A 2020 Vision for Employer-Supported Volunteering - Accenture
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A 2020 Vision for Employer-Supported Volunteering
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
Foreword
BY 2020, WE ANTICIPATE
AN EVOLUTION IN THE
VOLUNTEERING LANDSCAPE
ACROSS THE UK.
Employer-Supported Volunteering
(ESV) is expected to have undergone
unprecedented growth and change,
driven by a blend of economic,
technological and policy factors.
Organisations who embrace
this change have a tremendous
opportunity to make a greater social
impact, while also benefiting their
own businesses.
Accenture UK’s 2020 vision for ESV
highlights five emerging trends and
offers recommendations to help
businesses looking to create or
improve their ESV programmes to
maximise social impact.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 2
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
Introduction
VOLUNTEERING IS A Through ESV programmes, Volunteering boosts employee Volunteering can develop stronger
POWERFUL WAY TO POSITIVELY businesses encourage their staff engagement and pride customer relationships
to participate in volunteering
IMPACT SOCIETY. THE OFFICE opportunities in local communities 89% 17%
OF NATIONAL STATISTICS and with voluntary sector groups.2 of volunteers said volunteering had
of volunteers reported increased
CALCULATED THE ECONOMIC Often organisations team with
job satisfaction. helped them to develop stronger client
VALUE OF VOLUNTEERING voluntary sector partners based on relationships.
TO BE £23.9 BILLION PER
alignment to the vision and values
of their organisation, and the skills
87% The greatest benefit of ESV 4, however,
YEAR, ACCOUNTING FOR 1.5 of volunteers reported greater pride lies in its potential for greater
their employees can offer. In addition
in the company. social impact. Contributions of time
PERCENT OF THE UK’S GROSS to the social benefits, there is also a
and relevant skills from employee
DOMESTIC PRODUCT.1 strong business case for ESV. Volunteering develops people
volunteers can be a tremendous asset
and fundamentally strengthens
Research points to clear benefits to the voluntary sector, as well as the
the business
of ESV programmes for the wider community.
employer, the employee and the 76%
wider community.3 For example,
of volunteers said they developed
Accenture’s United Kingdom/Ireland
core work skills.
2015 Employee Volunteering Survey
highlights the strong business case
for ESV in the following results:
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 3
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
Findings
BASED ON OUR RESEARCH, TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3
ESV AS THE STANDARD, ESV CAPITALISATION THE RISE OF
EXPERIENCE AND NOT THE DIFFERENTIATOR MICRO-VOLUNTEERING
CONSULTATION WITH
PARTNERS, WE HAVE With encouragement from the The voluntary sector is facing new Micro-volunteering is growing fast,
IDENTIFIED FIVE TRENDS, government, ESV programmes are challenges to accommodate the and ESV has the potential to speed
WHICH WE EXPECT TO likely to become part of the fabric of anticipated growth in the number of its growth. Easy and on-demand
IMPACT THE ESV LANDSCAPE large UK companies. Businesses that volunteers. Businesses will need to opportunities to volunteer can
wish to lead the way and maximise help the voluntary sector absorb this minimise the administrative side of
FUNDAMENTALLY OVER THE
their social impact will not only support in a way that drives positive volunteering and open the door to
NEXT FIVE YEARS: need to look for opportunities to social outcomes. They will also have a new crop of employee volunteers
increase employee participation in to be vigilant to ensure their own interested in opportunities which are
volunteering, but also to closely align programmes respond to the needs of more convenient.
their volunteer offerings to the actual the voluntary sector without
needs of the voluntary sector. creating additional work and costs.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 4
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
Findings
TREND 4 TREND 5 Businesses and the voluntary sector can both benefit
THE DIGITAL SKILLS GAP THE INTERNET OF ME from the anticipated changes in ESV during the next five
years. By structuring ESV programmes to embrace these
five trends, there is an opportunity for businesses to
Digital skills are in high demand; Highly-personalised and connected greatly increase their net social impact, drive employee
yet, there is a lack of talent to fill experiences are increasingly the
engagement, and help transform the way the world
this need. The voluntary sector is no expectation for individuals—whether
exception with a significant portion working, shopping or socialising. ESV works and lives.
lacking basic digital skills, as well as programmes that can offer highly-
the right knowledge and experience personalised options and experiences
to improve their digital capabilities. may help increase the number of
ESV programmes can bring access employees volunteering.
to technology, digital capacity-
building and overall digital skills
training that can better position the
voluntary sector to maximize reach
and impact.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 5
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
ESV as the standard, not the differentiator
Available research shows that resource adjustments, and BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS Employer-Supported Volunteering sponsorship from senior leadership.
Embracing ESV provides
PLEDGED TO MANDATE (ESV) is growing in the UK with 70
Organisations with established organisations with an opportunity
LARGER COMPANIES percent of FTSE 100 companies
ESV programmes will need to to grow their social impact and
and 20 percent of small- to
AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR differentiate themselves to stay gain business benefits. In addition
medium- sized enterprises (SMEs)
TO OFFER EMPLOYEES ahead. Businesses have typically to further investing in their own
offering ESV. 5 6 7 From 2010-2011
tried to differentiate themselves ESV programmes, businesses with
A NEW VOLUNTEERING to 2013-2014, the percentage of
by offering varying levels of paid established ESV programmes can
ENTITLEMENT OF THREE people in paid work participating
employee volunteering days; increase social impact by collaborating
DAYS A YEAR, ON FULL PAY. in ESV increased from 10.5 to 13.3
however, the true measure lies with, sharing learnings with, and
percent.8 These percentages will
not in the quantity of time offered offering guidance to businesses
increase much further once any
or volunteered, but rather in the building new ESV programmes,
legislation takes effect.9
quality and impact resulting from or improving existing ones.
the volunteer engagement.10
BUSINESS IMPACT
With the potential for all big
For many organisations without ESV
companies in the UK to offer ESV,
programmes, offering three paid
organisations who wish to lead the
volunteering days can help improve
way will seek to look to the quality
Conservative Party Manifesto, 2015 employee engagement and spark
of volunteering and the overall
overall culture change. Building
social impact to the voluntary sector
such a programme will require
and wider community.
organisations to consider factors
such as new financial forecasting,
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 6
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Businesses setting up new ESV programmes
• Align your volunteering — Strategic objectives — Team with partners to
programme to your with measurable Key understand what types of ESV
organisation’s corporate Performance Indicators. work best for them to empower
community investment strategy; the voluntary sector rather than
• Select voluntary sector partners
stimulate dialogue and obtain divert their resources.
who have experience in ESV.
leadership support for ESV • Use technology as an enabler
Factors to consider:
programmes within the business to connect employees with
— Ensure partners have capacity
(and across all levels) and highlight volunteering opportunities:
the benefits (see page 3). to host volunteers.
— Look for partners who map to — Utilise online volunteering
• Determine the needs of platforms to reduce the burden
the locations in which your
the community to see what on employer, employee and the
business operates to allow equal
volunteer opportunities would be voluntary sector organisation. For
a good match. opportunity for employees to
example, Accenture has partnered
participate.
• Assess the requirements with a number of voluntary sector
to implement an ESV organisations who offer a wide
programme, including: range of online mentoring and
— Supporting policies CV-clinic opportunities that allow
and processes; employees to volunteer remotely,
increasing accessibility and
— Cultural change to
feasibility of volunteering.
encourage participation;
— Resourcing to support the
programme management;
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 7
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Businesses with established ESV programmes looking to maximise impact
• Measure and maximise upside of additional volunteers • Work with clients, suppliers and
volunteering. without increased costs (e.g., other organisations to enhance
- $ x % = the cost to the voluntary sector each other’s ESV programmes.
