Corporate Skills-Based Volunteering: Purpose Without the Politics

Even in uncertain times, one powerful CSR strategy gaining traction is skills-based volunteering (SBV) – programs that enable employees to volunteer their professional skills to nonprofits and community initiatives.

Unlike public political stances or polarizing ad campaigns, SBV programs are widely accepted and apolitical. They allow companies to do good in a neutral, business-aligned way, leveraging what your business does best (the skills of your people) to help communities – all while sidestepping partisan minefields.

Crucially, skills-based volunteering aligns with core business objectives: it doubles as employee training and engagement, fosters leadership development, and enhances the company’s reputation in a genuine manner. It’s no wonder that in the UK roughly 73% of companies now offer skills-based employee volunteering programs. Senior leadership often embraces these initiatives because the benefits are tangible and directly tied to the company’s success, not just “feel-good” add-ons.

Examples of Successful Skills-Based Volunteering Programs:

• SAP – Acceleration Collective: Enterprise software leader SAP sponsors employees to volunteer virtually or in-person with social innovators. SAP has recognized that beyond creating an impact and uncovering market opportunities, this program has become a leadership development engine. Participants develop “skills like emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, cohesive collaboration, and adaptive thinking – all of which are needed by leaders of today and tomorrow”. By solving real challenges for nonprofits and social enterprises, SAP employees grow as purpose-driven leaders while the company strengthens its talent for the future.
• EY – Ripples Program: Big Four firm Ernst & Young (EY) runs EY Ripples, a global SBV platform mobilizing its professionals to support impact entrepreneurs, educational initiatives, and environmental projects. EY has set a bold vision of positively impacting 1 billion lives by 2030 through this collaborative effort. In practice, EY Ripples facilitates projects where employees coach and/or educate nonprofits and impact startups around the world. The company reports that these efforts not only benefit society but also drive employee loyalty – in one survey, 86% of employees said companies with effective volunteer programs are more likely to earn their loyalty, and 82% said such programs influence their decision to stay.
• F5 – Volunteer Sprint: Security and cloud services company F5 networks has proven that even mid-sized firms can achieve outsized impact with skills-based volunteering. In 2023, F5 launched a “Volunteer Sprint” program that offers employees up to two weeks of paid time to virtually volunteer their skills with nonprofit partners. Notably, this initiative has backing from the very top – F5’s CEO, François Locoh-Donou, personally sponsored and championed the program’s design. The Global Good team at F5 structured Volunteer Sprints as a direct response to nonprofit needs (e.g. data analysis, marketing strategy) and to employees’ “deep desire to serve” the communities where they live. The result has been a “win-win”: nonprofits get critical expertise, while employees gain cross-sector experience and pride in their company. F5’s example shows how framing volunteering as an extension of employees’ professional identities can ignite engagement at all levels – “standing shoulder to shoulder with executives at a volunteer site makes the program feel more authentic,” as one HR specialist observed.

Business Benefits: ROI on Skills-Based Volunteering

Skills-based volunteering doesn’t just “feel good” – it delivers measurable returns for companies. Consider the following benefits, supported by data:

• Higher Employee Engagement and Retention: Employees who participate in workplace volunteer programs are far more likely to be engaged and to stay. One global study found 79% of employees who volunteer through work are satisfied with their job, versus only 55% among those who don’t volunteer. Volunteer participants also tend to stay with the company longer; studies have shown they are 52% less likely to leave, significantly reducing turnover costs. In fact, offering volunteer time off has been linked to a 50% reduction in turnover and boosts in productivity by 13%. It’s clear that investing in employees’ altruistic passions can pay off in a more committed, motivated workforce.
• Skill Development and Leadership Growth: Volunteering is a proven driver of professional development. 76% of people say they have developed core work skills through volunteering opportunities. These assignments often stretch employees in new ways – honing skills like project management, communication across cultures, and creative problem-solving – which they bring back to their day jobs. 92% of HR executives believe that contributing time to nonprofits helps employees develop leadership skills. Companies like SAP explicitly use skills-based volunteering to groom future leaders, finding that 74% of participants gained new perspectives and confidence that advanced their careers. In short, SBV doubles as a hands-on training program, building competencies that formal training can struggle to impart.
• Boosted Morale and Well-Being: Enabling employees to give back improves workplace morale and personal well-being. 70% of corporate volunteers believe that volunteerism boosts workplace morale more than company social events. After 12 months of regular volunteering, 93% of employees report feeling better and less stressed – meaning lower burnout and absenteeism for the employer. Especially in high-pressure corporate environments, volunteering can provide employees a sense of balance and fulfillment, leading to a happier, healthier team.
• Enhanced Brand Reputation and Recruitment: A strong community engagement program burnishes your brand’s image to both outsiders and potential hires. 89% of Americans believe companies that sponsor volunteer activities offer a better overall workplace environment, and many proactively seek out employers known for good corporate citizenship. From a consumer standpoint, companies that genuinely invest in communities earn greater trust and goodwill. Internally, volunteering is a magnet for talent – top candidates, especially Millennials and Gen Z, are drawn to companies with a reputation for purpose. Offering skills-based volunteering gives you a recruiting edge by signaling that your company walks the talk on values. As an executive at Points of Light put it, “It’s not just nice-to-have – our volunteer program has become a strategic asset for culture and brand.”

