Companies that have long wanted to measure the ROI (return on investment) and impact of their corporate volunteerism programs now have an unprecedented chance to do so, thanks to the HandsOn Network.

The ROI and Impact Measurement Study, spearheaded by Coca-Cola, KPMG, and The Home Depot, and open to companies of all sizes, will use online surveys to gather data directly from a company's volunteers. Measurements will focus on impacts related to sales, recruiting, skill development, satisfaction, brand, and social-value creation. Participating companies will receive customized, confidential reports that address the social and business value of volunteer activities, anonymously benchmark those findings against other participating companies, and suggest ways to improve future impact and measurement.

"Volunteerism can be a powerful force for training, recruiting, and retaining talent, as well as creating social value, but which initiatives are most impactful, and how significant are they?" said Terrez Thompson, Director of Employee Engagement at The Coca-Cola Company. "You won't know until you measure them."

The Impact Study was conceived by the Corporate Service Council of HandsOn Network, the largest volunteer network in the USA. John Rice, Vice Chairman of GE and current Chair of the Council, said, "The council is comprised of companies that are among America's most socially responsible. We have challenged ourselves to measure the value of corporate volunteering. This is an important step toward validating our commitment to volunteerism and encouraging others to join in as well. Together, we can leverage corporate resources to create meaningful and sustainable social value."

Companies of all sizes are invited to participate in this innovative study. The growing roster includes Deloitte, Eli Lilly, FedEx, KPMG, Pfizer, Starbucks, SAP, Timberland, and UPS. The study will admit participants on a rolling basis from January 18, 2010 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), through National Volunteer Week, ending April 21, 2010. Support comes from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Business Civic Leadership Center, the Association of Corporate Contributions Professionals, and the Entrepreneurs Foundation. Implementation support will be provided by True Impact LLC, a leading provider of CSR measurement solutions.

"Now, more than ever, companies are looking for ways to focus and measure the results of their philanthropic investments and social contributions," said Michelle Nunn, CEO of Points of Light Institute and Co-Founder of HandsOn Network. "At the same time, they seek tools to help them manage their volunteerism in ways that maximize both community and business impact. This exciting measurement initiative delivers on both those needs."

To participate in the study or learn more, please contact Syreeta Skelton at roi@pointsoflight.org or 404-979-2724.

About HandsOn Network
HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes more than 250 HandsOn action Centers that reach more than 83 percent of the US population and extend to ten countries. HandsOn includes a powerful network of more than 70,000 corporate, faith, and nonprofit organizations that are answering the call to serve. In 2008, the network provided approximately 30 million hours of volunteer service valued at $615 million. For more information, please visit www.handsonnetwork.org.

Points of Light

Points of Light

Points of Light is a global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through 145 affiliates across 39 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 3.7 million volunteers in 16.7 million hours of service each year, contributing $498.7 million of value in people power into communities around the world. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. To learn more about Points of Light visit pointsoflight.org. 

Partnering with Points of Light means you’ll have the expertise and support you need to mobilize your colleagues and create community impact using all aspects of civic engagement. We've helped companies with a variety of needs including implementing large-scale employee volunteer events, tackling your larger social impact vision, expanding how you engage communities and consumers, infusing new ideas to your annual employee engagement programs, connecting with peers to bring the latest and greatest ideas on impact measurement, and getting company leadership investment and buy-in. Learn more today.

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