Quantify the net value of your
volunteering contribution and of hosting volunteers can often — Provide guidance (e.g., gaining
then look to maximise. This
Average
Employee
Cost of % of
voluntary volunteers
Businesses
ESV Net
neutralise the benefit 12). internal support, creating
Impact sector Social
can be calculated by using the Impact c) Increase the percentage of relationships with voluntary sector
London Benchmarking Group employees volunteering. partners) to help set up ESV
Measurement Framework11 to Then, maximise the value of your — Take into account barriers programmes for others.
measure the volunteering impact ESV programme by: and other factors that impact — Team with clients and suppliers
and estimate the net value of volunteering (e.g., time, which is the in addition to other organisations
your ESV programme, taking into a) Increasing the average employee
number one barrier,13 choice, culture to share best practices and
consideration: volunteering impact.
or attitude toward volunteering, learnings to help bring existing
— Input: volunteering hours — Consider the type of and benefit to the individual.) ESV programmes to the next level.
contributed. volunteering. For example
skills-based volunteering is
— Output: activities delivered,
more likely to have tangible
numbers reached.
impacts (e.g., getting people into
— Impact: the changes that happen employment, beneficiary skills
to individuals, organisations and development, etc.)
the company, in the short or
b) Focus on the cost to the voluntary
longer-term, as a result of the
sector of hosting volunteers and
activity and hours committed.
use ESV programme offerings
— Cost of volunteering to to help organisations derive the
the voluntary sector.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 8
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
CASE STUDY:
Accenture’s ESV programme
Accenture in the UK has offered paid support our goal of equipping more
Last year alone, nearly a quarter
volunteering since 2001 and is than 3 million people globally with
of our people spent almost
committed to providing our people the skills to get a job or build a
with opportunities to make positive
contributions to the communities
4,000 DAYS business by 2020 .
volunteering accross the UK; Our people bring the same passion
in which they work and live. Our
that is: and rigor to our corporate citizenship
ESV programme in the UK, Time
to Volunteer, gives each employee 2,591 PEOPLE initiatives as they do to serving
clients, and consider getting involved
the opportunity to volunteer in committing over
in their communities a key part of
their local community for three
days every year. Our leadership
33,000 VOLUNTEER what makes Accenture a great place
to grow a career. As one employee
recognises the programme as a key HOURS said in response to the
community investment and employee
announcement of our 2020 corporate
engagement initiative. We partner with organisations that citizenship goals, “There are a lot of
have needs aligned to the volunteer reasons to stay with Accenture—for
services we can bring. Through our me, our commitment to corporate
global corporate citizenship initiative, citizenship is pretty close to number
Skills to Succeed, employees can one.”
volunteer their time and skills to
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 9
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
ESV Capitalisation
BUSINESS CONTEXT organisations can experience when volunteers to maximise net social
“IF ESV IS GOING TO TAKE bringing on more volunteers. The value.18 The role of the broker cannot
With an expected increase in
OFF, ALONG THE LINES research also outlines the concern be over emphasised; a supply of
Employer-Supported Volunteering
THAT THE GOVERNMENT that there are virtually no funds to volunteers alone is insufficient,
(ESV), the volunteering sector’s
help the voluntary sector develop and volunteers must be effectively
IMAGINED WHEN IT ability to host and match volunteers
the capacity to absorb volunteers’ matched to the voluntary sector’s
FIRST ANNOUNCED THE to the right opportunities will
services in a meaningful way.15 needs.19 20
be vital to achieving strong,
THREE-DAY POLICY, IT
socially-positive outcomes. (2) Volunteering brokerages: The above challenges are particularly
IS IMPERATIVE THAT The National Council for Voluntary important in regard to small- to
The development of
EMPLOYERS AND THE Organisations (NCVO) found that the medium- sized enterprises (SMEs),
increased capacity to absorb
VOLUNTARY SECTOR ARE employer-supported volunteers
demand for volunteering brokerages who often do not have the
ON THE SAME PAGE.”14 is outstripping supply.16 With more resources to initiate and maintain
can come from the following two
than 50 percent of UK employers an ESV programme.21 Since SMEs
areas—both of which are already
preferring to use brokers to identify employ the majority of the UK
facing capacity issues:
volunteering opportunities and workforce, these capacity issues are
(1) Voluntary sector organisations: community partners, this supply particularly important for them.22
Research shows that many within issue requires attention.17 Brokers
the voluntary sector are not must be capable of effectively
employee-volunteer ready and connecting the needs of voluntary
emphasises the difficulty voluntary organisations, businesses and
Championing better work and working lives
CIPD Research report, November 2015
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 10FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS IMPACT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY supported the set up of an ESV For brokers, this could be
brokerage. connecting them with new
The limited capacity to effectively More than 80 percent of charities
partners and/or analysing which
absorb volunteers into the voluntary have a genuine need for employee Voluntary sector organisations
new businesses and voluntary
sector and brokerages presents two volunteers, but 34 percent say and brokerages may benefit from
organisations may be in need of
key challenges. they don’t have the capacity to similar support. For voluntary
their services.
