The Benefits of Volunteering

There are ample quantitative and qualitative studies that show that being a good corporate citizen can also be good for a company's bottom line. Research shows that there is a direct correlation between active community outreach programs and increased revenues and customer loyalty for businesses that engage in helping their communities. In this context, many businesses have developed extensive strategic philanthropy initiatives to insure that their giving aligns with their missions and core values.

Going beyond donating money and resources, an area of specific interest to many companies these days is that of Employee Volunteer Programs (EVPs). Unlike financial donations and in-kind support, EVPs allow companies to foster a more personal link to the community by sharing its human resources with organizations in need. As the economy slows and nonprofit organizations struggle to provide services on smaller budgets, volunteers become even more vital to the health of our nation's communities. In return for this help, companies benefit with more productive and satisfied employees, a better bottom line and an improved standing in the community.

To this end, JA Worldwide has created The Benefits of Employee Volunteer Programs.  This report explores how EVPs impact employee attitudes and job satisfaction, a company's bottom line and community attitudes toward companies that sponsor these programs. The authors of this report have reviewed existing research on Company Social Responsibility (CSR) and have selected data that specifically address the effect of EVPs in these areas. This summary includes both qualitative and quantitative research regarding the benefits of these programs to companies, employees and communities.

Another Day, Another Hero

Prior to JA Worldwide's study, JA of Chicago's recently conducted a year-long branding project consisting of in-depth interviews and workshops with local JA classroom volunteers and volunteer organizers. The study identified common traits of JA volunteers, as well as the characteristics of successful organizations that provide volunteers for JA. The research, which was compiled in an extensive document entitled, "Another Day, Another Hero", provided further proof that involvement in JA generates positive returns for individual volunteers and participating organizations.