Are your employee volunteer initiatives making an impact?

Professionals in Human Resources (HR) looking to boost employee engagement through corporate social responsibility (CSR) may look to implementing employee volunteering programs (EVP). EVPs are a fantastic way to make an impact at work while engaging employees as they often involve teamwork, skills development, leadership experience, and more. When employees can get together to support causes in their communities that they feel passionate about

A strategic integration of volunteering and social impact into your work culture will involve evaluating the outcomes of giving. When employees are able to visualize the impact they are making, they are more likely to continue volunteering.

This blog post explores two frameworks we suggest for measuring impact that could work for your organization.

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Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals established by the United Nations that tackle a range of global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate change, and more. Aligning HR practices with SDGs can help create a sustainable and responsible work environment in the broader context of human rights and climate justice. Here’s how you can apply this framework to evaluate the impact of your organization’s volunteer initiatives:

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1. ‍Identify Relevant SDGs
   Identify SDGs that align with your organization’s mission and values. For example, if your organization is dedicated to education and poverty alleviation, you may align with SDGs 1 (No Poverty) and 4 (Quality Education).

2. ‍Set SMART Objectives
   Define objectives that clearly state how your volunteer initiatives will contribute to the selected SDGs. The best way to do this is by setting objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example:
   
   Increase the number of underprivileged students receiving tutoring support by 20% within 3 years” (aligned with UN SDG 4).

3. ‍Track Progress and Engagement
   Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is an effective way to track progress toward your objectives. KPIs can include the number of volunteer hours contributed or the percentage of volunteers engaged. Be sure to also monitor the frequency of participation and the specific activities volunteers engage in.

4. ‍Collect, Analyze, Report, and Refine
   A great way to measure impact is to collect feedback from the beneficiaries or communities that your EVP is meant to impact, as well as the volunteers in your program. One way you can do this is through surveys. Online survey generators like typeform can easily help you create a feedback form. Analyze the data from the feedback as well as the KPIs you’ve been tracking, and report on any successes, areas for improvement, and alignment with your chosen SDGs. This helps refine your volunteer initiatives to maximize social impact.

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Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) refers to a set factors that investors and organizations use to evaluate the sustainability and ethical impact of a company or investment beyond its financial performance.

• Environmental: this pillar evaluates the company’s or investment’s impact on the environment
• Social: this pillar focuses on societal impact and relationships with stakeholders (EDI, human rights, etc.)
• Governance: this pillar assesses internal corporate structure

SDGs are universal calls to action for all stakeholders (governments, international organizations, and general public), while ESGs only apply to businesses. Both frameworks have similar steps for implementations (see SDG framework steps above for more info):

1. Identify relevant ESG factors
2. Set SMART goals related your chosen ESG factors
3. Use KPIs to track progress towards ESG goals
4. Collect, Analyze, Report, and Refine

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“Lead with Purpose”: Assent Impact Report

This summer, the team from Assent, a supply chain sustainability management solution, came together from around the globe to volunteer their skills and expertise for Make-A-Wish Canada in a pro bono volunteering event. Assent was able to measure the impact they made with Make-A-Wish Canada by contributing to the social pillar of the ESG principles:

• Increasing employee engagement with team volunteering
• Considering Diversity & Inclusion in an equity-centred design workshop
• Taking CSR by giving back to a local non-profit and the communities it serves

Learn more about Assent’s giving day here.

Build a Giving Calendar that helps your team visualize its impact

For events you book with us through the our intuitive online platform, you’ll receive an impact report complete with a summary, KPI metrics such as hours donated and total value ($) of the impact made, testimonials, and more.

Engaging your employees has never been easier. Join business like Assent and set up your Giving Calendar today. You’ll gain access to over 60+ virtual, in-person, casual, and skilled volunteer opportunities from 200+ vetted nonprofits covering a range of cause areas that align with your organization’s values and special days of the year.

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