manage more.24 Businesses have an sector organisations, this could
1. If this limited capacity does
opportunity to increase their social involve volunteers supporting the
not improve, it will become
impact by building ESV capacity in attainment of their social goals
increasingly challenging to connect
the voluntary sector—much of which without detracting from their
volunteers with timely and relevant
could be supported by experienced frontline service.
opportunities. As a result, brokerage
private sector volunteers.
or in-house resourcing costs may
increase, and valuable volunteer Research has also shown that
contributions may be lost. voluntary sector brokers have a key
2. Difficulties may also arise if role in improving the connections
businesses are unable to provide between public, private and
volunteer services aligned to the third-sector organisations by
voluntary sector’s needs. Research ensuring that skills and resources
has shown that voluntary sector are effectively targeted toward a
organisations can feel pressure diverse range of groups.25 With this
to host, manage and provide in mind, ESV should also support
opportunities requested by the development of voluntary sector
businesses even if the volunteer brokerage services. For example,
services do not fit with their needs. businesses could volunteer to share
This can lead the voluntary sector to their expertise and skills to improve,
redirect core resources away from expand, or build upon ESV brokerage
frontline activities, resulting in a services. The Benefacto case study
diminished positive social impact.23 is an example of how Accenture
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 11FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Businesses setting up new ESV programmes Businesses with established ESV programmes looking to maximise impact
• When partnering to source b) Voluntary sector brokerage: • Focus part of your volunteering
volunteer opportunities, honour build a brokerage partnership offering on capacity-building
a shared goal to find voluntary where you understand the services for the voluntary sector and/or
opportunities that enable, rather and volunteering opportunities voluntary sector brokerages to
than burden the voluntary sector. that the broker provides, and the help them expand their capacity.
• Choose one or more of the broker understands the skill set • Organise networking events and
following approaches to source and culture of your employees. discussion forums for business,
volunteering opportunities. c) Hybrid of in-house and voluntary sector organisations
a) In-house: assess the voluntary voluntary sector brokerage: and brokers to discuss how best
sector organisation with whom see a) and b). to work together to maximise net
you wish to partner against d) Employee-driven: Create social impact (e.g., around specific
whether they have a shared set internal policies, guiding social goals).
of values and objectives your frameworks and tracking
employee(s) can support; a mechanisms to enable employees
skills gap that your organisation to work within their own networks
can fulfil; a support framework to create volunteer opportunities.
for your volunteers well; and a
feedback and evaluation process
that can evidence the impact your
volunteers make.26
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 12FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
CASE STUDY:
Benefacto
In 2012, Accenture supported an Benefacto is an active champion
employee in founding Benefacto, a in promoting a shift toward more
voluntary sector brokerage set up meaningful employee volunteering
to better connect businesses with through their thought leadership,
the voluntary sector, particularly industry networks, advocacy and
small charities that do not have events. Benefacto is continuing
access, or capacity, to manage to grow and recently celebrated
ESV programmes. The social surpassing 1,500 volunteers who
enterprise engages employee collectively donated more than
volunteers through a digital platform 2,660 days to voluntary work
and a mix of online and offline since 2012. The Prime Minister
communications. The organisation recognised Benefacto with a Big
also helps businesses and the Society Award in 2015.27
voluntary sector work together to
ensure ESV aligns with the needs of
smaller charities—maximising their
net social impact.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 13FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
The rise of micro-volunteering
DEFINITION the UN declared micro-volunteering BUSINESS IMPACT
“ON THE BASIS OF OUR a fast-growing trend in the global
Micro-volunteering can be defined Those who do not incorporate
RESEARCH WE WOULD volunteering arena32 and the UK
as easy and on-demand actions micro-volunteering into their ESV
SEE THE FUTURE FOR government’s White Paper on Giving
that benefit a worthy cause, often programmes may miss an important
also highlighted the growth of micro-
MICRO-VOLUNTEERING completed via a connected device opportunity to scale the reach and
volunteering.33 More recently, in 2013,
AS POTENTIALLY ONE in short, discrete periods of time.28 29 impact of their ESV programmes.
