2.07.2008 - 12:57pm ET

(CSRwire) NEW YORK CITY, NY – February 7, 2008 - The Summit on Corporate Volunteerism, taking place Feb. 13 in New York City, will bring together more than 150 top corporate, government, and nonprofit leaders to kick off a multi-year campaign to dramatically increase the amount of skilled volunteering and pro bono service employees give to nonprofits and communities.

Companies have long recognized the value of employee volunteer programs in bettering their communities while driving up morale, retention, and productivity. A growing number of companies are being more strategic in how they support employee volunteering by shifting to a "pro bono" approach – where employees apply the professional skills they use everyday in the workplace to help nonprofits become more effective at tackling problems and meeting community needs.

The Summit will bring together sector leaders who are working to make the idea of "pro bono" as common in marketing, finance, technology, HR, logistics and other professions as it is in the legal field. Speakers in the half-day session include U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao, executives of dozens of Fortune 500 companies, White House and national service officials, and voluntary and nonprofit leaders. Several companies will announce multi-million dollar pro bono commitments, and seven companies and organizations that excel in pro bono service will receive awards.

Media are welcome but must register in advance. Please contact Sandy Scott at sscott@cns.gov or 202-606-6724.

WHAT:

The Summit on Corporate Volunteerism: Toward a New Definition of Pro Bono

WHEN:

8:30 to 11:30 am, Wednesday, February 13, 2008

WHERE:

Citi Corporate Executive Center, 153 E. 53rd Street, 14th floor New York, NY

SPEAKERS:

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao

James H. Quigley, Global CEO, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, Aspen Institute

Michael Bontrager, CEO and Founder, Chatham Financial

Esther Lardent, President and CEI, Pro Bono Institute

Stephen Goldsmith, Board Chair, Corporation for National and Community Service

Jean Case, Chair, President's Council on Service and Civic Participation

Sylvia Reynolds, Chief Marketing Officer, Wells Fargo

Henry Lozano, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director, USA Freedom Corps

Laysha Ward, Vice President, Community Relations, Target

Evan Hochberg, National Director for Community Involvement, Deloitte Services

David Eisner, CEO, Corporation for National and Community Service

Aaron Hurst, President and Founder, Taproot Foundation

Michelle Nunn, President and CEO, Points of Light & Hands On Network

Evern Cooper Epps, Member, President's Council on Service and Civic Participation

Frances Hesselbein, Chair, Leader to Leader Institute

The Summit is being convened by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation in collaboration with the Corporation for National and Community Service, Points of Light & Hands On Network, Taproot Foundation, UPS, and USA Freedom Corps, with support from Citi and the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy.

For more information please contact: