Chattanooga has a long legacy of philanthropy and public/private efforts that have helped revitalize the city in recent decades. When you’re out and about in the Scenic City, it’s common to see evidence of business’ support for the community.

But some companies are doubling down on their corporate social responsibility efforts, going beyond financial giving and getting more hands-on to help solve challenges their communities face.

One company doing this locally is Elliott Davis, a business solutions firm offering a full spectrum of services in the areas of tax, comprehensive assurance and consulting. Here’s why they set up their new volunteerism initiative Elliott Davis Cares + how other companies can do the same.

Tips for building a meaningful volunteer program:

Survey employees. Collect data about what they care about, how involved they are with outreach and how involved they want to be in the future.
Listen to the data. Identify areas where company + employee values are in sync, and organize opportunities that align with their passions.
Make it open to everyone. Allowing all employees to participate underscores that the company takes volunteerism seriously + wishes to lead by example.
Give employees the time. Find a way for employees to participate in volunteerism + serve on boards using company time.
Formalize the program. Put the program in writing and distribute in a way that emphasizes to employees that the company is committed.

How Elliott Davis Cares:

Using the framework outlined above, the company created its initiative around these four pillars:

Building. Hands-on initiatives, including repairs/renovations/rebuilds, clean-up efforts and environmental + safety projects.
Mentoring. Projects that improve childhood + adult literacy, develop financial/business skills, mentor at-risk youth and advocate for children.
Serving. Efforts focused on basic human essentials, including soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks + meal delivery.
Participating. Opportunities with charitable walks/runs, annual festivals, fundraising campaigns + important community events.

Quoteworthy:

“Elliott Davis Cares is a vehicle for every employee to give back to the community in a way that speaks to them personally … it’s confirmation that giving back to our communities is a priority and that we want to lead by example — not just with rhetoric.” — Rick Davis, CEO of Elliott Davis

Q&A with Heather Meadors:

Here’s what Heather Meadors, the firm’s director of community relations, had to say when we asked about why they created their new initiative + sought advice for employees at companies without a volunteer program.

Why is volunteerism important to the company + employees?

Elliott Davis has a long history of giving back in the communities where we live and work. It’s an important piece of our culture, and encouraging our employees to play a part in serving others is good for their engagement, their development, and their personal fulfillment, which is great for our firm.

Does having a focus on volunteerism help with employee recruitment?

We believe it does. When potential employees look at Elliott Davis, they see happy people who are encouraged to enjoy good work-life balance. This includes volunteering on company time to make their communities a better place to live. They quickly learn that a job at Elliott Davis will provide them opportunities to support and participate in a variety of community service initiatives with organizations they’re passionate about.

How can employees approach their company about starting a volunteer program?

I think that any employee at any size company can champion a volunteer program. The first step is finding out what causes matter to the employees. Armed with that knowledge, they can identify volunteer opportunities that best fit the company schedule and workload. The rest is communication—helping company leaders understand the value that community service and volunteerism can bring to the organization’s employee engagement, reputation, and recruitment. Good leaders are open to ideas that bring value and that are presented with excitement and buy-in from their team. Ⓟ

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