A company is as successful as its employees are motivated. It is important to ensure that the morale of the people working for the company is high and all their needs are met. One of the ways companies do this is through employee volunteering programs.
Companies, as part of their corporate social responsibility, have several community development projects running under it. Encouraging employees volunteer in these projects not only boosts the self satisfaction of the employees but also helps in improving their relationship, allowing them to work as a family within the organisation.
Following are some of the companies that are known for their robust volunteering programs for their employees:
Amazon
Amazon’s employee volunteering program is known as Amazon Volunteers. It is a key part of the company’s commitment to community engagement and social responsibility. This program encourages Amazon employees to contribute their time and skills to various community service projects and nonprofit organisations.
Amazon Volunteers provides employees with a large number of options for volunteering, thus allowing the employees the liberty to choose the projects they prefer to align themselves with as per their beliefs. These range from environmental conservation projects and education initiatives to disaster relief efforts and support for underserved communities.
The program collaborates with numerous non-profit organisations, allowing Amazon Volunteers to support critical causes and provide meaningful assistance where it is needed most.
To encourage participation, Amazon recognises and rewards employees who actively engage in volunteer activities. This recognition can come in various forms, such as awards, special mentions, and even additional time off for those who demonstrate exceptional commitment to community service.
In the last month, tens of thousands of Amazon employees volunteered alongside their peers to support local communities during Amazon’s Global Month of Volunteering. Amazon team members from over 50 countries around the world participated in more than 4,000 in-person and virtual events supporting over 400 organizations. In India, over 400 volunteers in Bangalore partnered with Goodera and Robin Hood Army for the ’Tiny Treats’ initiative, a community effort that helps children and families access nutritious snack options. Volunteers assembled 4,000 sandwiches for community members living in under-resourced areas.
Microsoft
Microsoft has been very proactive in its corporate social responsibility initiatives across the globe. It also encourages its employees to contribute their time, money and expertise to various causes that interest them.
Microsoft incentivises the employees of the company to volunteer in various waves. It allots specific “volunteering leave days” to its employees to allow them time to participate in volunteer activities without affecting their regular vacation or sick leave. In addition, it encourages the employees to make donations to non-profits by matching each employee’s donations to nonprofits. The company also contributes $25 to the cause for every hour an employee volunteers.
Microsoft India started its Employee Giving Campaign in 2000, which is the largest corporate giving program globally. So far, this program has supported 1,50,000 youth and children and contributed a total of Rs. 19.32 crores to NGOs.
Cisco
Cisco has a robust employee volunteering program that encourages giving back to communities. Cisco’s “Time2Give” program allows employees to use paid time off for volunteer activities. Initially, employees could take up to five days annually for volunteering. However, during the pandemic, Cisco increased this benefit to 10 paid volunteering days and also encourages virtual volunteering.
Cisco supports employee donations through a year-round donation matching program. The company matches employee contributions to eligible nonprofits. The annual match amount per employee is up to $25,000. This initiative encourages employees to give back by amplifying their charitable contributions.
Cisco actively participates in disaster response efforts worldwide. Through employee engagement and corporate initiatives, Cisco contributes to relief efforts during natural disasters and emergencies.
PwC
PwC has a strong commitment to community engagement and employee volunteering. The company launched a global commitment to invest in the future of 15 million people, NGOs, and social and micro enterprises by FY22. In FY23, over 42,000 PwC professionals contributed more than 870,000 volunteer hours globally.
PwC’s “Project Belize” initiative sends employees to Belize to work on education and community development projects. This program allows PwC professionals to apply their skills and expertise to make a positive impact in Belize.
PwC promotes skills-based volunteering, enabling employees to use their professional expertise for community benefit. By leveraging their skills, PwC professionals contribute to solving real-world challenges.
PwC provides employees with the option of taking time off for volunteering activities. This allows PwC professionals to actively participate in community service while being supported by the company.
ICICI Lombard
ICICI Lombard’s Caring Hands initiative is a remarkable CSR program that stands out because it is entirely implemented by ICICI Lombard employees as part of their volunteering activities. The primary goal of Caring Hands is to make a positive impact on the lives of underprivileged children by focusing on eye health.
Under this program, the company’s employees set up eye check-up camps in municipal schools across India. These camps aim to screen students for vision problems. They form cross-functional teams at various locations to handle the entire exercise. To ensure accurate vision screening, employees collaborate with ophthalmologists. Familiarisation workshops are also conducted for participating employees to understand the basics of eye screening.
Employees take responsibility for the entire process, from seeking permission from schools to distributing spectacles to children diagnosed with poor vision. Since its inception in 2011, Caring Hands has benefited over 400,000 children, with more than 45,000 spectacles distributed.
Tata Group
Tata Group has set up a group-wide volunteering platform that brings together Tata employees, their families, and retired colleagues to create a positive impact on society.
Tata Volunteering Week (TVW) is organized biannually in March and September, offering half-day volunteering opportunities curated by Tata companies. It introduces employees to volunteering and encourages them to share the experience with family members and colleagues from across the group.
ProEngage, a part-time, skill-based volunteering program, pairs volunteers with NGOs. Volunteers use their business and personal skills to address problems identified by these organizations, providing an opportunity for Tata employees to contribute their domain expertise and skills to support social causes.
In times of disaster, Tata leverages employee volunteers through its Volunteering for Disaster Response initiative. Core volunteers spend 7 to 10 days in affected areas, executing needs assessments, distributing relief kits, and conducting medical camps.
Tata Engage has clocked over 1.7 million volunteering hours, reflecting the commitment of Tata Group employees to making a difference.
