Corporate Volunteering:A Global Perspective

Presentation atHigher School of Economics

MoscowSeptember 19, 2011

About Today

• General introduction to the field – what, why and how

• Findings from our research • Trends and innovations• Key issues• Research issues• The future

Me• Led first comprehensive research on corporate

volunteering in U.S. in 1979• Led first comprehensive global research on

corporate volunteering in 2011• Led “national volunteer center” in US for 12

years; senior executive at Points of Light Foundation for 10 years

• Former World President, IAVE: International Association for Volunteer Effort

• Consultant, trainer, speaker, researcher in 30+ countries

The Research

• Global Corporate Volunteering Research Project – 2009-2011

• Global Corporate Volunteer Council – network of ~30 global companies; program of IAVE

• Purpose: develop new knowledge that will help companies do more and do it better; contribute to understanding of the field

• Sponsored by 12 global companies

The Research - 2

• Global State of Health Study– Consulted experts – companies, NGOs,

academics, consultants, observers– Sought out existing research

• Global Companies Study– 48 global companies based in Asia-Pacific,

Europe, Latin America, North America– Interviews– Document review

“What is corporate volunteering?”

• Any effort by any employer to encourage and support volunteering in the community by their employees

• Umbrella term• Institutional promotion and support of

volunteering by workers can be found in global companies, small and medium enterprises, government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

AKA (also known as)

• Employee volunteering• Employer-supported volunteering• Employee community engagement

Major Forms

• Days/weeks/months of service• Individual volunteer placements• Team-based projects• Skills-based volunteering• Released time• Matching volunteering with money

Is it volunteering?

• Long-term issue; no resolution• Are employees being paid to volunteer?• Are employees required to volunteer?• Can we differentiate “the individual as

volunteer” and “the company as volunteer?”

Why corporate volunteering?

• Good for the community• Good for the employees• Good for the company

Good for the Community

• Source of talented, skilled people who know how to get things done

• Long-term benefit of partnerships• Credibility & visibility for NGOs and their

issues• Opportunity to educate companies through

their people• Potential for additional resources

Good for Employees

• Same as for any volunteers• Personal satisfaction• Social connections• Opportunity to refine existing skills and

develop new ones• Opportunity to learn new knowledge• Health benefits

Good for Company - 1

• Perception often has been more valuable than proof in building the business case for corporate volunteering

• We need to keep the business case realistic

• The business case for corporate volunteering may not be consistent worldwide.

Good for the Company - 2

• Managing the culture• Strengthening the workforce• Responding to internal and external

expectations – brand management• Building external relationships

Strengthening the Workforce

• Recruitment and retention • Loyalty and morale • Professional development • Health and well-being • Team building • Preparing for the future

Conceptual Models - 1

• Business-focused• Social services• Social development• Human development

Conceptual Models - 2

• Business-focused– adding value to the company

• Social Services – helping people by relieving immediate need – target audience (marginalizes, poor, elderly,

disabled, children, etc) – delivering services

Conceptual Models - 3

• Social Development– Target issues or problems– Changing underlying conditions– Building capacity & self-sufficiency– Begin with existing assets

• Human Development– Increasing awareness & knowledge of social realities– Aimed at building engaged, active citizens– Fostering personal development through volunteering

Global State of Health – 1

• “Corporate volunteering is a dynamic, global force, driven by companies that want to make a significant difference to serious global and local problems.”

• The “big tent”• Globalization AND localization• Focus for impact• Optimistic dynamism – survival in

“permanent whitewater”

Global State of Health – 2

• The “Big Tent”– Broad range of activities– No single “best way”– All situational

• What fits with culture, priorities, realities of a company

• “Inspiring practices” not “best practices”– “best practices” often equals “most popular

practices”

Global State of Health – 3

• Globalization AND Localization– Spread of corporate volunteering to global

companies in headquarter countries– Spread of corporate volunteering by global

companies throughout their systems– Growth of “indigenous” corporate volunteering

by regional and national companies

Global State of Health – 4

• Focus for Impact– Belief that narrowing focus of activities will

increase impact– Enables companies to create “signature

projects” or “signature partnerships” that allow them to leverage resources and increase their visibility

– Tension with need to allow business units to respond to regional, national, local priorities

– Tension with interests of employees

Global State of Health – 5

• Optimistic dynamism– “Permanent whitewater” of continuous change– Corporate volunteering is dynamic, not static– Issue of lack of institutional memory within

companies– Remains on the margin, thus vulnerable to

change

Regional Comparisons - 1• Africa and the Arab Nations are in the early

stages of building their own models based in their respective, very rich cultural approaches to volunteering as natural, organic parts of life, often rooted in familial relationships.

• Asia-Pacific is a beehive of activity as local models emerge at the same time that Western models are being adapted. There is much for the world to learn from the region.

Regional Comparisons - 2• Europe is characterized by diversity in approaches and

growth in acceptance and scope. It is a clear leader in developing models for collaboration among companies.

• Latin America is demonstrating the viability of models that emphasize social change and development of active citizens with clear understanding of social realities.

• North America is the most mature region, learning how to globalize their programs and to adopt and adapt ideas from other regions while continuing to drive innovation.

Trends and Innovations

• Skills based volunteering• Partnerships with NGOs• Use for skill development, leadership

training, team building• Cross-border volunteering• Online volunteering• Micro-volunteering

Key Issues

• The challenge of “strategic” volunteering• The gap between professed value &

investment• Inconsistent expectation for management• Is it for everyone or only some?• Managing across cultures• Lack of global learning• Where are the critics?

Research Issues• No established processes for global learning• Lack of agreement on definitions, what to count• No consistent data collection• No quantifiable trend data• Language barriers• Lack of sustained investment• People in field are action oriented; low tolerance

for concepts and reflection• Competition for scarce resources

The Future• Evolving understanding but “big tent” survives through

redefinition of “strategic”• Natural and man-made disasters• More inclusive – retirees, alumni, family, friends, supply

chain, consumers• Collaboration among companies• Decentralization within companies• More employee driven• Better use of technology• Leadership re issues and for volunteering• Global learning

Kenn AllenCivil Society Consulting GroupWashington DC kenn@civilsocietyconsulting.com

IAVEwww.iave.org

Global Corporate Volunteering Research Projectwww.gcvcresearch.org