Relevant research on employer supported volunteering and community involvement programmes:
SME Research
A small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) is a business employing less than 250 staff, has a turnover of under £27m and is more than 25% owner-managed.
Small and medium sized enterprises account for over 99% of businesses and approximately half of the turnover and employment in the UK.
Also available from the above website:
- Business Link Leaflet – Encouraging Responsible Business
- Inspiration – successfully engaging Europe’s smaller businesses in environmental and social issues: A thought-piece for The Copenhagen Centre by David Grayson
Business Community Connections’ (BCC) 2000 survey of 37 SMEs found that 94% of survey respondents were involved in community causes. The most popular area was cash donations, followed by sponsorships and donations of goods and equipment. Half of the sample indicated that employees were involved in a community activity.
Further, 94% of the respondents focus activity at a local level. Only 15% published any information about their organisation’s involvement, which tentatively indicates that SMEs are not just concerned with the marketing and reputation benefits of involvement. In looking at motivation for involvement, it was found that 59% were involved ‘to give something back to the community' and 47% were led to involvement by the ‘philanthropic wishes of owners and senior management’. However, in looking at the nature of involvement, it was found that most activity amongst SMEs is unco-ordinated and occasional.
More information on Connecting SMEs with the community – a research report on the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in community causes can be found at www.bcconnections.org.uk/
Visit the following websites for further information:
