Employer Supported Volunteering

Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) is when businesses allow employees to volunteer during working hours, often with paid time off. It may involve individuals volunteering independently or teams taking part in projects with charities and community organisations.

For charities, ESV can provide valuable support and help build relationships with local businesses. Employers run ESV programmes to engage staff, build team skills, and demonstrate their commitment to the community.

However, making the most of these opportunities isn't easy and requires planning and understanding how employer programmes work.

What EVS can offer

Employer volunteering programmes vary widely between organisations.

For example:

• offering one or two team volunteering days per year

• allowing staff to volunteer individually for a set amount of hours per year (often between 5 - 10hrs)

• skills-based volunteering or project work

Because of these differences, finding the right match between a charity and an employer programme can take time. Only few charities are geared up to welcome large groups and benefitting from ESV requires charities to adopt their offer and to communicate their needs clearly.

Looking Beyond “Manpower”

ESV is often associated with practical tasks such as painting, gardening or event support. While these activities can be helpful, charities should also think about how businesses might support them in other ways.

Employees may be able to offer valuable professional skills, for example:

• marketing or communications

• finance or accounting

• digital or IT support

• HR advice

• strategy or governance expertise

Skills-based volunteering can provide greater long-term value than a one-off volunteering day.

Making ESV Work for Your Charity

Plan opportunities that fit employer programmes

Think about tasks or projects that could realistically be completed in the time available, such as one-day activities, short assignments or specialist advice.

Adapt your volunteering programme

Design opportunities that work within ESV constraints. For example, if your charity runs regular volunteer shifts, you could allocate a dedicated rota slot to a company, allowing employees to fill the shift at different times throughout the year.

Be clear about what you need

Businesses are often keen to help but may not know how. Being clear about the support you need makes it easier for companies to identify opportunities that match their programmes.

Use your existing volunteers

Your volunteers of working age may already work for companies that offer ESV. They can act as ambassadors for your charity, helping promote your cause internally and potentially opening doors to additional volunteering support or skills within their workplace.

Build relationships

Where possible, develop longer-term relationships with companies rather than relying on one-off volunteering days. This can lead to more consistent support and better understanding between the charity and the employer.

How AGC Can Help

The AGC is regularly approached by companies looking for ideas for ESV projects. If your charity has a project that could use extra help, let us know. You can also advertise your opportunities on volunteer.gg and use the CSR badge to indicate that your opportunity is suitable for employer-supported volunteering.