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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
11.15.2005 ET
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New Research on Volunteer Trends for the Baby Boom Generation
Volunteers of America and The Center for Corporate Citizenship Look at Retirees as Volunteers
(CSRwire) Volunteers of America and The Center for Corporate Citizenship at
Boston College have released a new publication, "Expanding the Boundaries
of Corporate Volunteerism," that focuses on the aging Baby Boom generation
and identifies trends in volunteerism pertaining to employee volunteer
programs.
Published with grant support from Atlantic Philanthropies, the publication
provides new research about the aging of the nation's labor force, and
suggests ways the private and public sectors can tap into the talent and
energy of the Baby Boom generation in their volunteer programs while
preparing their own employees for a lifetime of volunteering.
"With nearly one-fifth of the workforce projected to be age 55 or older by
2015, older workers will be essential to the success of both private and
public sector organizations," said Jimmie Paschall, executive vice
president of external affairs at Volunteers of America. "The findings of
this research have important social implications for both for and
non-profits, and provide rich insights into the rapidly changing
environment with regard to the civic engagement of America's growing
senior population."
During the past several decades, employee volunteer programs have emerged
as an important component of the American workplace, offering benefits to
companies, employees, nonprofit organizations, and local communities.
Volunteers of America and The Center for Corporate Citizenship believe
employee volunteer programs are likely to expand as organizations move to
integrate and align employee volunteer programs into the larger corporate
citizenship strategies of their organizations.
The research involved examining the attitudes of 1,000 workers--both
retired and active--through focus groups and survey research. Twenty-two
companies located throughout the United States and representing a variety
of industry sectors participated. Executives within the companies were
also interviewed to gain an understanding of the scope of corporate
practices and attitudes regarding volunteerism and the role of employees
and retirees.
"This research is a clarion call for companies to realize that the value
of retired employees must be recognized and nurtured before they stop
reporting to work on a daily basis," said Bradley K. Googins, Ph.D.,
executive director of the Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston
College. "It also reaffirms the benefits a company receives from the civic
engagement of its employees and the importance of maintaining good will
with retirees and making them a strategic part of a corporate volunteer
program."
(More)
Key findings from the research include:
For most companies, retirees are not seen as a strategic part of
volunteer programs.
More corporate leadership is needed in addressing issues of the
aging workforce, including how to best integrate older employees and
retirees into volunteer programs.
There is a business case for maintaining good will with retirees and
including retirees and alumni in volunteer programs.
It is important to develop volunteer DNA before retirement.
Employees and retirees express a solid interest in volunteering
through the workplace; and volunteer programs must capitalize on the
interest by understanding and addressing the changing needs and
expectations of employees and retirees.
Businesses have an important role to play in helping employees and
retirees navigate transitions in and between work and civic engagement.
The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College is a
membership-based research organization committed to helping business
leverage its social, economic and human assets to ensure both its success
and a more just and sustainable world. As a leading resource on corporate
citizenship, The Center works with global corporations to help them define,
plan and operationalize their corporate citizenship. Through the power of
research, executive education and the insights of its 350 corporate
partners, The Center creates knowledge, value and demand for corporate
citizenship. For more information about The Center for Corporate
Citizenship, please visit www.bc.edu/corporatecitizenship.
Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, spiritually based
organization providing local human service programs and opportunities for
individual and community involvement. It is one of the largest nonprofit
providers of quality affordable housing and last year served nearly 2
million people in need. Volunteers of America nurtures, supports and
uplifts the human spirit--working with children and youth, the elderly,
homeless individuals and families, and others to empower them in reaching
their full potential. For more information about Volunteers of America,
please visit www.VolunteersofAmerica.org.
The publication Expanding the Boundaries of Corporate Volunteerism is
available online at www.bc.edu/corporatecitizenship or www.VolunteersofAmerica.org.
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