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How to develop a corporate volunteer program
September 19, 1995; Canadian FundRaiser
Principles of Excellence in Community Service: A Plan to A.C.T. is a guidebook for building corporate volunteer programs and was developed by the US-based Points of Light Foundation with the assistance of companies that have provided exemplary service to the community. The Principles offer a philosophical underpinning for a company that is beginning a volunteer effort or one that is reviewing its activities. The Principles are:
Acknowledge that the corporation's community service involvement and its employee volunteer efforts contribute to the achievement of its business goals.
Incorporate in the corporate vision, as expressed through mission statements, credos, or social policy statements, the recognition that social and community issues have a direct relationship to the company and its success.
Communicate the corporate social vision and employee volunteer efforts consistently to the company's external and internal stakeholders.
Enlist senior management participation and encourage management to take an active and visible role in the community.

Commit to establish, support and promote an employee volunteer program that encourages the involvement of every employee, and treat it like any other core business function.
Allocate sufficient resources to develop, maintain, and sustain volunteer efforts. Manage the program effectively; for example, with a business plan and impact evaluation on employees and on the community.
Establish policies, procedures and incentives that encourage optimum participation, such as release time or matching gifts programs for employee volunteer activity.
Develop volunteer projects that utilize the distinctive competencies and skills of the company and its employees.

Target community service efforts at serious social problems in the community.

Survey employees to determine their interests in working on specific issues and conduct community needs assessments to determine the most pressing community needs.
Focus projects and efforts so that they address serious, systemic problems.
Conduct regular evaluation of the impact of employee volunteer efforts on the community.

To determine community needs for employee volunteers, a company's volunteer program manager can contact the local Volunteer Center or United Way. Recognition is an important element of any corporate volunteer program. Among the most common recognition events are special events and receptions, with CEO involvement; placing articles in company publications; nominating employees for external awards programs; and grants to nonprofits where employees volunteer. Employees are recruited to volunteer through publicity in all available employee communication vehicles, such as newsletters and publications, and through direct recruitment by other employees who are coordinating the volunteer effort.
Written corporate policies help sustain corporate commitment to volunteering even in times of change. Seeking ongoing CEO endorsement and involvement, developing a release time policy that allows employees time off the job for volunteering, developing a loaned personnel program, providing monetary grants for service, and making volunteer experience a part of the job application all support employee involvement. Evaluating and communicating the benefits of the program to all departments is very important to sustaining management commitment.
Sources: The Points of Light Foundation, Principles of Excellence in Community Service, Washington D.C. 1992; The Points of Light Foundation, Developing a Corporate Volunteer Program; Guidelines for Success, Washington, D.C., January 1993.