Employer-Supported Volunteering: Who Really Benefits?

The Canadian Institute for Business and Community Engagement releases its first resource on employer-supported volunteering

OTTAWA, Sept 11, 2014 /CNW/ - What is employer-supported volunteering (ESV)? How can the private and non-profit sectors build mutually beneficial partnerships? How can these partnerships impact communities?

These are just some of the issues and trends explored in the Canadian Institute for Business and Community Engagement's first resource, Employer-Supported Volunteering: The Practice and the Promise of Community Engagement.

ESV has moved from an exception and to a mainstream practice among today's employers. The increased awareness of the need for reciprocal relationships between workplaces and non-profit organizations has led to a new focus on broadening and deepening partnerships between employers, employees and communities. It is not always easy to bridge business objectives with community needs; this is where the Canadian Institute for Business and Community Engagement comes in.

Thanks to the RBC Foundation's generous support, Volunteer Canada and Carleton University have established the Canadian Institute for Business and Community Engagement. The purpose of the Institute is to provide businesses and non-profit organizations with knowledge, tools and resources in the field of corporate community investment, such as ESV, through a Canadian lens.

Canadians are increasingly looking for opportunities to get involved in their communities and make a difference. At the same time, employers are recognizing the benefits of employee volunteering and supporting employee efforts. Challenges exist in creating opportunities that benefit organizations, communities, workplaces and employees. The Institute provides a platform for sharing best practices and leading research to address these challenges.

Employer-Supported Volunteering:
The Practice and the Promise of Community Engagement
Read the summary report here.
Read the full report here.

 

SOURCE: Volunteer Canada

volunteer.ca/institute; Media Contact: Lainie Towell, [email protected] / 613-231-4371 ext. 227