New Research Study on Corporate Volunteering
The International Volunteering Project at Brookings signs on as “Cooperating Organization” to a Research Study on Global Corporate Volunteering, a project of the International Association for Volunteer Effort and its Global Corporate Volunteer Council.
Through its Building Bridges Coalition, The International Volunteering Project at Brookings has joined organizations such as The International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), the Points of Light Institute/Hands On Network and United Way Worldwide, to support the work of a special project aimed at studying global corporate volunteer systems and the “state of health” of corporate volunteering worldwide. The study is being conducted by a research team engaged by the Global Corporate Volunteer Council (G-CVC), an initiative of the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE).
The idea of pursuing an in-depth and significant research study on corporate volunteering and how it is done globally in different companies was born from discussion at a 2008 meeting of G-CVC members in Rio de Janeiro. The project began in earnest in the spring of 2009 and will continue throughout 2010, with the finished result presented at the IAVE World Volunteer Conference, January 17-20, 2011. This event is also the kick-off event to the tenth anniversary celebration of the U.N.’s International Year of Volunteers.
The study is being done in two stages – first, researchers are looking at how international companies based in many regions of the world design and operate their global volunteer systems. Many components are being looked at – for example, the impact of the recession, how are companies preparing for the millennial generation, how technology is used, how the programs are used for professional development, how they operate differently in different regions of the world, how volunteering is implemented into the company culture, etc.
The second stage is an overarching look at “the health of corporate volunteering worldwide”. The intent here is to show a comprehensive picture of what things are working and why. This will include in-depth focus on the nature and scope of corporate volunteering globally, how it operates in various countries, best practices that can be identified, challenges faced, evidence of value, the impact of cultural differences on the programs, etc. This part of the research will include more than working with the companies themselves, but also those organizations and governments that interact with corporate volunteers and the companies they represent.
There are many good and great studies about how companies are contributing to the betterment of society including unleashing the talents and passions of their employees, but this research promises to be one of the most comprehensive, especially as it relates to the international side of this broad and complex subject. The International Volunteering Project at Brookings is excited to join the many organizations supporting the effort.
ABOUT IAVE
IAVE is the only membership organization that exists solely to promote, support and celebrate volunteering in the variety of ways that it occurs throughout the world. IAVE’s members include international and national NGOs, international businesses, National Volunteer Centers throughout the world, and individual volunteers, particularly in the developing world. IAVE also partners with governmental agencies focused on building civil society, and has a longstanding relationship with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the United Nations Department of Public Information for NGOs (DPI/NGO) and has consultative status with the U.N. ECOSOC Committee – Economic and Social Development.
The G-CVC was launched in 2006 in order to support and provide a network and resources to international companies seeking to start or to grow their employee volunteering programs in many places throughout the world. It is a network of those people formally charged with the development of such programs, and has grown since its start from 6 to 21 global companies.
For more information about the G-CVC Research Project on Global Corporate Volunteering, contact Dr. Kenn Allen, Director of the Project, at kenn@civilsocietyconsulting.com.
For more information about the G-CVC, contact Sarah Hayes, G-CVC Consultant Director, at sarah@civilsocietyconsulting.com.
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Through its Building Bridges Coalition, The International Volunteering Project at Brookings has joined organizations such as The International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), the Points of Light Institute/Hands On Network and United Way Worldwide, to support the work of a special project aimed at studying global corporate volunteer systems and the “state of health” of corporate volunteering worldwide. The study is being conducted by a research team engaged by the Global Corporate Volunteer Council (G-CVC), an initiative of the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE).
The idea of pursuing an in-depth and significant research study on corporate volunteering and how it is done globally in different companies was born from discussion at a 2008 meeting of G-CVC members in Rio de Janeiro. The project began in earnest in the spring of 2009 and will continue throughout 2010, with the finished result presented at the IAVE World Volunteer Conference, January 17-20, 2011. This event is also the kick-off event to the tenth anniversary celebration of the U.N.’s International Year of Volunteers.
The study is being done in two stages – first, researchers are looking at how international companies based in many regions of the world design and operate their global volunteer systems. Many components are being looked at – for example, the impact of the recession, how are companies preparing for the millennial generation, how technology is used, how the programs are used for professional development, how they operate differently in different regions of the world, how volunteering is implemented into the company culture, etc.
The second stage is an overarching look at “the health of corporate volunteering worldwide”. The intent here is to show a comprehensive picture of what things are working and why. This will include in-depth focus on the nature and scope of corporate volunteering globally, how it operates in various countries, best practices that can be identified, challenges faced, evidence of value, the impact of cultural differences on the programs, etc. This part of the research will include more than working with the companies themselves, but also those organizations and governments that interact with corporate volunteers and the companies they represent.
There are many good and great studies about how companies are contributing to the betterment of society including unleashing the talents and passions of their employees, but this research promises to be one of the most comprehensive, especially as it relates to the international side of this broad and complex subject. The International Volunteering Project at Brookings is excited to join the many organizations supporting the effort.
ABOUT IAVE
IAVE is the only membership organization that exists solely to promote, support and celebrate volunteering in the variety of ways that it occurs throughout the world. IAVE’s members include international and national NGOs, international businesses, National Volunteer Centers throughout the world, and individual volunteers, particularly in the developing world. IAVE also partners with governmental agencies focused on building civil society, and has a longstanding relationship with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the United Nations Department of Public Information for NGOs (DPI/NGO) and has consultative status with the U.N. ECOSOC Committee – Economic and Social Development.
The G-CVC was launched in 2006 in order to support and provide a network and resources to international companies seeking to start or to grow their employee volunteering programs in many places throughout the world. It is a network of those people formally charged with the development of such programs, and has grown since its start from 6 to 21 global companies.
For more information about the G-CVC Research Project on Global Corporate Volunteering, contact Dr. Kenn Allen, Director of the Project, at kenn@civilsocietyconsulting.com.
For more information about the G-CVC, contact Sarah Hayes, G-CVC Consultant Director, at sarah@civilsocietyconsulting.com.
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