Guidelines for starting a corporate volunteer program
September 19, 1994; Canadian FundRaiser
There is a philosophical underpinning for any solid corporate volunteer program, and the Points of Light Foundation, an American organization in Washington D.C., has provided that in its "Principles of Excellence in Community Service: A Plan to A.C.T."
Acknowledge that the corporation's community service involvement, and its employee volunteer efforts, contribute to the achievement of business goals.
- Incorporate in the corporate vision, as expressed through mission statements, credos or social policy statements, the recognition that societal and community issues have a direct relationship to the company and its success.
- Communicate the corporate social vision, and employee volunteer efforts, consistently to the company's external and internal stakeholders.
- Enlist senior management participation, and encourage management to take an active and visible role in the community.
Commit to establish, support and promote an employee volunteer program that encourages the involvement of every employee, and treat it like any other core business function.
- Allocate sufficient resources to develop, maintain and sustain volunteer efforts.
- Manage the program effectively, for example, with a business plan and impact evaluation on employees and the community.
- Establish policies, procedures and incentives that encourage optimum participation, such as release time or matching gift programs for employee volunteer activity.
- Develop volunteer projects that utilize the distinctive competencies and skills of the company and its employees.
Target community service efforts at serious social problems in the community.
- Survey employees to determine their interests in working on specific issues, and conduct community needs assessments to determine the most pressing community needs.
- Focus projects and efforts so that they address serious, systemic problems.
- Conduct regular evaluations of the impact of employee volunteer efforts on the community.
Written corporate policies help sustain corporate commitment in volunteering, even in times of change. Seeking ongoing CEO endorsement and involvement, developing a release time policy that allows employees time off for volunteering, developing a loaned personnel program, providing monetary grants for service, and making volunteer experience a part of the job application all support employee involvement. Evaluating and communicating the benefits of the program to all departments is very important to sustaining management commitment.
