How to increase corporate volunteering

From finding skilled support for a particular project, to building loyalty and developing official partnerships that bring in funds, there are a lot of benefits to corporate volunteering. This article is for charities looking to increase their corporate volunteering or those that want to start exploring this type of volunteering.

 

The Royal Voluntary Service says that corporate volunteering is when an “employer enables and encourages it staff to contribute their time or skills to good causes”.

 

It can include:

• Volunteering during work hours
• Company-organised team days with all staff volunteering together
• Activities that are tailored to employees’ interests and skills

Research published in June 2025 by the Royal Voluntary Service found that 140 million volunteering hours went unused by UK employees in the last 12 months because many employees struggle to find the right opportunities.

 

Nearly two thirds (62%) of businesses say they offer volunteering days but they don’t have the time or expertise to help their staff find the right opportunities.

 

Here are some ways that charities can make the most of these untapped hours.

 

 

Think about the type of support you need

 

Think about what type of support will benefit your organisation. For example, Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) says volunteering days can put a strain on small charities if they are not properly planned.

 

Be clear about the type of support that will help your organisation. Instead of volunteering days, you may want to find volunteers who can provide in-housing coaching or mentoring for your staff.

 

When you produce communication materials and write emails to potential corporates, make sure you clearly state what type of volunteering opportunities you can provide.

 

 

Decide what companies you want to work with

 

CAF says to think about the type of companies you want to work with. For example, you may decide to focus on businesses that align with your cause area.

 

 

Align your work with a company’s values

 

Be strategic in how you approach companies. Make sure you articulate your charity’s mission, vision, and impact when speaking to businesses and align this with their corporate social responsibility.

 

Companies will want to see a link between their values and your charity’s goals.

 

 

Offer value to companies

 

Make sure your corporate volunteer programme offers value to companies. You don’t want it to be a one-way relationship.

 

Corporates need to get something from the relationship with your charity. For example, you could say thank you to the companies for their support on social media and make sure you let them know the difference their staff have made to your cause.

 

You could also give a shoutout to volunteers on social media or provide them with certificates. This can help to create a positive experience for the volunteers and encourage them to talk to their colleagues about your charity.

 

 

Promote the benefits of corporate volunteering

 

There are a lot of positives to corporate volunteering, both for companies and their staff. Charities should promote these benefits when approaching companies.

 

Director of Strategy at Volunteering Matters, Paul Buddery, writing for Companies House, says that volunteering can help to enhance the reputation of a business and provide networking opportunities. It also improves the skills of staff and increases loyalty and productivity in the workplace.

 

For staff, it can help to improve physical and mental health, increase life satisfaction and self-esteem, as well as improving people’s local communities.

 

 

Share positive stories

 

If you already have people volunteering for you through their companies, make sure you are collecting data about the difference this is making to your charity. You can use these positive stories to show other potential corporates the difference they can make if they get involved with your cause.

 

 

Provide companies with what they are looking for

 

An increasing number of businesses are looking to provide volunteering opportunities for their staff that fit specific criteria.

 

These include:

• Skills-based volunteering so employees can use their professional skills to support charities
• Micro-volunteering opportunities that fit around people’s work commitments
• Activities that involve staff working together as a team

By offering these opportunities, charities can build relationships with corporates and increase their volunteers.

 

 

Signpost companies to support

 

Let businesses know about available support to help them put employer-supported volunteering (ESV) in place. For example, the CIPD has a factsheet for its members that supports them to put ESV in place.

 

The NCVO also has information for companies about how to develop their approach to ESV and working out what they want to offer their employees. It has also information about what to include in an ESV policy and links to external support.

 

 

Create long-term partnerships

 

If a company has done a day’s volunteering with you, keep the relationship going with the aim of developing a long-term partnership. Read the Charity Digital article on how to establish a corporate partnership, including measuring the impact that companies have on your work. This can help your charity to find a long-term source of volunteers and potential funding.