the Institute for Volunteering Research
An example could be contributing to As more and more companies
OF EXPANSION AND found that micro-volunteering is
Wikipedia content. incorporate micro-volunteering into
ONE WITH EXCITING continuing to develop with technology
their ESV programmes, the companies
POSSIBILITIES. 30” as the key driver.34
BUSINESS CONTEXT who lag behind may ultimately
There is a huge range of micro experience difficulty in differentiating
As the world grows ever more digital,
volunteering opportunities that are themselves against their competitors
many micro-volunteering
now widely recognised, such as: in this space.
opportunities can be completed
crowdfunding, software development,
through the use of technology,
questionnaire completion and case
creating online volunteering
study development.35 36 The Institute
opportunities. This has been a
for Volunteering Research found
mainstream phenomenon since
that 78 percent of those involved in
2000 when the United Nations (UN)
Institute for Volunteering Research, micro-volunteering were between
launched the Online Volunteering
November 2013 16-34 years old,37 making this
Service which connects volunteers
particularly important for attracting
with organisations around the
and retaining millennials (1980-2000).
globe.31 Online micro-volunteering
See the case study on Missing Maps
built upon this platform and eleven
for an example.
years later,
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 14FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY In addition to increasing participation, and archive cultural work to educate about and tackle hunger.
early studies and examples, encourage the creation and Volunteers answer multiple choice
Micro-volunteering has the potential
such as the following, highlight distribution of eBooks with the vocabulary questions; for every
to drastically increase the number of
micro-volunteering’s potential to intention of creating social value. correct answer, 10 grains of rice
employees participating in ESV.
have a powerful social impact. Micro-volunteers simply have are donated through the World
It can do this:
to type up and proofread public Food Programme to those in
• The PhotoFoundation has
1. By breaking down the barriers domain texts page by page. need. In 2014 alone, 2,146,335,746
more than eight thousand
to volunteering, for example, grains were donated.43
images displayed online.40 The • Free Rice, a hybrid of donation
time, cost and knowledge. The
PhotoFoundation found that and micro-volunteering, has
2013-2014 National Council for
charities need images on a daily led to 98 billion grains of rice
Voluntary Organisations’ (NCVO)
basis, and therefore, they support being donated to the hungry.
survey found a lack of time was
them by providing free access to The online platform aims to both
the number one impediment
their photo database.41 The photos
to continued volunteering. 38
on their database are supplied by
Micro-volunteering reduces the
micro-volunteers who ‘snap and
administration and travel time
share’ their photos.
associated with volunteering to
a minimum. • Distributed Proofreaders have
converted more than 50,000
2. By engaging those who do
public domain books into eBooks
not volunteer via traditional
for future generations to read.
methods (e.g., volunteering in
Volunteers comprise 100 percent
a food bank for the day)39 due
of the organisation.42 Distributed
to time constraints, perceived
Proofreaders aim to digitise
inconvenience, or personal choice.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 15FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Businesses setting up new Businesses with established
ESV programmes ESV programmes looking to
maximise impact
• Consider integrating
micro-volunteering into your Collaborate cross sector to develop
ESV programme; if relevant to and initiate micro-volunteering
the needs of your partners, set initiatives that maximise social
objectives to increase annual impact by:
participation rates through
• Supporting and further developing
micro-volunteering.
current micro-volunteering
• Identify and partner with opportunities, such as large-scale
those who have experience events and online initiatives.
in micro-volunteering.
