How to Scale Skills-Based Volunteering at Your Company

As companies face economic pressures and shifting workforce dynamics, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) leaders must rethink how to scale employee engagement programs. Skills-based volunteering is a proven strategy to drive employee development, engagement, and social impact—but these programs can be really time intensive to manage, and even more challenging to get employees genuinely excited about.

(See our 7 CSR trends for 2025)

In facilitating thousands of skills-based matches across over 110 countries, we’ve learned what it takes to build magnetic programs that are easy to manage. There are three ingredients corporate skills-based volunteering programs need:

1. Build the Architecture for Scale

In a time when CSR budgets are at risk of stagnation, operating efficiently is key. The goal is to integrate volunteering seamlessly into existing corporate structures while ensuring employees have the autonomy to engage how and when they want to.

• Create policies that encourage volunteering. This includes integrating volunteer time off (VTO) into HR policies and offering incentives like “dollars for doers,” where financial contributions are tied to volunteer efforts. Companies can also tie volunteer contributions to performance reviews, making it a recognized and rewarded activity.
• Implement systems that allow for personalization. Some employees volunteer extensively and need minimal guidance or nudges. Others are embarking for the first time and may need some hand-holding. Regardless, employees expect tailored experiences. Software platforms like MovingWorlds enable employees to participate at their own pace—whether through individual, team-based, or cohort-driven programs.
• Build an internal champion network. Ensure that each strategic office location, employee resource group (ERG), or business unit has both an executive sponsor and a program delivery champion. This decentralizes efforts while maintaining centralized oversight.

📌 Example: SAP has successfully scaled its skills-based volunteering program by allowing employees to take time off to volunteer, providing an easy-to-use platform for project matching, and leveraging local CSR champions to drive engagement in their regions. Employees experience personalized opportunities while leadership supports global participation.

2. Create Magnetic Programming

With an increased focus on profitability, employees may hesitate to engage in volunteer programs unless they see clear personal and professional benefits. Programs must be designed to attract participation and demonstrate tangible value.

• Engage executives and managers. Employees are more likely to participate if they see leadership engaging. Partner with Learning & Development (L&D) to position volunteering as a career-advancing opportunity. Encourage executives to champion the program through company-wide communications.
• Highlight career-building benefits. Volunteering is not just about giving back—it accelerates leadership development. MovingWorlds’ data shows that skills-based volunteering fosters professional growth more effectively than many traditional L&D programs. By framing it as a leadership development tool, companies can attract high-skilled professionals.
• Offer flexible participation options. Employees in different locations and roles have varying availability. Delivering programs that allow for both structured and independent participation increases engagement.

📌 Example: EY’s skills-based volunteering program attracts participation because executives, partners, and senior directors actively engage in it. Employees see that volunteering enhances innovation and client management skills, making participation highly desirable. As a result, EY’s program remains oversubscribed year after year.

3. Demonstrate Business Value

For long-term sustainability, CSR programs must align with business objectives and clearly communicate their value to key stakeholder (see our 7 trends for CSR in 2025).

• Align with corporate strategy. Programs that support business goals receive more investment. Identify how skills-based volunteering contributes to innovation, employee development, and market positioning.
• Gain executive buy-in. Create customized approaches for different business leaders, addressing their specific interests and priorities. Continually communicate the program’s impact to transform executives into active promoters. (Here are 7 tips to help you out).
• Tell a compelling story—again and again. Build a simple yet powerful narrative about how skills-based volunteering benefits the business. Share case studies, internal reports, PR campaigns, and manager-facing communications to reinforce the message across all levels of the organization.

📌 Example: Companies that continuously communicate the business case for volunteering see greater internal buy-in. Regularly sharing success stories—both internally and externally—ensures ongoing leadership support and employee engagement.

In Summary

1️⃣ Build a scalable infrastructure by embedding volunteering into HR policies, using technology for personalized engagement, and leveraging internal champions.

2️⃣ Create compelling programming that demonstrates career benefits, encourages executive participation, and provides flexible engagement options.

3️⃣ Prove business value by aligning with corporate strategy, securing executive sponsorship, and continuously reinforcing the program’s impact through storytelling.

By following these steps, CSR leaders can efficiently scale skills-based volunteering while driving business and social impact. Investing in a well-structured, engaging, and strategically aligned program ensures long-term success for both employees and the communities they serve.

Many leading companies have successfully navigated these challenges by implementing proven frameworks and leveraging technology to personalize and scale their programs. If you’re looking for insights, best practices, or support in taking your skills-based volunteering efforts to the next level, exploring resources from organizations like MovingWorlds can help you build a program that is both impactful and sustainable.

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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 proof-read by a real human.