Employee volunteering in Poland: Strengthening employee engagement and impacting social change

The development of the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has fundamentally changed the way companies engage in interactions with their stakeholders. In addition to the pursuit of profits, companies today are expected to fulfil their social and environmental responsibilities. One important element of this change is the growing role of employee volunteering

The 2021 Leaders Pro Bono report shows that 52% of employee volunteering programmes had been running for at least five years, and 76% of programmes included activities in one of three areas: social welfare, education and upbringing, and ecology. Additionally, 67% of programmes were run with external partners, mainly NGOs.

Employee volunteering is not only a great way to engage employees in community activities but also provides companies with the opportunity to improve their corporate image and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These activities can include various forms of support, such as donating their time, skills, resources or funding to social causes.

Statistics and Metrics of Employee Volunteering in Poland

• 82% of companies communicate externally about the existence of an employee volunteering programme in their organisation.
• The most effective way of communicating about employee volunteering internally, according to respondents, is email newsletters (used by 84% of companies with a volunteering programme).
• In two-thirds of companies (67%), employee volunteering goals are set by the company’s overall strategy. Goals are usually fixed, with 75% of companies not changing them during their programmes or projects.
• The largest group of companies with a volunteering programme (42%) have been active in this area for no more than 5 years. In one in four companies (26%), employee volunteering has been present for more than 10 years, with an average duration of activity of 8 years.
• In companies with a volunteering programme, one in five employees (22%) is a volunteer. In almost 8 out of 10 companies (78%), this is no more than 25% of employees.
• The average employee dedicates 11 hours per year to employee volunteering.
• The main reason for not organising employee volunteering in companies is the lack of awareness of this type of activity (43%).
• Other reasons include a preference for other forms of support for those in need (30%), other board priorities (25%) and a lack of interest in volunteering among employees (21%).
• For active volunteers, the main challenge is finding time to volunteer (46%). Other challenges include encouraging colleagues to help with volunteering activities (28%), dealing with all formal, legal and organisational issues (27%) and motivating and activating colleagues to volunteer (26%).
• In companies with a volunteering programme, 74% of volunteers consistently work with the same beneficiaries.
• Volunteers are very positive about their cooperation with beneficiaries, with 84% rating it very good and an additional 15% rating it good. Only 1% of respondents rated the cooperation negatively.

Source of statistics: 3rd All-Poland Employee Volunteering Survey.

Employee volunteering brings many benefits to companies. First and foremost, it helps them build a positive image, which is extremely important at a time when consumers are increasingly choosing companies that demonstrate corporate social responsibility. Volunteering activities are often seen as proof that a company cares not only about profits but also about social well-being.

Employee volunteering can also help to increase employee engagement. Participation in volunteer projects can increase a sense of community and commitment among employees, which in turn can lead to greater job satisfaction and improved performance.

Employee volunteering not only helps companies but also benefits employees. Participating in volunteering activities can contribute to personal development, giving employees the opportunity to learn new skills, understand other perspectives and increase their social awareness.

Employees often feel a sense of satisfaction seeing the direct impact of their contribution on the wellbeing of others. It can also contribute to a greater sense of purpose and meaning to their work.

In addition, volunteering can help employees develop soft skills such as teamwork, communication and problem-solving. These skills are extremely valuable in today’s working world and can contribute to an employee’s further career development.

IBA Poland, part of the international IT group IBA Group, has partnered with the One More Tree Foundation, which focuses on environmental protection activities. As a part of this initiative, on 2 June 2023, the company and the foundation organised an oak planting event in the Osobowice forest in Wrocław. Company employees and their families – including children – were invited to the event. The day not only provided an opportunity to plant 200 oak saplings but was also a great moment to talk about the importance of ecology and the fight against climate change. It was an inclusive event for the company’s community, where everyone worked together for the good of the planet. The company’s employees, their families and, above all, the children, had the opportunity to experience first-hand the benefits of active environmental action. This demonstrated the company’s commitment to environmental action while building environmental awareness among its employees and their families.

By engaging in such initiatives, companies not only contribute to the fight against global warming through the absorption of carbon dioxide by trees but also have a positive impact on local ecosystems by providing habitats for many species and helping to maintain biodiversity. Employees who take part in such projects can feel that their work matters not only to the company but also to the local community and the world at large. This has a positive impact on employee morale and engagement.

Initiatives such as the one led by IBA Poland and the One More Tree Foundation can contribute to wider social change. For example, by promoting environmental awareness and conservation among their employees and the local community, companies can help shape a more sustainable and responsible society. Such activities can also contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as combating climate change and protecting life on land.

Employee volunteering is a powerful tool that companies can use to create positive social change. Employees who volunteer not only help their local communities but also contribute to the company’s social goals. Employee volunteering enables employees to actively participate in community activities while increasing their awareness and social responsibility.

Long-term commitment and partnerships between companies and non-profit organisations are key to successfully creating positive social change. Activities such as those carried out by IBA Poland with the One More Tree Foundation illustrate how long-term partnerships can bring tangible benefits to communities and the environment. Companies that engage in long-term volunteering activities can make a significant contribution to protecting the environment and improving the quality of life in local communities. Working with not-for-profit organisations allows companies to better understand the needs of the communities they seek to support, and allows them to more effectively utilise the resources and skills of their employees for social good.