Employee resource groups (ERGs) have become a vital part of today’s workplace. These groups, led by employees, are often called affinity or business resource groups. They bring together team members who share similar interests or backgrounds. ERGs focus on areas like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), community outreach, or improving company culture. They create a sense of belonging and play a key role in supporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
CSR efforts are greatly enhanced by working closely together with ERGs. These groups not only strengthen employee engagement but also contribute to making a positive impact on society. However, leaders of these groups face a challenge: balancing their full-time job responsibilities while leading ERG efforts. That’s where Percent Pledge comes in. We provide the tools and support ERGs need to find nonprofit partners, organize volunteer events, measure community impact, and more.
Growing importance of ERGs
In the past, ERGs were often small, informal networks. But now, they have become vital to leading companies. They are seen as essential to building a strong company culture, boosting employee engagement, and expanding a company’s social impact. In fact, about 90% of Fortune 500 companies now have ERGs, and this number is growing across many industries. Read more about the growing impact of Employee Resource Groups in today’s workforce and why they matter for companies of all sizes.
ERGs give a voice to employees who may feel overlooked in traditional workplace structures. They advocate for important changes within organizations, and they help build strong connections to social causes. By bringing employees together around shared values and interests, ERGs create a sense of belonging that can make employees feel more engaged and connected to their work.
As ERGs grow, their responsibilities increase. Leaders of these groups often face time constraints and limited resources. Many ERG leaders need help with planning events, managing initiatives, and measuring the impact of their work. They also need to ensure that their work aligns with the company’s broader goals. This can be difficult without the right tools and support. Learn more about how companies can build effective ERGs and why these groups are key to creating an inclusive work environment.
How Percent Pledge supports ERGs
Percent Pledge is dedicated to making workplace philanthropy simple, effective, and impactful. We offer a range of tools and services to help ERGs thrive and achieve their goals. Here’s how we help ERGs succeed:
Understand what employees care about with the Passion Assessment
One of the most important steps in supporting ERGs is understanding what employees care about and how they want to give back. That’s where our Passion Assessment comes in. This tool helps ERG leaders identify the causes and issues their members are most passionate about. After employees complete the assessment, we provide a Passion Report—a detailed “cheat sheet” for ERG leaders that highlights the top causes employees want to support. ERG leaders can then use this report to plan programming and volunteer events that align perfectly with what their members care about, creating more impactful and engaging initiatives.
Identify top-rated charities for ERG nonprofit partnerships
One of the key ways we support ERGs is by helping them identify and vet nonprofit partners. ERG leaders often want to work with local charities that align with their group’s mission and values, but finding the right organizations can take time and effort. We make this process easier by helping ERGs research and find top-rated charities that are a good fit for their goals.
Our team ensures that each nonprofit partner matches both the ERG’s mission and the needs of the community. This allows ERG leaders to feel confident in forming partnerships with nonprofits, without having to spend hours on research. By working with Percent Pledge, ERGs can build meaningful partnerships that make a real difference.
Learn more about how Percent Pledge helps ERGs identify, research, and vet nonprofit partners to ensure alignment with their group’s mission and values.
Organize volunteer events for ERGs
Organizing volunteer events can be time-consuming and stressful, especially for ERG leaders who are already balancing other responsibilities. Percent Pledge makes it easy for ERGs to plan both in-person and virtual volunteer events.
We make sure these events align with your ERG’s goals and engage all employees. Whether your ERG wants to host a local day of service or organize a virtual volunteering opportunity, we provide the tools and support to make these events seamless and successful.
Engage ERGs with ready-made virtual volunteer events
We also provide ready-made virtual volunteer events that ERGs can use to engage their members and other employees. These virtual events require minimal effort from ERG leaders, allowing them to host impactful events that employees can join from anywhere. This makes it simple to organize and engage with meaningful volunteer opportunities, no matter the size of the ERG or the location of its members. They also provide unique opportunities to engage ERG members who work remotely.
Support ERG leaders with Social Impact Experts
Leading an ERG can be a lot of work. Percent Pledge provides hands-on support through our team of Social Impact Experts. These experts work directly with ERG leaders to help plan campaigns, create resources, and carry out initiatives that align with the group’s goals.
Our Social Impact Managers bring years of experience in the nonprofit and corporate social responsibility sectors. They are there to guide ERG leaders every step of the way, ensuring they have the resources and strategies they need to succeed. This support helps ERG leaders make a greater impact without feeling overwhelmed.
Power ERG programming with an easy-to-use platform
Percent Pledge’s platform is designed to make it easy for all employees—not just ERG members—to get involved in meaningful initiatives. Our platform is easy to use and offers flexible campaigns, allowing ERG leaders to create programs that align with their group’s mission and company goals.
With our platform, employees can explore a range of volunteering opportunities, charitable giving options, and cause-driven campaigns. By making it simple and engaging for employees to get involved, we help ERGs drive participation and strengthen connections between employees, their company, and the causes they care about.
Track ERG impact with real-time dashboards
It’s important for ERGs to be able to measure the impact of their work. That’s why our platform provides real-time dashboards that ERG leaders and company administrators can use to track their group’s social impact. These dashboards make it easy to monitor things like donations, volunteer hours, and employee participation.
Having access to real-time data helps leaders see what’s working and where they can improve. With our dashboards, ERG leaders can confidently present their group’s impact to company leaders, which can lead to greater support and resources for future initiatives.
Future of ERGs
As employee resource groups continue to grow in size and influence, companies will need to provide even more support to help them succeed. Percent Pledge is committed to offering the tools, resources, and expert guidance that ERGs need to thrive.
We believe in building an inclusive workplace where employees feel connected not only to their company but also to their broader community. ERGs are a key part of this mission. As more companies recognize the value of ERGs, the need for effective tools and support will only grow.
Ready to empower your ERGs with our tailored CSR and engagement solutions? Schedule a free demo and see how Percent Pledge can help your ERGs achieve greater impact.
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