Being the difference outside the walls of Johnson Controls

By Catherine Fink, a Public and Media Relations Intern studying Corporate Communications at Marquette University

Every summer new interns and employees are introduced to the many departments at Johnson Controls and anxiously await their assignments and teams. They share a desire to not only gain real-life experience in their chosen academic field, but to meet new people and become more engaged in the community.

As a strong philanthropic partner in the Milwaukee metro area and its other locations, Johnson Controls harnesses this excitement by introducing volunteer opportunities that build camaraderie and fulfill core values.

According to Liz Bautch, a business intelligence manager in product management, it is important for interns to thrive in their experience at Johnson Controls and get the experience they need as that builds an impression.

“I have been at Johnson Controls for 13 years and started as an intern,” Bautch said. “I started to become very engaged in volunteer work, and it has been an opportunity for team building because a lot of times you can volunteer while engaging with your co-workers and building those muscles together.”

Abby Flunker, a human relations generalist , started as a graduate intern and transitioned into a full-time position in 2022. She said volunteer activities were part of her work then and she continues to give back to the community through volunteerism.

“I would definitely recommend interns take advantage of all the opportunities they are given," Flunker said. “It is a great way to meet people and learn while helping in the community, like when I went to the organization Neighborhood House and did landscaping. It was a wonderful experience.”

In addition to individual volunteer hours, this year Johnson Controls interns donated 125 hours of service during the company’s first annual Intern Week of Action. Volunteer activities included working on projects like the Hunger Task Force Farm, United Way Backpack Coalition, and American Red Cross Blood Drive.

The corporation and the Johnson Controls Foundation provide approximately $12 million annually to support non-profit organizations, which includes significant gifts to United Way, Milwaukee United Performing Arts Fund, the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, scholarships for employees’ children, and matches for individual employee and retiree gifts to eligible non-profit organizations. The company’s largest philanthropic initiative is the Community College Partnership Program, which gives significant grants to 30 community colleges across North America and three in India. The program ensures underserved members of the surrounding communities have access to the education and training that can lead to family-supporting jobs.

Justice Grant, an operations analyst in the IT Rotational Program, said the feeling of being part of an organization committed to corporate citizenship is very fulfilling.

“When you give back, it is selfless and it not only impacts you, but also the people you are helping, because you are directly influencing lives and this can enrich your life too,” Grant said.

Volunteering is more than just for interns during the Intern Week of Action. The Early Career Program, a development program for recent college graduates that have been hired by Johnson Controls, also sets up volunteer opportunities.

Lucas Miller, a member of the IT Rotational Program said, “It is your duty as a human being to help one another, and I am confident in the values of Johnson Controls. It makes me want to work harder because I know that the company is doing so many things right.”

Johnson Controls makes it a priority to encourage employees to go out and volunteer.

“It can be a challenge to take time away, but I love how supportive leadership is and all the opportunities that we have," Flunker said.

When you see the “Go Beyond” Johnson Controls volunteer shirt on an employee or intern, stop and ask them about the volunteering that they are doing. Service is one of the core values that employees carry with them and demonstrate by giving their time and talents, Adam Siegel, a summer Finance and Accounting Intern, said.

Siegle added he is proud to work for an organization that cares about being the difference.

“The fact that Johnson Controls cares so much about giving back to the community shows they have strong values and goals to make a difference, " Siegel said. “Those factors help contribute to why I am so proud to say I am a part of Johnson Controls.”