Every week I am fortunate to hear about what happens when talented corporate employees work with innovative worldwide nonprofit and purpose-driven entrepreneurial projects. It makes my work worthwhile to see qualified volunteers working toward goals of eliminating hunger and homelessness, assuring clean water, guaranteeing social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, wildlife preservation, fighting climate change and so much more.
This statement by Caroline Grossman, executive director at the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, makes me optimistic about the future. When asked by a journalist whether younger people are the force behind sustainability and impact investing, she answered,
“Now, business school has become a destination for people who believe doing good is worth doing well.”
And a lot of this good is accomplished by volunteers sharing their expertise and enthusiasm to make the world better for all of us.
National Volunteer Week is Time for Congratulations
National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, 2021, is a time to honor volunteers, recognize their impact, and encourage volunteerism in our communities.
The United States government established National Volunteer Week in 1974. Today, Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, organizes the project. Community-based organizations across the country celebrate National Volunteer Week and recognize “the power of volunteers to tackle society’s greatest challenges.”
How Effective is Your Corporate Volunteering Program?
A report by the Corporation for National and Community Service states about 77.4 million people in the United States volunteered about 6.9 billion hours of their time, talent, and effort to improve and strengthen their communities in 2018. With the new average value of volunteer time, these community champions contribute approximately $167.7 billion to our nation.
Last month, I discussed the expectations of both employees and consumers that corporations have not only a solid Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy but an active one.
Four Active Approaches to Giving Back
Companies can maximize the effectiveness of their CSR programs when they:
1. Offer virtual volunteer opportunities.
2. Enable volunteers to put their skills to use.
3. Unleash the internal force for change by facilitating personal employee involvement.
4. Recognize the impact of both big and small projects.
If you have a skills-based volunteering program in place, can you measure, analyze, and document the results of your efforts?
In order to recognize your most dedicated volunteers and showcase their success, you need applications that make reporting and tracking activities easy.
Software Platform Streamlines Skills-based Volunteering
Honor National Volunteer Week 2021 by improving your skills-based volunteer program. Not only will your human resources and CSR teams thank you, but you’ll also have the information you need to show the value of your accomplishments.
Tracking volunteer hours is a process that proves your organization is analytical and self-reflective to the community, corporate officers and shareholders…but it is only part of what our unique branded software program can do. In addition to matching volunteers with participating nonprofits, effective software allows you to:
● Measure volunteer engagement.
● Gather and share the impact volunteers make.
● Use the information to showcase success and inspire volunteers.
● Match skilled volunteers with the best opportunities for maximum impact.
When you prepare reports from your volunteer database, you show that your company is organized and passionate about the impact your volunteers are making. You can prove the value of the pro bono contribution to assure the program’s continuity.
The employees who donate their time and skills need to clearly understand the value their work is making and the financial impact they make.
Volunteer Week Recognizes all Contributions Large and Small
Take time this National Volunteer Week to show the volunteers and nonprofits you rely on most how much they matter to your program. Let them know how much their efforts mean to the world.
Revere Software provides a branded, personalized virtual skills-based volunteering program, enabling your nonprofit partners to connect with your employees on both one-on-one and team-based projects. Get in touch and find out how we can empower your organization to accomplish even greater good