• Establishing micro-volunteering
— Partnering can help expand the opportunities that allow multiple
technology infrastructure and skill partners to join in, particularly
set available to you. those who are looking to
• Consider micro-volunteering establish micro-volunteering in
as a tool to retain and attract their organisation.
employees.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 16FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
CASE STUDY:
Missing Maps
The Missing Maps project maps vast • Accenture volunteers have been • Developing training materials for ‘mapathon’ coordinated across over
unmapped areas of the world to participating in Mapathons as a new mappers for the Missing Maps 20 Accenture countries to map
reduce their vulnerability to micro-volunteering activity over website and events countries affected by refugee crises
disasters, and enable better the last few months. We started around the world.
Accenture volunteers are now
management of health issues. our mapping journey by hosting a
planning to participate in a global
Missing Maps is an open, 70-person mapping party for
collaborative initiative founded by staff, and now have an
Médecins Sans Frontières, the British established mapping community,
Red Cross, the American Red Cross involved in:
and the Humanitarian
• Hosting many mapping parties in
OpenStreetMap Team. Volunteers
multiple countries (some with as
simply have to use an intuitive
many as 900 people)
online tool to trace buildings, roads
and points of interest from satellite • Creating and sharing processes to
imagery across as yet unmapped implement mapping with other
areas. employers
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 17FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
The digital skills gap
BUSINESS CONTEXT The digital skills gap heavily BUSINESS IMPACT
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, impacts the voluntary sector.
The world has become digitised with The direct business impact of the
THERE IS THE DIGITAL An Accenture- Lloyds Banking Group
digital skills in widespread demand. digital skills gap is a severe talent
SKILLS GAP.” 44 collaboration- the Lloyds Bank UK
The lack of these skills impacts supply challenge. For the UK
Business Digital Index found that
virtually every aspect of the UK economy and those functioning
although overall digital maturity has
economy, regardless of sector or within it, the result will be a loss of
increased from 2014 to 2015, charities
industry. The words of the European competitiveness. Put simply, “When
remain digital laggards by a distance.
Commission’s Vice President for the job vacancies go unfilled, business
Further still, an increased number of
Digital Single Market could be no growth is hampered.”47
charities reported a lack of digital skills
more explicit. By 2017, lost economic
in 2015 (at 58 percent) as compared
output brought about by digital job
to 2014 (at 55 percent), and a growing
vacancies is expected to be between
number neither understand nor
£1.6 and £2.4 billion a year (2012
Andrus Ansip, Vice President for the Digital recognise the value of digital skills
Single Market European Commission GVA) in the UK alone.45 Tech UK’s July
to their organisation.46 The Business
2015 White Paper quotes the same
Digital Index also shows a correlation
estimate and also cites their joint
between more digitally mature
2014 survey with Tech Partnership
organisations and economic success.
which found that 93 percent of
technology firms believe the digital 2015
skills gap has a direct negative 58%
impact on their businesses. 2014
55%
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 18FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY The combined effect of increasing
the number of people with digital
Businesses have the opportunity
skills and deepening digital skills
to help the voluntary sector tackle
of those volunteering addresses
the digital skills gap through
the talent supply dilemma on two
Employer-Supported Volunteering
fronts. Furthermore, teaching digital
(ESV). Participants not only
skills is a high impact/high leverage
contribute to those they educate,
activity; it only takes one volunteer
but also grow their own digital skill
to improve the digital skills of a large
set. Also, many of their employees
group. The business case, along with
already have the skills required to
the extensive social benefits, such
help close the digital skills gap.
as improving greater well-being, for
The technology sector in particular contributing to the improvement of
can play a leading role in addressing business relevant digital skills, is clear.
the digital skills gap given the range
of digital capabilities to which they
have access.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 19FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Businesses setting up new Businesses with established
ESV programmes ESV programmes looking to
maximise impact
• Assess the digital needs of
your voluntary partners, and if • Drive behaviour change b) Digital also presents an
appropriate, consider making toward learning digital skills opportunity for the charity
digital skills a key focus in your through volunteering. sector to benefit from advanced
ESV programme. a) According to the Government approaches to fundraising, raising
Digital Service, the greatest awareness as well as managing
a) Embedding digital skills as part
gap in digital provision is in data on their beneficiaries more
of your ESV programme is not a
promoting awareness and effectively.
