Since our hunter-gatherer ancestors, man has understood that he does not evolve alone. It is in the collective that we expand our strengths and capabilities. That is why being a volunteer gives so much meaning to people's lives. According to Atados, a volunteering platform in Brazil, there was a 15% increase in volunteer work registrations in 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
Today, Atados totals 3441 NGOs and more than 200,000 registered volunteers.
Helping others is helping yourself. There is no doubt about it! Through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, companies work to improve the social, environmental, and economic impacts of their operations. Volunteering is an important component that enables a company to achieve its CSR objectives.
THE BENEFITS TO THE COMPANY ARE MANY:
1) It enriches the workplace;
2) Reduces turnover;
3) It increases employee engagement;
4) It improves happiness in the corporate environment;
5) It helps to attract and retain better talent;
6) It adds value to the brand;
7) It attracts free media attention;
8) It opens up potential relationships for the business;
9) It counts points in creating a legacy.
THE BENEFITS TO SOCIETY ARE EVEN GREATER:
1) Impact on the community;
2) Improved quality of life for people and the environment;
3) Access to education, health, culture, legal orientation;
4) Development of a culture of solidarity.
And it doesn't have to be an expensive venture. Companies can make their capacity available with pro bono service, tutoring, software creation, extra classes for non-profit organizations in the area.
Like the idea? When it's time to create your volunteer program, consider it:
DELINEED OBJECTIVES: formal company-wide programs to support an organization, paid voluntary time off (VTO) granted to employees. or company-sponsored days at selected events. Make sure everyone is aware of the guidelines to avoid miscommunication.
INVOLVE LEADERSHIP: When a well-chosen cause is supported by top management, employee engagement is natural.
MONITOR THE DATA AND REEvaluate THE STRATEGY: Be sure to track data such as how many total hours employees volunteered, what employees learned, and how they benefited from their volunteer time.
Cause marketing expert Bruce Burtch says that strategic non-profit partnerships are the key to business success.
"There is nothing in business today that provides as many economic and social benefits, on as many levels, for as many stakeholders, as a strategic partnership between any combination of the nonprofit, for-profit, education, and government sectors when focused on the greater good. Nothing else even comes close. "
When choosing a cause to embrace, establish partnerships with entities that share the same values as your company, that are idoneous, ethical, and legalized, so that there are no risks to your reputation.
NTICS Projects has decades of experience in building partnerships between companies and social projects. It joins forces to transform lives. Are you ready to start a CSR program? We can help you!
For 20 years transforming lives, promoting sustainable development through innovative projects and solutions. Since its foundation, NTICS Projects has developed more than 1,000 projects, impacting about 10 million people, always with the priority of promoting SDG 4 (Quality Education). And we want more! Our ambition is to take innovative and sustainable projects to more than 3.7 million children and adolescents (10% of students enrolled in public education in Brazil) by 2030.
All the projects are digital, which allows teachers and students anywhere in the world to access and download all the material already produced and apply it, becoming multiplying agents.
