April is dedicated to celebrating and appreciating volunteers across the USA and Canada. National Volunteer Month is an opportunity to thank volunteers for their vital work and to encourage and promote volunteering.Due to our 25 years of experience in the social space, at SocialMarks, we have a deep understanding of the positive impacts which employee volunteering programs have, both on the employees themselves and the communities which they serve. Volunteering is a great opportunity for companies to mobilize their employees, deepen their relationship with their local communities and the world, and actively support charity partners or causes they believe in.
SocialMarks has developed a unique assessment of companies’ employee volunteering programs. Our assessment combines quantitative and qualitative analysis, and is based on the duration, originality, involvement of employees and overall social impact outcomes of volunteering initiatives.
To mark National Volunteer Month, below we investigate a few recent examples of best-in-class volunteering programs undertaken by companies:
JP Morgan Chase & Co – Skilled Volunteering
JP Morgan has mobilized its workforce’s skills and knowledge for social impact, through mentoring and skilled volunteering. For example, through The Fellowship Initiative, 350 employees have mentored and supported young men of color, helping them to prepare for college and their future career. The Fellowship Initiative was established in 2010 and has already helped 350+ high schoolers to achieve 100% high school graduation and college acceptance rate. JP Morgan will continue to expand the program to reach over 1000 participants by 2030. The initiative is well-reported and has a clear purpose and impact.
Cisco Systems Inc – Virtual Volunteering
62,000 Cisco employees took part in volunteering in 2021. Although COVID-19 compromised in-person volunteering, it also highlighted the importance of volunteer work and the value of incorporating virtual volunteering long-term. Cisco employees were involved in a range of initiatives, such as volunteering for crisis helplines and offering students career advice. Impressively, the company achieved its target of 80% employee participation in community impact, despite the pandemic.
Intel Corporation – Worldwide Impact
Through the Intel Employee Service Corps (IESC), Intel is reaching communities worldwide through volunteering initiatives which support a range of causes. For example, IESC gives Intel volunteers the opportunity to work on issues, such as disaster relief, in partnership with governments and NGOs. Some IESC volunteers established a Racial Equity Ideas Competition to crowdsource ideas and solutions to advance social and educational equity, whilst other IESC volunteers have run virtual science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) camps across the US, Puerto Rico and Morocco. Overall, the IESC is a means for Intel to act upon a variety of important global causes, including racial equity, STEAM education and disaster relief.
Volunteering is a key, action-based indication of a company’s commitment to social impact. SocialMarks can help you to understand best-in-class community initiatives and determine how to enhance your volunteering programs for meaningful outcomes.