‘one-off’ exercise. Digital skills are
constantly evolving, and therefore, motivation to learn digital skills.49
require continued attention to With this in mind, create training
develop your programme and programmes; communicate the
skills.48 benefits of becoming digitally
skilled; and encourage volunteers,
• Partner with businesses and
particularly those from the
voluntary sector organisations
technology sector, to convey the
who have knowledge of
importance of digital, share their
delivering digital skills training
experiences and help motivate
and a dedicated mission to help
young people to become
close the digital skills gap.
producers of technology versus
simply consumers of it.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 20FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
CASE STUDY:
Go Digital
Accenture created Go Digital,
a suite of digital skills training
tools, to help address the need in
the voluntary sector and among
small- to medium- sized enterprises
for digital capabilities and to drive
employment and entrepreneurship
outcomes for young people and
others across the UK. Go Digital
enables Accenture employees to
volunteer to teach key digital skills
to both young people and voluntary
sector organisations. Volunteers
can also buddy up to deliver
training and enhance their own
skills by learning from each other.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 21FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
The Internet of Me
DEFINITION BUSINESS CONTEXT
“AS EVERYDAY OBJECTS ARE GOING ONLINE, SO TOO ARE
‘Internet of Me’ describes the The consumer world is currently
EXPERIENCES—CREATING AN ABUNDANCE OF DIGITAL
recent phenomenon of technology going through ground-breaking
CHANNELS THAT REACH DEEP INTO EVERY ASPECT OF becoming ever more personalised. changes to the way in which
INDIVIDUALS’ LIVES. FORWARD-THINKING BUSINESSES ARE A recent example of this is the Fitbit individuals interact and experience
CHANGING THE WAYS THEY BUILD NEW APPLICATIONS, Surge.50 The Surge is a watch that products and services. These exciting
can track an individual’s distance, technologies are as relevant to
PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES. TO GAIN CONTROL OVER
pace and route travelled, as well as volunteering as any other part of the
THESE POINTS OF ACCESS, THEY ARE CREATING HIGHLY- calculate calories burned, monitor workplace, and the impact of these
PERSONALISED EXPERIENCES THAT ENGAGE AND sleep, measure heart rate and changes will increase as the ‘Internet
EXHILARATE CONSUMERS—WITHOUT BREACHING THE connect wirelessly to other devices, of Me’ develops.
CUSTOMER’S TRUST. THE COMPANIES THAT SUCCEED IN among other things. Using this data,
the Surge can provide personalised
THIS NEW ‘INTERNET OF ME’ WILL BECOME THE NEXT
advice to the user, such as a diet plan
GENERATION OF HOUSEHOLD NAMES.” 51 or exercise regime.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 22FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS IMPACT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY d) Provide details about employee
volunteers’ preferences to enable
As employees’ lives, particularly Harnessing the ‘Internet of Me’ to
the voluntary sector to match
millennials, become increasingly provide an enhanced, personalised
opportunities with skills an
connected and personalised, they will volunteering experience could
individual and organisation
expect their workplace, and therefore, greatly increase the number of
can offer.
Employer-Supported Volunteering employees volunteering.
