Your employees are hesitant to join CSR volunteer programs. How can you inspire their participation?

Catch them young! Even during their induction training in the company, take them on 1-2 field trips to the community activities or to partner institutions which are likely to strike an emotional chord. And when senior leaders visit CSR activities, ensure to create a buzz around it, and get them to talk about the importance of volunteering. These things will help build the culture.

The challenge with this article is its fundamental framing on two counts. 1. Volunteer days are not really a question of Corporate Responsibility they sit in the domain of Corporate Philanthropy. 2. Employee response to volunteer days reflects the level of empathy, care, helpfulness, compassion etc. present within the culture of the organization. If those are well developed in the culture of the business people will embrace volunteer days, if they are not, they wont.

Recognition and Rewards: Create an incentive system to recognize and reward teams and employees who excel in implementing responsible and sustainable practices. Training and Education: Offer training programs for employees and executives on the importance of CSR and how they can contribute from their roles. Transparent Communication: Clearly inform all levels of the company about CSR policies and actions. Transparency builds trust and motivates employees to follow the example.

The key is to help them understand the ROI from participation. Specifically aligning the value of the CSR engagement to their subject matter expertise.

Durant mon expérience, j’ai remarqué que les employés et surtout les jeunes peuvent être très motivées par un engagement RSE avec leurs entreprises en faveur de la communauté, environnement, etc. Les ambassadeurs RSE peuvent trouver dans cette dynamique une satisfaction personnelle d’avoir contribué à faire de l’impact positif mais surtout la possibilité de démontrer des compétences qu’ils n’ont pas l’occasion de démontrer durant l’exercice de leur travail. On parle du leadership, de l’esprit d’équipe, autant de qualités et de compétences que les ambassadeurs RSE peuvent acquérir et développer ce qui les motive à rester dans une entreprise qui, infiné partage avec les même valeurs.

Le bénévolat des salariés offre une multitude d'avantages qui renforcent à la fois l'esprit d'équipe et l'épanouissement personnel. En s'impliquant dans des activités de RSE, les employés collaborent sur des projets en dehors de leur cadre de travail habituel, ce qui renforce leur cohésion et favorise un esprit d'équipe solide. Ces initiatives offrent également des opportunités de leadership, permettant aux salariés de prendre des responsabilités et de développer des compétences en gestion de projet et en communication. De plus, le bénévolat contribue à l'épanouissement personnel en permettant aux employés de s'investir dans des causes qui leur tiennent à c?ur, ce qui accro?t leur satisfaction et leur bien-être.

Siempre los cambios generan resistencia, es normal en el ser humano. Cuando se inicia un proceso de involucramiento con grupos de interés no es la excepción. No obstante, en la medida que uno pueda comunicar claramente por qué se hace, qué se espera lograr y se comunica en términos emocionales (la conexción emocional es clave) esto permite reducir la resistencia propia de estos nuevos procesos.

Department or team service days are a great way to accomplish multiple goals: allows for leadership by example, creates opportunity for a team building experience outside of the office, enhances corporate brand in a way that resonates with the values of the team members. Leaders should both actively encourage participation but also share about any personal volunteerism experiences as appropriate and welcome feedback from the team to improve the experience going forward. If managed appropriately group volunteerism activities can become something that the team/department looks forward to on an annual basis (as is the case for our organization).

Leading by Example (CSR)starts at the top.when senior & mid-level management actively participate,it sets a powerful example that motivates employees.This includes involving them in brainstorming sessions, planning budgeting and developing a detailed activity plans. Employees are often the closest to the communities By including them in the planning process, you tap into a wealth of local knowledge & solutions short-term and long-term making them essential partners in CSR. Employees should be part of developing follow-up plan to ensure the initiatives' sustainability. Recognizing employee contributions to CSR is crucial,When employees feel valued for their efforts, they will remain motivated & actively participate in future initiatives.

When leaders actively participate in CSR programs, they set a powerful example for others. Their genuine involvement motivates employees by demonstrating commitment and fostering a sense of shared purpose. Start with small initiatives, share success stories, and celebrate participation to inspire others to get involved.

I agree with the importance of leading by example. When talking about CSR programs, we often recommend (or hope) to ensure success, by ensuring leadership involvement. That is to say, you want the commitment of the hierarchy (if there is one in your entity) to show the importance you give to CSR from day 1 and that is also leading by example.

Siempre ir por delante - No es “vayan”, eso se entiende es a la fuerza - Es “vamos” dependiendo el programa incluso es “vamos e invita a tu familia” Asi se vive la experiencia y los grandes beneficos personales de vivir estos eventos

If you want your employees to appreciate and participate in your CSR-initiatives, first of all show them the CSR projects you’ve already done. Let them appreciate that. Slowly some of them would like to be part of the projects you take up in future. I’ve done that and have been successful in getting a few of my colleagues showing interest and participating in future projects.

You should celebrate employee contributions through awards and spotlight features. For example, you can create a "Volunteer of the Month" program with certificates and a feature in the company newsletter. Highlight stories of employees' positive experiences and the impact they've made. This not only acknowledges their efforts but also inspires others to participate, fostering a culture of appreciation and engagement in your CSR volunteer programs.

An example I have seen is anything or activity you want other people to do or your employees to do, start doing it yourself and it won't be long you would begin to see them join one after the other.

Creo que esto se alinea a la frase popular “se comienza por casa”, y esto lo hacemos incorporando la RSE desde la raíz. Es decir, la cultura de la empresa. Esa visión debe estar involucrada desde el momento de atracción de talento, y continuar reforzándose como uno de los valores de la empresa.

Para un correcto alineamiento entre valores, intereses, RSC y acciones sociales, conviene adoptar un criterio de "pertinencia". Aquí un ejemplo real (sin nombres): - una empresa de pantalones vaqueros financia una campa?a contra el VIH-Sida. Esto tiene un impacto positivo en la comunidad pero no conecta con los ámbitos socioambientales de la industria de los jeans. Se destacan sobre todo 4 impactos negativos: consumo de agua; huella de carbono; tintes industriales; y condiciones laborales. Primero, la empresa debe minimizar esos impactos; después, iniciativas más "pertinentes" y complementarias de acción social podrían ser la limpieza de un río cercano, donar sistemas de ahorro de agua a escuelas o centros de salud cercanos, entre otros.

Integration into Corporate Strategy: Ensure that RSE is not just an add-on but integrated into the company's mission and vision, guiding all decisions and actions. It can create an environment where RSE is an integral part of the corporate culture, promoting authentic and sustainable commitment throughout the organization.

If the current CSR initiatives aren't engaging employees, consider encouraging them to propose and participate in programs they are truly passionate about. Additionally, offer flexible participation options—during work hours, on weekends, or through remote engagement—so employees can choose what works best for them, reducing pressure and increasing involvement.

align activities with causes employees care about, show impact, and have managers lead by example. Offer recognition, flexible schedules, and highlight benefits like skill-building and networking. Share success stories to create emotional connections, and let employees suggest causes to boost engagement.

Evidentemente, la participación en estas iniciativas no debe traducirse en un estrés adicional a la plantilla. Lo ideal es que, si las circunstancias lo permiten, se realice en horario laboral. Manteniendo la voluntariedad del sistema, se pueden dise?ar a posteriori encuestas anónimas que recaben las opiniones de los empleados. Estas encuestas es preferible que sean rápidas, de elección múltiple y estén dise?adas por expertos. Por otro lado, se pueden establecer, si los presupuestos lo permiten, "bonus" internos de sostenibilidad que reconozcan a los empleados que participan en estas iniciativas y aquellos que, en el día a día, se preocupan por seguir las políticas de sostenibilidad corporativas de la mejor forma posible.