Corporate Executives Believe Senior Management Should Volunteer, New Study Says

Corporate executives share a belief that their senior managers should actively volunteer and that their companies should support volunteerism, according to a new research study by LBG Associates, a consulting firm based in Stamford, Conn. The 200-page report, "Measuring Corporate Volunteerism," highlights a growing commitment to community involvement and explores in detail why corporations support volunteerism, how they measure success and the keys to the most successful programs.

The research, conducted over a six-month period in early 2004, includes interviews with community relations/volunteer managers and senior executives from 47 major U.S. companies and representatives from 39 nonprofit organizations. Among the report's key findings:

• 100 percent of corporate executives believe that senior management should actively volunteer.
    
• 100 percent of corporate executives believe their companies should financially support volunteerism.
     
• 97 percent of senior executives believe their companies should have dedicated volunteerism staff.
     
• Ideally, companies with at least 1,000 employees should budget $12.34 per employee, at a minimum, to maintain a successful volunteer program.
     
• Ideally, companies with at least 1,000 employees should maintain, at a minimum, one full-time volunteer coordinator to successfully manage/oversee their programs.
     
• 45 percent of CR/volunteer managers and 42 percent of senior executives believe their companies should provide employees with paid time off to volunteer during the workday.

The report provides a model for a success corporate volunteerism program, derived from the 12 "key components" originally identified in LBG Associates' earlier report, "Corporate Volunteerism: Innovative Practices for the 21st Century." The model demonstrates that companies can significantly increase employee participation in a volunteer programs, as well as the overall success of the programs, by establishing a structure which makes it easy for employees to get involved, as well as want to get involved; educating and informing employees about the program, upcoming events and activities, and how to get involved; providing opportunities for employees to volunteer during the workday; and recognizing volunteers for their commitment of time and energy.

This report was made possible through the support of VolunteerMatch and more than 30 corporate sponsors. Local sponsors of the report include American Express, IBM and Target.

To download a two-page summary of the report's findings (PDF format), click here. The full report is available for $295 ($150 for nonprofit organizations). For more information, visit LBG Associates' Web site.

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