Walsh MaineWorks F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY 5 B U S I N E S S F O R G O O D / M A R C H 9 , 2 0 2 6 Margo Walsh, MaineWorks Dan Walsh, Norway Savings Bank

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