Corporate America Values Skilled Volunteerism as a Means to Social Change

Increasingly, corporations regard workplace volunteerism as a means to effect long-term social change and are offering their employees skilled volunteer opportunities, an annual survey from New York City-based Deloitte finds. [SOURCE]


According to the 2010 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey (4 pages, PDF), 84 percent of corporate managers believe volunteerism can help nonprofits achieve long-term goals. The survey also found that whereas 50 percent of respondents offered skills-based volunteer opportunities in 2009, 60 percent now report offering options for employee-selected projects, while 64 percent offer options that fit the companies' philanthropic focus. Top criteria for determining workplace volunteer activities include the potential to help mitigate a social problem, help a nonprofit organization function more effectively, help a nonprofit serve more clients, promote good corporate citizenship values, and enhance employee morale.

At the same time, the survey suggests that consistent communication, measurement, and accountability in employee volunteer programs are lacking. Fewer than half the corporations, for example, reported that they always discuss with nonprofits how the volunteer projects will help address short-term needs, create long-term social impact, or help the nonprofits function more effectively, while only 38 percent work with nonprofits to customize metrics to measure the impact of volunteer time.

"Nonprofit organizations are not just looking for more and more people to volunteer; they are looking for people who have specific skills and can help them accomplish sophisticated goals," said Evan Hochberg, national community involvement director at Deloitte Services. "The great news in the data is that companies have begun to look at volunteerism as a means to help accomplish social objectives, but that requires a different conversation than the one that might be had about organizing traditional, hands-on volunteerism events."

“Corporate America Gives Workplace Volunteerism a Strong Vote of Confidence as Means for Long-Term Social Change.” Deloitte Press Release 5/03/10.

Companies Can Contribute Skills, If Not Cash, to Nonprofits in Recession

In the world of corporate philanthropy, cash has long been king. However, at a time when charitable cash contributions are being squeezed, when 76 percent of corporate donors acknowledge they must adjust their giving strategies, and when there is renewed emphasis on volunteerism, this one-track "show me the money" approach is untenable.

It's time to expand the traditional definition of corporate giving, to encompass what many business leaders consider their most valuable asset: the skills of their employees.

According to the 2009 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey, 95 percent of nonprofits need more skilled volunteer support. And while 78 percent of corporations agree their employees' skills would be valuable to nonprofit organizations, only 50 percent offer skilled support.

The need for cash, of course, is legitimate and undeniable. However, with corporate donations on the decline, the need to hasten the adoption of skilled volunteering as a complementary giving strategy has never been more urgent. Consider this: Nearly 40 percent of nonprofits will spend upward of $50,000 for outside business consultants in 2009. If they secured skilled volunteering support instead, they could free up those funds for other uses. That's the beauty of skilled services; the money goes further.

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