Corporate and employee driven volunteer programs are a direct outgrowth of corporate philanthropy. Corporate philanthropy has been an American practice since the early 17th century. However, in those early days prominent individuals gave the money for social causes and philanthropic works, not the corporation itself. Legal restrictions were in place until the 1950’s designed to prevent companies from “meddling in social affairs” (Smith, 1994, p. 107). By the 1960’s progressive companies like Dayton Hudson, Levi Strauss and Cummins Engine were giving away up to 5% of their pre-tax income. The early industrial-era model insisted on strict separation of the corporate, government and non-profit sectors. Corporations gave cash donations rather than products, business advice or company volunteers so as not to be seen as serving business interests. Corporate donations were intentionally given to groups least associated with the line of business. By the 1970’s businesses were beginning to use philanthropy strategically to form alliances in the greater community. In mid 1980’s IBM initiated a plan to link philanthropy and volunteerism to its human resources strategies. They actively sought ways to engage employees in philanthropic activities. A new model of corporate-community linkages was emerging.
Thirty years ago the federal government set the domestic agenda. Today that role has shifted, as community mental health programs, welfare reform, advocacy groups, and self-help organizations have moved out of Washington and into the communities. The public policy agenda is now being defined and implemented in the local community. “Local solutions to local problems” was the standard of the 90’s. Corporations became more interested in developing their community image and redesigning their external affairs strategy to emphasize the importance of community relations. Battelle Memorial Institute, a science and technology development organization headquartered in Columbus, Ohio stated: “Battelle’s partnerships extend beyond the marketplace. We also partner with the communities where we live and work – providing human and financial resources to help our neighbors improve the quality of life” (Battelle, 1997).
Building relationships is a key factor for developing effective corporate – non-profit partnerships for volunteer engagement. Trends show us that one of the largest growing resources for volunteers are corporate or employee sponsored volunteer programs. The Center for Corporate Community Relations at Boston College reports increasing numbers of companies have a full time community relations employee. Between 1985 and 1990 corporate volunteer programs in Ohio rose 50% (Sirinek, 1996). The corporate benefits of employee volunteerism have been identified as: increasing and improving public relations in the community, boosting employee morale and team building with direct economic benefits, building a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining employees, and providing a venue for professional development for employees.
Building a relationship begins with research. Corporate sponsored programs and employee driven programs have different characteristics. Employee driven volunteer programs are best described as bottom-up programs. There may be a focal point for leadership and coordination, but the management functions are well integrated throughout the company. Employees choose volunteer projects and determine priorities. The company’s role is to promote, support and recognize the effort of its employees. Volunteer administrators that wish to develop relationships with employee volunteer programs must initiate their efforts among interested employees and allow them to build the internal support with the corporation.
Corporate volunteer programs are best described as top down programs, with varying levels of internal support. The corporation may simply acknowledge the volunteer activity, may promote volunteering by posting opportunities, may actively encourage activities through promotion and recognition, may endorse volunteering through group projects and company wide promotions, or may sponsor volunteer efforts through financial support (Lautenschlager, 1993). Corporate programs are best accessed through the appropriate management structure. Both types of programs are frequently housed in the Public Affairs or Community Relations Department.
Know the contacts, policies and levels of involvement before approaching the corporate/employee representative. See if there is a fit between the non-profit agency’s mission and goals and the priorities, polices and procedures of the corporation. Establish a personal contact and build the relationship. Be concise and clear about your request. Identify how many volunteers are needed, what they will be doing, if particular skills are needed to do the work, where and when the work will be done, how frequently employees will be expected to volunteer, and the length of commitment expected (Seel, 1994). Also be prepared to talk about the benefits to the employees and the corporation, and your desire to establish an ongoing relationship. Corporate and employee driven programs are increasingly interested in the impact their contributions will have on the clients served. Corporate and employee volunteer programs are an excellent source of teams or groups of volunteers for short term or one-time projects. “The exchange for the company is that team volunteering increases morale among the employees and gives the business itself greater visibility” (Ellis, 1994).
It is interesting to note that corporate and employee volunteer programs often struggle with the same issues non-profit volunteer programs face – lack of recognition from the top, inadequate resources, and the inability to be an integrated part of the corporation or organization. Corporate volunteers do not volunteer within the corporation. They are looking to build relationships within the community that allow employees the opportunity to make meaningful contributions. Non-profits need not approach the corporation as poor cousin looking for a handout. Indeed, meaningful partnerships are built on mutual understanding and respect for the contributions of both partners. Corporations and non-profit organizations have much to gain from developing mutually beneficial relationships.
Employee volunteerism is an evolving dynamic in community building. It has emerged as a positive alternative to the traditional conveyor belt approach to service deliverers, which has money flowing from the private sector to the service delivery points in the nonprofit sector. It has emerged because of an increasing awareness on the part of citizens in the community that everyone has a role to play in addressing the tremendous social problems facing his or her community. (Connors, 1995, p. 284)
REFERENCES:
Battelle (1997). The intersection of science and technology in the marketplace, Battelle 1997 Annual Report, Columbus, Ohio.
Connors, Tracy D., editor (1995). The volunteer management handbook, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York.
Ellis, Susan (1994). The volunteer recruitment book. ENERGIZE, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
Lautenschlager, Janet (1993). Volunteering in the workplace: how to promote employee volunteerism. Voluntary Action Directorate, Canadian Heritage. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
Smith, Craig (1994). “The new corporate philanthropy.” Harvard Business Review, (May-June) 1994.
Points of Light Foundation (1993). Developing a corporate volunteer program: guidelines for success, Washington, D.C., Points of Light Foundation.
Seel, Keith, (1994b). “Corporate volunteerism: a different approach, a greater return.” Journal of Volunteer Resource Management 3(3), (Summer): 8-11.
Tremper, C. and J. Kahn. (1992). Managing legal liability and insurance for corporate volunteer programs. National Center for Community Risk Management and Insurance, Washington D.C.