by Soraya Zorzal, Project Manager, MiColab Foundation
The most valuable asset that companies have is their human capital. When a company has a talented, diverse human capital, with enthusiasm and a spirit of solidarity, its potential is infinite. Corporate volunteering is one of the ways that companies have to show the concern for the society as a whole, their employees and want to contribute to their well-being.
Fundación Trascender defines corporate volunteering as "the form of volunteering promoted by a company in which its collaborators (workers) dedicate part of their working hours to support causes, projects or organizations, freely and optionally".
Corporate volunteering initiatives combine elements of social action with human resource management. These initiatives are usually aligned with the culture, purpose and values of the companies. An adequate corporate volunteering policy brings advantages for all those involved in the process: the beneficiaries, the company itself, and the volunteers (or employees).
The National Volunteering Survey (2020) carried out by Fundación Transcender, showed that in Chile only 11% of companies carry out corporate volunteering actions, which explains why 89% of the people interviewed haven’t heard of it. However, after explaining them what corporate volunteering is, more than 60% said they consider it relevant or very relevant for the country.
Businesses that carry out corporate volunteering develop social leadership and are recognized as responsible companies. With their actions, they benefit society and strengthen Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) by providing resources, technology and human capital (Corporate Volunteering Survey, Deloitte, 2017).
In Deloitte’s survey, 77% of employees interviewed said that company-sponsored volunteering activities are essential for their well-being, positively influencing their motivation, work environment and perception of the brand. Likewise, 89% mention that companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better general work environment than those that do not.
Corporate volunteering fosters the creation of a new relationship between the company and society, contributing to a fairer, more supportive and sustainable world. Finally, CODESPA Foundation (2012) considers that corporate volunteering is one of the most effective tools for reinforcing company values and capacity development.
MiColab Foundation was born with the conviction that companies and their collaborators can contribute to the improvement of society and the environment. By offering to coordinate and manage volunteer activities, MiColab allows employees to become empowered change makers and develop a collaborative ecosystem that improves the world around them.
How?
With our model, companies commit to donating 4 hours per month of their employees time to carry out volunteer activities.
Each employee decides where and how to contribute.
Partner foundations and corporations offer volunteer opportunities.
MiColab manages and coordinates the initiatives.
Together, we change the world. As mentioned by Britt Andreatta,“collaboration is the mutual engagement of a group of two or more people in a co-creative effort to achieve a shared goal or vision. The unique contribution of each person is essential to the whole. They are interdependent. […] It is a special act of co-creation, and the results are often unpredictable and impossible to achieve without the contributions of all members. Collaboration is a unique way of working where there is synergy and influence shared by group members.” We firmly believe that through collaboration, we can achieve our goals. Join us and become a change maker!
For more information email soraya.zorzal@micolab.org or visit our website at www.micolab.org.