Corporate volunteering is the hidden gem of workplace success and employee satisfaction; don’t believe us?
In a recent research programme carried out by Oxford University's Well-being Research Centre*, the effects of 90 popular workplace mental health interventions on employee well-being were documented for 46,000 employees across 233 UK-based organisations. When pitted against workplace wellness solutions - including mindfulness seminars, resilience workshops, relaxation classes coaching sessions and apps - one intervention triumphed: volunteering.
However, in-person volunteering is not always an option for businesses or employees alike.
For businesses, organising group voluntary activities can be an expensive and lengthy logistical process. For individuals with full-time roles and external responsibilities, leaving behind a career and personal network for month-long volunteering opportunities is simply not feasible. No matter the extent of a person’s commitment to helping, industry professionals can face substantial barriers when it comes to volunteering.
Our solution? Remote volunteering with an impact!
What exactly is remote Corporate Volunteering?
Remote volunteering refers to any type of volunteering that allows people to offer their time, skills and expertise through an online platform, rather than being physically present in a specific location. Remote volunteering grew significantly in shape and scope since the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns forced the world to look to new opportunities for digital connections and collaboration.
Embracing the new digital era, humanitarian work is no longer hindered by geographical location or physical restrictions - remote volunteers make a difference wherever they are in the world.
For corporations, remote volunteering involves giving employees the opportunity to volunteer for a non-profit through their volunteer days, which fosters a positive company culture centred around social responsibility and employee well-being.
Remote volunteering through Indigo Mentors
At Indigo, we are committed to making volunteering more accessible. At the end of 2023, we embarked on planning Indigo Mentors, a new branch of Indigo that breaks down the barriers between corporates and charity partners through remote volunteering.
Indigo Mentors provides businesses with an opportunity to align their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals with tangible actions, supporting humanitarian projects across Europe while attracting talent, enhancing employee engagement, and empowering employees to deepen their expertise, confidence and leadership.
It is a unique opportunity for employees to use their volunteer days in a meaningful way because we match their skills and interests to the needs of our charity partners supporting refugees and displaced communities. By volunteering with Indigo Mentors, your team is directly empowering trusted humanitarian organisations by helping them navigate challenges that match your professional strengths.
Mentoring others deepens expertise and enhances professional confidence and leadership, which means that you employees are boosting their personal and career growth, while helping charities that will truly benefit from their background.
Through Indigo Mentors, your team can volunteer remotely in flexible ways that work with their busy schedule so they can make the most of their corporate volunteer days in a way that enhances their experience and impact - both personally and professionally.
This is amazing for charities, employees AND companies as empowered and engaged employees reinvest their gained experience and elevated skills into their work for the company’s benefit.
Employees participating in Indigo Mentors can support a charity through:
Training[s]
Consultation
Short-term, direct project assistance
Long-term mentorship
Short-term mentorship
In a broad spectrum of topics like:
Is Indigo Mentors right for your business?
What is so unique about Indigo Mentors is that it is so specialised, that it directly benefits everyone involved: the volunteer (your employee), the volunteer’s employer (your business), and the charity receiving the mentorship.
Here is how:
For your business
Stronger recruitment and retention
Effective CSR programmes boost market value, attract talent, and cut staff turnover
An effective CSR programme with volunteering opportunities will help your company stand out to candidates looking for purpose-driven businesses.
Offering skills-based mentorship opportunities is an extremely appealing factor for candidates searching for upskilling and career progression opportunities.
Opportunities for employees to contribute to meaningful social causes can create feelings of fulfilment, thus boosting job satisfaction, motivation and retention.
Enhanced corporate social responsibility
Remote volunteering allows corporations to demonstrate their commitment and values around social responsibility.
An opportunity to connect your business and CSR/ESG goals to wider Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Unique use of volunteer days
Indigo Mentors provides a unique opportunity for employees to use their volunteer days whilst developing their skill-set
Employee engagement
Making volunteering accessible to all employees promotes inclusiveness and employee engagement as they will be supporting causes they truly care about. Employees that are engaged are more productive, motivated, and inspired.
Virtual volunteering opportunities can also help employees feel connected to the company’s vision and values.
Employee development
Through specialised matching, your employee will engage in volunteering projects aligned with their expertise, enabling skill growth while making a positive impact
For employees (ie. future mentors)
Employee well-being
Employee well-being and morale can be improved by virtual volunteering by offering a feeling of purpose, connection, and fulfilment. Volunteering has been demonstrated to improve emotional well-being, as well as mental and physical health within the workplace.
Several studies have demonstrated that employees are likely to become more engaged and happier in their roles when their employers offer them CSR days.
Employee professional development
Mentorship can help develop employees’ soft skills, such as presentation, communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills
Mentorship also develops employees’ technical professional skills through advising and providing pro bono support in their field of expertise.
Volunteering in particular can reinforce existing skills by providing opportunities to apply those skills in a different setting, and through opportunities not normally accessible in the employee’s day-to-day role.
Acting as a mentor demonstrates employees’ suitability for career progression.
Skill acquisition and development through mentorship is a rewarding experience that can contribute to an employees’ confidence in their abilities.
For the charities
Visibility
Indigo Mentors will elevate the professional visibility of the charity’s impact and help expand their network within corporate circles.
Long-term sustainability
Receiving pro-bono expertise for professional development, up-skilling and knowledge sharing will facilitate the charity’s long-term success and sustainability.
Recruitment challenges
Indigo Mentors directly alleviates recruitment and retention challenges faced by charity partners by ensuring a steady influx of skilled, long-term volunteers
Receiving tailored support
With Indigo‘s expert knowledge of our partners‘ needs, you can be confident your employees will be providing specialist support where it is needed most.
You can find out more about the benefits of Indigo Mentors for businesses and charity partners here.
Why choose Indigo?
Since 2012, Indigo has matched over 4,500 volunteers with our charity partners;
We have over 10 years of experience in specialised volunteer placements.
We maintain an open and constant dialogue with our charity partners, as this places us in the best position to understand the skills and support needed by organisations on the ground.
We will support your employees through access to multiple support resources: a Welcome Pack, access to training opportunities, well-being resources, and support if an incident occurs during the mentorship.
With Indigo, your employees can be matched with any of our 40 charity partners supporting refugees across the European migration route. All partners are dedicated to offering real, direct support to refugees across a multitude of areas:
See more about our partners here.
With Indigo, you can be confident that your employees will be matched where their skills and expertise will be needed most.
Ready for the next step?
Take your business’ Corporate Volunteering to the next level by getting in touch through our registration form
here.
Invest in your business.
Invest in your employees.
Invest in Indigo Mentors.
*Fleming, W.J. (2024) ‘Employee well‐being outcomes from individual‐level mental health interventions: Cross‐sectional evidence from the United Kingdom’, Industrial Relations Journal doi:10.1111/irj.12418.
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