(ESV) experience to match this.52 Technology also presents an
Offering employees a volunteering
important opportunity for
app could bring a highly-personalised
employers: obtaining previously
and measured experience to ESV. For
unknown ESV data to enhance their
example, an app could:
programmes to maximise uptake
a) Track an employee’s volunteering and social impact. A personalised
hours and social impact. volunteering app could help
employers reduce the cost of data
b) Highlight opportunities in areas
collection and management and
of interest, filtered by time, type,
provide the foundation for new
location and even weather.
infrastructure to collect data on
c) Allow employees to define volunteering habits, preferences
settings as to when they prefer and engagement.
to volunteer based on work and
personal schedules, and obtain
alerts accordingly.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 23FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS
Due to the complex and developing • Research across the volunteering
nature of the ‘Internet of Me,’ these industry to understand what
recommendations target those others are doing to personalise
with established EVS programmes experiences and which
and the technology sector is well technologies are enabling this.
positioned to lead the way in this • Where possible, partner with
space by developing solutions for organisations at the forefront
personalised volunteering. of new technologies to support
you with the development of a
Businesses with established personalised ESV solution.
ESV programmes looking
• Engage your voluntary sector
to maximise impact
partners to shift toward
• Prepare to shift toward a world technology-supported,
where each employee has a personalised volunteering
unique view of the organisation’s and ensure they can input
volunteering offering. the necessary volunteering
• Analyse technologies your opportunity information.
employees currently use/intend to • Plan what security measures will
use to establish the best platform be needed with the introduction of
for volunteering opportunities to new technology to maintain data
be advertised and managed. privacy, security and anonymity,
and most importantly, the trust
of employees so they continue to
share personal data 53 and help to
inform future ESV programmes.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 24FOREWORD INTRODUCTION FINDINGS TREND 1 TREND 2 TREND 3 TREND 4 TREND 5
CASE STUDY:
Team London
As this is a trend which is still in its Opportunities are flexible, easy The Team London speed volunteering To find out more about speed
infancy, few solutions are present to join and enables volunteers to app can be downloaded from the volunteering, visit
in the ESV space. That said, Team search for opportunities based on iTunes app store by searching for https://speedvolunteer.london.gov.uk/.
London, the Mayor of London’s the skills that they want to develop. ‘Team London’. The app will be
volunteering programme, launched There are over 1,700 charities that available on Android soon.
an exciting free app earlier this have advertised roles on the Team
year. It is the first of its kind, to London website and app, and 70,000
match volunteers with local speed opportunities advertised at any
volunteering opportunities. Their one time. Opportunities include
mission is to mobilise an army being an enterprise adviser, a speed
of volunteers across the capital. networker, run to do good or helping
Designed to enable busy people to charities to better understand
commit a small amount of time to and communicate their impact.
suit their schedules, the app has
been created in response to research
that found 59 per cent of people
are deterred from volunteering
because of lack of time due to work
commitments.
EMPLOYER SUPPORTED VOLUNTEERING | 25CONTACT THE AUTHORS ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS: ABOUT ACCENTURE ABOUT CORPORATE
Camilla Drejer Joanne Cash Accenture is a leading global CITIZENSHIP
Director - Accenture UKI Consultant - Accenture Strategy professional services company, At Accenture, we believe that one of
Corporate Citizenship Joanne.E.Cash@accenture.com providing a broad range of services the most important things we can
Camilla.Drejer@accenture.com and solutions in strategy, consulting, do as a business is engage in the
Jacques Sheehan
digital, technology and operations. challenges of the communities in
Mohini Rao Analyst - Accenture Strategy
Combining unmatched experience which we live and work. Our focus
Manager – Accenture UKI Jacques.Sheehan@accenture.com
and specialized skills across more isn’t limited to our work within
Corporate Citizenship
Created in partnership with than 40 industries and all business communities or programmes that
Mohini.Rao@accenture.com
Benefacto, East London Business functions—underpinned by the naturally fit within a corporate
Alliance (ELBA) and The Prince’s world’s largest delivery network— citizenship agenda. We see our
Trust. Accenture works at the intersection broader remit as being at the heart of
of business and technology to help the UK growth agenda—supporting
JOIN THE CONVERSATION clients improve their performance the creation of jobs, improving skills
#thinkvolunteering and create sustainable value for their and employability, and contributing
stakeholders. With approximately to the economic success of the UK
NOTES 373,000 people serving clients in and Ireland.
Access the full list of notes here. more than 120 countries, Accenture
drives innovation to improve the way
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