Gaining Executive Buy-In Through Alignment

In today’s environment, CSR leaders must speak the language of the business. The hesitancy we see (“Is this going to be viewed as too woke?”) often stems from a fear that social impact initiatives will detract from the bottom line or incite controversy. The solution is to design CSR strategies that are both impactful and clearly tied to business priorities, then communicate that alignment to leadership. The rise of skills-based volunteering exemplifies this approach. Rather than pitching a standalone charity effort, CSR teams can highlight how an SBV program will help attract talent, develop employees, drive innovation, and strengthen the company’s network in emerging markets – all goals any CEO or CFO can get behind. It’s telling that among senior leaders who plan to increase CSR investment, 43% are doing so because they see direct business ROI, and 31% specifically to gain an edge in talent acquisition. Framing volunteering and CSR in terms of ROI, talent retention, consumer preference, and risk management converts it from a “nice-to-have” to a strategic necessity.

Equally important is addressing the fear factor head-on with evidence. Executives wary of external backlash can take comfort in the fact that employee volunteerism is positively received across the political spectrum – it’s hard to argue with feeding the hungry, mentoring students, or lending expertise to nonprofits. These programs generate goodwill without inviting Twitter storms. And by focusing on causes that dovetail with the company’s mission (for example, a tech firm’s employees volunteering in STEM education), CSR leaders can reinforce the brand’s core narrative while doing social good. This business-aligned approach to CSR creates a virtuous cycle: it earns internal support from the C-suite and board because it advances company goals, and it earns external support because it addresses real community needs in a credible way.

Moving Beyond Fear: Purpose as a Performance Driver

Now is the time for CSR leaders to move past the paralysis of “woke backlash” fears. Yes, the scrutiny is real – but so is the cost of inaction. Employees are imploring their companies to give them purposeful ways to contribute, and they won’t wait around forever. The data is unequivocal that thoughtfully executed CSR yields dividends in employee engagement, innovation, and brand loyalty. Companies like Unilever may have learned that not every brand needs a grand social mission, but even Unilever’s new direction emphasizes selective purpose, not abandoning it – focusing on initiatives (like Dove’s “Real Beauty” or Ben & Jerry’s advocacy) that authentically fit the brand and resonate with customers. In the same vein, CSR leaders should double down on programs that make sense for their business’s unique context.

Purpose-driven work and profit are not mutually exclusive; on the contrary, when done right, they fuel each other. The current corporate climate rewards those who lead with courage and clarity: choosing social investments that align with company values and stakeholder interests, measuring the outcomes, and communicating the wins. As the Executive CSR Report 2025 shows, a significant majority of companies are not retreating but recalibrating – 76% are maintaining or boosting their CSR budgets despite the noise. They are prioritizing areas like employee volunteering and ethical business practices where impact and business strategy intersect. This is a roadmap for moving forward.

In your next strategy meeting, armed with this research, make the case that CSR is a risk mitigator and value creator. Share how skills-based volunteering can energize your workforce, build goodwill, and drive real ROI – all while steering clear of unnecessary controversy. Encourage executives to see that supporting purpose-driven engagement isn’t about appeasing a trend; it’s about unleashing the full potential of your people and securing the company’s long-term relevance. By embracing purpose with pragmatism, CSR leaders can help their organizations not only survive tumultuous times, but emerge stronger – with employees, customers, and communities all pulling together. It’s time to lead beyond fear and harness the power of purpose as a performance driver for the business.

Whether you are looking for data, brainstorming, or an implementing partner, we hope you’ll reach out to us!

AI disclaimer: Following our AI Ethics policy, we disclose when we use AI. This post was written with the help of an AI chatbot that we trained with our research, brand voice, and other rules. The content strategy was first written by MovingWorlds, inputted into AI with instructions to match our brand voice and readability, and then the post was proofread and finalized by a real human.