Volunteerism at the Forefront: Shaping the Future of CSR

How volunteerism is shaping the future of CSR

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has long been synonymous with charitable donations and corporate giving programs. However, as the workplace and societal expectations evolve, volunteerism is emerging as a central component of effective CSR strategies. This shift is driven by the increasing importance of engaging employees, especially in remote and hybrid work environments, where traditional CSR activities may fall short.

Volunteerism is no longer just a component of a well-rounded CSR program—it’s becoming the driving force behind meaningful employee engagement and impactful social contributions. Companies that prioritize volunteerism, especially through innovative features like our Grow Your Impact volunteer tree-planting initiative, are successfully fostering a culture of giving and attracting top talent.

Why volunteerism is taking center stage

Several key trends are pushing volunteerism to the forefront of CSR, making it an essential component for companies looking to maximize their social impact.

The rise of remote and hybrid work

• The trend: With more employees working remotely or in hybrid settings, traditional workplace giving programs are becoming less effective in maintaining employee engagement. Volunteerism, especially through virtual and remote-friendly opportunities, offers a way to engage distributed teams. According to the Stanford Social Innovation Review, companies are increasingly leveraging volunteerism to adapt to these new work environments, ensuring continued employee engagement and social impact.
• The impact: Companies that offer remote volunteer opportunities are better able to maintain a sense of community and purpose among employees, regardless of their physical location. Innovative volunteer programs are increasingly essential for maintaining engagement in remote work environments.

Growing employee demand for purpose-driven work

• The trend: Today’s workforce, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, increasingly seeks purpose-driven work that aligns with their values. Research from Gallup’s State of the American Workplace Report highlights that employees who find purpose in their work are more engaged, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates. Integrating volunteerism into CSR strategies allows companies to meet this demand effectively.
• The impact: By integrating volunteerism into CSR strategies, companies can meet this demand, improving employee satisfaction, retention, and overall engagement.

Shift towards volunteer time off (VTO)

• The trend: Companies are increasingly recognizing the value of volunteer time off (VTO) as a benefit that not only supports employees’ desire to give back but also enhances their well-being and job satisfaction.
• The impact: Offering VTO as part of a comprehensive CSR strategy positions companies as leaders in social responsibility, making them more attractive to socially conscious talent and improving employee morale.

Adapting volunteer programs for the future

To stay ahead in the evolving landscape of CSR, companies need to adapt their volunteer programs to meet the needs of today’s workforce. A study by PwC emphasizes the role of sustainability in workforce strategies, which includes volunteerism as a key component for engaging employees and fostering a sense of community, even in a remote-first world.

Expanding virtual and hybrid volunteer opportunities

• The solution: Percent Pledge offers a range of virtual and hybrid volunteer opportunities that are accessible to all employees, globally. These opportunities allow companies to maintain a robust volunteer program even in a remote-first world.
• The impact: Expanding virtual volunteer opportunities ensures that all employees can participate in meaningful CSR activities, driving higher engagement and fostering a sense of community across the organization.

Integrating VTO into employee benefits

• The solution: Companies should consider integrating volunteer time off (VTO) into their employee benefits packages. Percent Pledge makes it easy to manage and promote VTO, helping companies encourage more employees to take advantage of this benefit.
• The impact: Offering VTO enhances employee well-being and satisfaction, reinforcing the company’s commitment to social responsibility and employee support. Explore our Comprehensive VTO Guide for detailed insights on how to set up and optimize your VTO program.

Tailoring volunteer programs to employee interests

• The solution: Percent Pledge allows companies to customize volunteer programs based on employee interests and passions, including Community Volunteer Events. A key component of this customization is our proprietary Employee Passion Assessment. This tool helps organizations understand what causes resonate most with their employees, leading to more engaged and impactful volunteerism. By administering the Passion Assessment, companies can gather invaluable insights into how their employees prefer to give back, what causes they care about most, and how these align with broader company goals, including DEI initiatives.‍
• The impact: Tailoring volunteer programs based on the Passion Assessment increases engagement by ensuring that volunteer opportunities align with what employees care about most. For both Grow Financial and Feedonomics, this approach resulted in highly engaged employees and successful volunteer initiatives that aligned with each company’s strategic goals and values.

Case study: Grow Financial Federal Credit Union

• Situation: Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, a Percent Pledge partner, used the Passion Assessment to take their corporate volunteering program to the next level.
• Insights: The assessment revealed that 94% of employees felt having ways to give back would improve their employee experience, and 68% were passionate about causes related to Hunger and Homelessness.
• Outcome: This led to a highly successful program, with most of their 500 employees actively participating in 17 local team volunteer events within just six months of the partnership.

Case study: Feedonomics

• Situation: Feedonomics, a rapidly growing technology company, faced challenges in formalizing a corporate volunteering program due to their lean People team.
• Insights: The Company Passion Report revealed that 89% of employees felt that having ways to give back would improve their employee experience, and 50% were already actively engaged in philanthropic activities.
• Outcome: Approximately 20% of the workforce participated in a single virtual volunteer event—a virtual Map-a-Thon for Disaster Relief. Feedonomics additionally added the program to its recruiting materials in response to a rise in prospective hires asking their Talent Acquisition team about opportunities to engage in social impact.

The Percent Pledge difference: leading the future of CSR with volunteerism

Percent Pledge is more than just a CSR platform—it’s a partner in helping organizations lead with volunteerism. Our Volunteering Platform provides the tools and support needed to adapt volunteer programs to the future of work, ensuring that companies can maintain high levels of employee engagement and social impact.

Embrace volunteerism to shape the future of CSR

Volunteerism is no longer a peripheral part of CSR—it’s at the heart of it. Companies that prioritize volunteerism in their CSR strategies, including innovative features like our Grow Your Impact initiative, are not only meeting the demands of a changing workforce but also positioning themselves as leaders in social responsibility.

Ready to enhance your CSR strategy with impactful volunteer programs? Request a demo to see how Percent Pledge can transform your approach to corporate social responsibility and employee volunteerism.