GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 1
PYXERA Global ’s 8 th
G L O B A L P RO B O N OState of the Practice
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 2
Introduction Since 2010, the biennial Global Pro Bono State of the Practice
report has highlighted trends and best practices in Global
Pro Bono. This year’s report draws on survey data from 26
companies, 63 percent of which belong to Fortune’s Global
500. With survey data dating back to 2008, the longevity of
this initiative by organizer PYXERA Global provides a robust
understanding of the practice as it grows and evolves. The report
presents a snapshot of the current state of Global Pro Bono and
a look at top trends to guide companies seeking to initiate or
expand their programming.
Society is increasingly concerned about corporate behavior, with 86 percent of millennials, who represent the biggest global generation, believing financial performance should not be the sole measure of business success. Greater adoption of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators to inform long-term business strategy and form the basis for annual repor ting fur ther reflects the private sector’s response to growing demands to demonstrate positive social impact.
As BlackRock CEO Larr y Fink cautions, if companies do not find ways to demonstrate positive social impact, profits will suffer. The approach, he writes, “must begin with a clear embodiment of your company’s purpose in your business model and corporate strategy.” Global Pro Bono programs offer one such embodiment of corporate purpose. Programs empower employees to embody their company’s purpose while affording much-needed skills to social impact organizations addressing local communities’ most pressing problems.
The repor t’s findings reveal a growing emphasis on social impact priorities as companies align their Global Pro Bono programs with broader corporate strategies to more fully integrate activities into the business and meet investor expectations. For the first time, the motivation to generate sustainable social impact has surpassed leadership development and increased employee engagement as the top reason to invest in Global Pro Bono. The trend corresponds to changes in how business is conducted, as employees, investors, customers, and communities hold companies to higher social standards.
Global Pro Bono programs are corporate-sponsored initiatives aligned to a company’s broader strategy. Participating employees leverage their professional
skills to assist social mission-driven host clients such as nonprofits, social enterprises, and government entities.
Projects are time-bound and deliverable-based.
What is Global Pro Bono?
“Purpose is not a mere tagline or
marketing campaign; it is a company’s
fundamental reason for being— what it
does every day to create value for its
stakeholders. Purpose is not the sole
pursuit of profits but the animating
force for achieving them.”
– LARRY FINK B lackRock CEO
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 3
Five Trends to Watch
More corporate employees are participating in Global Pro Bono and the practice is expanding to more countries.
Sustainable social impact is the top reason companies are investing in Global Pro Bono, surpassing leadership development and employee engagement.
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono programs with their corporate strategy.
Corporate managers engage an average of four internal stakeholders, the most common being Human Resources, Talent Development, Business Units, and employees.
Business and social impact measurement are increasing, equipping managers to make the case for Global Pro Bono.
G LO B A L P RO B O N O
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 4
The State of the Practice Survey
Global Pro Bono programs are corporate-sponsored initiatives
that are increasingly aligned to a company’s broader strategy.
Participating employees leverage their professional skills to
assist social mission-driven host clients such as nonprofits, social
enterprises, and government entities. Projects are time-bound
and deliverable-based. Among other benefits, they provide:
• Host organizations with access to talent and resources they might otherwise not have.
• Par ticipating employees with an unmatched experiential leader-ship and talent development oppor tunity.
• Sponsoring companies with an authentic way to engage their employees in their larger social impact strategy.
PYXERA Global launched the Global Pro Bono State of the
Practice Survey, formerly called the International Corporate
Volunteerism Benchmarking Survey, in 2010 to deliver an
overview of program formats, implementation methodolo-
gies, evaluation techniques, and best practices. Companies
can use this resource to advance their practice, understand
collective impact, and appreciate the potential of Global Pro
Bono to address the world’s most pressing challenges.
This report highlights trends and approaches based on
responses from 26 companies, including one multi-company
model, that completed the 8th survey covering programs
implemented in 2018.
The survey results detailed in this repor t cover programs from 2018. Responses come from the following 26 companies, and include one multi-company Global Pro Bono initiative.
