There’s nothing like it in the industry. Since opening up shop in 2007, Clean Solar has given away $500 out of every job to charity. The company’s program is appropriately named “Giving Back.” Founder Randy Zechman sees it as a social opportunity to make a difference. “We are in an industry that has a high ticket item product,” he says. “If we cannot afford to give $500 out of every job to someone who needs $500 more than we do, we are not running our business the right way.”

For charities like the Sierra Club, Audobon Society, NWF, and Grameen Foundation, the donations mean a lot. In addition to the money, charities are uplifted when companies like Clean Solar take an active part in the giving community. “We have found the people at these organizations to have really big hearts,” Zechman says. “They don’t do this type of work for the money – they do it because they care. They sacrifice their lives for these organizations.”

As an entrepreneur who actively participates in all three of the companies he’s founded, Zechman shows that the same giving spirit can extend to a wider range of industries, including the solar industry. Ultimately, generosity stems from the desire to make the world a better place. Zechman explains, “My wife and I recently had our first child. Naturally, we started thinking about the future a bit more and what we could do to better the environment for which we live. In my retirement (which isn’t coming for another 20 or 30 years), I wanted to look back and feel good about what we accomplished. I suspect this is one of the things for which I will be most proud.”

Homeowners associated with each project have the opportunity to choose the charity that Clean Solar will donate to. In every case, Zechman says that homeowners are grateful to be given the chance to participate in the process, sometimes matching Clean Solar’s donations with donations of their own. “The act of giving is such a simple thing. Who doesn’t want to see an underprivileged child smile? Or someone who has had hard times be given a lift? Or an organization that is helping make the world a better place succeed?” Zechman asks.

Though other solar companies don’t have something comparable to “Giving Back” in place, Zechman hopes this will change. “I hope it will lead others to do the same. I encourage every one of my counterparts in this industry to give just a little.”