Employer-Supported Volunteering
This Specialist Theme of the Good Practice Bank is here to help volunteer-involving organisations find good practice resources and helpful links on developing and running schemes which encourage staff to try volunteering or support them in existing activities.
You may also like to browse the general resources in the Good Practice Bank's Core Themes. They cover topics such as 'Equal Opportunities and Diversity', 'Protection and Safeguarding of Vulnerable Clients' and 'Creating Volunteer Roles'. Visit the Good Practice Bank index to find a full list of themes.
You can also visit the bigger ESV VE website section which is dedicated to Employer-Supported Volunteering schemes.
Overview
Employer-Supported Volunteering, also known as ESV and employee volunteering, often forms part of an organisation's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy. In ESV schemes, employers encourage their employees to get involved in their local communities by volunteering their time, their skills or both.
There are three main ways in which employers promote community involvement amongst their staff:
- companies operate an ESV scheme in which a dedicated member of staff proactively identifies and develops volunteering opportunities with local voluntary and community organisations. Employees can volunteer during working hours, whilst not incurring any financial penalties
- employees are encouraged to find their own volunteering opportunities within the community, and are given the flexibility to fit their work around the volunteering opportunity. In some schemes, employees can take sabbaticals, whilst others volunteer on an ongoing, regular basis
- Employees enable voluntary and community organisations to benefit from their business skills and experience. Such employees may undertake pro bono work, provide voluntary consultancy services, or serve as trustees
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