Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the strategies that businesses use to ensure their operations are ethical, impactful and beneficial to society. CSR typically includes initiatives like employee volunteering, gift matching and corporate donations. Put simply, CSR allows companies to give back.
CSR has many benefits: it builds consumer trust and loyalty, boosts your business's reputation and brand and creates a more profound sense of purpose for employees. Research shows that employees who participate in CSR report a stronger sense of belonging, improved skills and motivation, better productivity, higher job satisfaction and an increased retention rate (Jun & Seng, 2016).
How to Boost Employee Engagement Through CSR
Increasingly, employees are seeking companies that have a conscience on social issues. In 2021, a study from Atlassian and PwC Australia found that more than 60% of workers want their employers to take action on social and environmental issues like climate change, equality and poverty.
Whether you're building a CSR strategy for the first time or improving on an existing foundation, there are many ways to get employees involved in CSR initiatives. To boost employee morale and show your commitment to social responsibility, here are a few ideas for CSR activities to get your employees engaged.
Survey Your Employees
If you're looking to launch a new program or enhance your existing CSR strategy, now is a great time to connect with your employees. What causes do they care about, and how would they like to contribute?
Design a survey to gather feedback on the issues close to your employee's hearts or solicit in-person input at your next team meeting. Your CSR strategy will rely on employee engagement, so take the time to build opportunities for your staff to give, volunteer and contribute in meaningful ways.
Provide Regular Employee Volunteering Opportunities
71% of employees said that participating in company-sponsored volunteer events made them feel better about their employer. Create company-wide volunteering opportunities organized around days of giving, or build opportunities for employees to donate time individually.
Make sure you offer a variety of volunteer opportunities so that employees can find something that fits their interests. With GivePulse, you can use our map, calendar or list view to search our 70K+ community partner agencies, create partnerships and list volunteering opportunities for employees to browse and register for.
Offer Paid Time Off To Volunteer
In a 2017 study, 94% of volunteers reported an enriched sense of purpose after volunteering. Tap into this by setting aside a few days off each year where employees can use paid time off (PTO) to volunteer.
To streamline this process, use a CSR management platform. GivePulse allows employers to list employee volunteering opportunities, approve or deny requests for time off and track company-wide volunteering for your annual CSR report.
Match Employee Donations
Encourage employees to donate to organizations they care about by matching their donations. This is a great way to show your employees that you're invested in the causes that matter to them.
Using GivePulse, you can set up company matching, ACH or automatic payroll processing so donations can be made by the individual employee or set up with your existing payroll or HR system.
Get Started with GivePulse
Encouraging employees to engage in CSR activities is a great way to boost team morale and show your commitment to social responsibility. Using a CSR management platform like GivePulse, you can coordinate, scale and maximize your CSR initiatives.
Our all-in-one software allows you to oversee, track and schedule volunteering, streamline donation management, manage your grantmaking and integrate with your payroll or HR system. And when it comes to reporting on your CSR, you'll have all the data you need at your fingertips.
Interested in learning more about our comprehensive CSR and ESG management solutions? Schedule a demo with GivePulse today.
About GivePulse
GivePulse's mission is to enable everyone in the world to participate and engage in lifting their community to new heights. We do so by providing a platform to list, find, organize and measure the impact of service-learning, community engagement, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and volunteerism.
Founded in 2012 in Austin, Texas, GivePulse works with 650,000+ groups, including colleges and universities, nonprofits, businesses, K-12/school districts and cities and municipalities. Together, we connect millions of people in an effort to create positive social change.
Start making a difference today by visiting www.givepulse.com.