https://www.iave.org/corporate-volunteering-for-a-post-pandemic-world/
https://www.iave.org/corporate-volunteering-for-a-post-pandemic-world/
Even in the face of an unprecedented global crisis, corporate volunteering remains a vital force – mobilizing the skills, energy and commitment of workers in every region to help build a better world for all.
That is the core message of this report on IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteering Research Project. It is built on in-depth examinations, as seen through the eyes of those directly responsible for managing the volunteer programs, of the realities, the trends and the best practices that continue to shape the field.
For the past 16 years, IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) has been the premier gathering point for global companies to learn from each other and to work together to build the strength and impact of the sector. As the leading advocate for high impact corporate volunteering, IAVE has engaged hundreds of companies across all regions through our conferences, forums and online events playing a direct role in creating and shaping their success
This research, combined with IAVE’s nearly two decades of work with corporations, has brought about the emergence of an “Agenda for the Future”; one which articulates the challenges facing the field, and issues a “call to action” not only for companies worldwide but also for the NGOs and public bodies they serve. This call to action asks that collectively we deepen our commitment to volunteering as part of the solution to the grand challenges we face, and that we embrace volunteering as imperative to the creation of shared value.
IAVE is committed to leading the work needed to respond affirmatively to that agenda. We invite you to join us in ensuring that corporate volunteering continues to grow as a high impact force to address the world’s most pressing human, social and environmental challenges.
Ruth Lewin
IAVE Board Chair
Head of Corporate Sustainability
Discovery Limited
Nichole Cirillo
IAVE Executive Director
CHAPTER 1
THE GLOBAL STATE OF HEALTH OF CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING AND AN AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE
This report presents what the research team has learned from 2020-2022,a time of unprecedented crisis and change for the concept and practice of corporate volunteering. Seven broad themes emerged and are discussed in this chapter. In the following section, “An Agenda for the Future,” four major challenges to the field, also drawn from the research, are presented.
CHAPTER 2
THE STATE OF HEALTH OF CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING BY REGION
The following short summaries are intended to briefly describe the key trends and characteristics of corporate volunteering in each major region of the world. Detailed essays for each region will be available in Corporate Volunteering for a Post-Pandemic World, Part Two.
CHAPTER 3
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING IN THE AGE OF COVID-19
COVID-19 brought a seismic shift to corporate volunteering worldwide, halting a wide swathe of in-person programs, stimulating development of alternate online activities and redefining existing partnerships with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). It remains an open question as to what the field will look like in a post-pandemic world.
CHAPTER 4
BECOMING GLOBAL LEADERS FOR VOLUNTEERING
At the end of the day, it is not enough for companies to have great volunteer programs or to encourage other companies to get involved. They also must become active advocates for volunteering writ large. Their knowledge, their resources, their skills, their images and their reach can make a critical difference – particularly in communications – in bringing to life and sustaining the needed enabling environment for volunteering.
CHAPTER 5
C-SUITE ENGAGEMENT AND PROFILES OF C-SUITE ADVOCATES FOR CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING
The role of the C-Suite is to do what only it is uniquely capable of doing – creating and sustaining an enabling, encouraging environment for volunteering throughout the company.
CHAPTER 6
THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING
The UN’s 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have proven to be educational, inspirational and aspirational but rarely truly and fully operational in corporate volunteering.
CHAPTER 7
MEASURING IMPACT
One of the great challenges for corporate volunteering remains: how to effectively document and articulate its impact and value to the communities, organizations and individuals served, as well as to the company and those who volunteer.
CHAPTER 8
SKILLS-BASED VOLUNTEERING
Skills-based volunteering (SBV) represents one of the fastest growing forms of corporate volunteering. It recognizes the breadth of people’s skills and the ways in which they can be put to work to enhance individual lives, improve organizational effectiveness and contribute to community vitality.
MINI CHAPTER
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING
Corporate volunteering is broadly acknowledged throughout the world to be a benefit to companies, communities and employees. A number of companies are very explicitly using corporate volunteering as a professional and personal development tool for employees. This is most often done in cross-border and skills-based volunteer programs, but can extend beyond these to other forms of volunteering as well.
CHAPTER 9
CROSS BORDER VOLUNTEERING
Cross-border volunteering is a niche product in the broad spectrum of corporate volunteering. Its rationale is based explicitly on its value to the business and participating employees as well as to the organizations served. Its future will be shaped by the impact of COVID-19, changing worker attitudes about participating, evolving views of top management and the not-yet-proven viability of virtual delivery.
CHAPTER 10
CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING AND DISASTERS
Given the increasing number and severity of natural and human-made disasters, it is imperative that companies determine the most appropriate roles they can play – and where volunteering can best make a difference.
MINI CHAPTER
VOLUNTEERS ARE KEY TO MANAGING CORPORATE VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
Creating and sustaining global volunteer programs takes strong leadership and management skills, energy, imagination, attention to detail and time. Companies rely on distributed leadership and management, tied together virtually for mutual support, to drive both global and local high-priority initiatives.
CHAPTER 11
EXPANDING THE UNIVERSE OF VOLUNTEERS: FAMILY, FRIENDS, CUSTOMERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS
A more inclusive approach to volunteering offers companies an opportunity to build new, expanding communities that reflect a shared commitment to mutual respect, problem-solving and sustainable growth.
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