Survey respondents include: 3M, Adobe, Anglo American, Charles Schwab, Cisco, Credit Suisse, FedEx, GSK, Google, Information Services, IBM, John Deere, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, “La Caixa” Banking Foundation, Medtronic, Merck & Co. Inc., Nielsen, Pfizer Inc., PIMCO, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Randstad, Salesforce.org, SAP, Sidley Austin LLP, and The Dow Chemical Company.
Combined aggregate responses from all companies form the basis of this analysis to maintain the confidentiality of sur vey respondents. Eleven companies responded to each of the 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018 Global Pro Bono State of the Practice Surveys. As such, trends presented in this repor t stem from those 11 companies.
Methodology PA RT I C I PAT I N G C O M PA N I E S
3M
Adobe
Anglo American
Charles Schwab
Cisco
Credit Suisse
FedEx
GSK
Information Services
IBM
John Deere
Johnson & Johnson
JPMorgan Chase
“La Caixa” Banking Foundation
Medtronic
Merck & Co. Inc.
Nielsen
Pfizer Inc.
PIMCO
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Randstad
Salesforce.org
SAP
Sidley Austin LLP
The Dow Chemical Company
26 companies and one multi-company model
100 to 400,000 employees
• North America• Asia• Australia• Middle East
• Manufacturing• Healthcare • Banking/Finance • IT
STAFF SIZE
TOP SECTORS
COMPANIES
REGIONS OF OPERATION
Corporate Survey Respondent Profile
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 5
Global Pro Bono at a Glance
Global Pro Bono programs are
corporate-sponsored initiatives
aligned to a company’s broader
strategy. Participating employees
leverage their professional skills
to assist social mission-driven
host clients such as nonprofits,
social enterprises, and government
entities. Projects are time-bound
and deliverable-based.
What is Global Pro Bono?
M O ST C O M M O N F U N D I N G S O U RC E
Corporate Social Responsibility (53%)
M O ST C O M M O N PA RT I C I PA N T
S E L E C T I O N M E T H O D S
Questionnaires (52%), essays (48%), and nomination (48%)
TO P C R I T E R I A F O R PA RT I C I PA N T
S E L E C T I O N
Passion/Attitude, Leadership Potential,
Considered a “High-Potential” Employee
TO P TO O L TO M E A S U R E B U S I N E S S I M PAC T
Survey of participants (90%)
AV E R AG E P R E - A S S I G N M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N
Three days (virtual and in-person)
3
TO P TO O L TO M E A S U R E S O C I A L I M PAC T
Standardized survey administered to host organization
immediately after project (74%)
M O ST C O M M O N P RO J E C T F O R M AT
Team-based (64%)
AV E R AG E A S S I G N M E N T L E N G T H
Three or more weeks
3
STA F F T I M E D E D I C AT E D TO M A N AG I N G G LO B A L P RO
B O N O P RO G R A M S
Equivalent of one full-time employee (54%)
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 6
More corporate employees are participating in Global Pro Bono and the practice is expanding to more countries.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 7
More corporate employees are participating in
Global Pro Bono and the practice is expanding
to more countries.
THE GROWTH TREND OF GLOBAL PRO BONO, in terms of the quantity of participants companies are sending on assignment and the breadth of countries in which programs are active, indicates broad and increasing appeal. While each implementing company is guided by unique objectives, their Global Pro Bono programs are multiplying the collective and positive impact of social investments on the business, employees, mission-driven host clients, and by extension, underserved communities.
The map below shows the regions by color of intensity that have hosted the most
teams across the globe over the past four years.
AFRIC A
LATIN AMERIC A
ASIA
EUROPE
NORTH AMERIC A
MIDDLE EAST
Regions Hosting the Most
Global Pro Bono Teams
90%200%
14%
increase in total employees participating in Global Pro Bono
increase of local programs in Europe and North America
increase in number of countries hosting Global Pro Bono teams
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 8
Sustainable social impact is the top reason companies are investing in Global Pro Bono, surpassing leadership development and employee engagement.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 9
Sustainable social impact is the top reason companies
are investing in Global Pro Bono, surpassing leadership
development and employee engagement.
“We are most proud of the sustained
impact that the program has had on our
NGO partners’ capacity to deliver on
their missions. In addition, we are proud
of the impact that the program has had
on employee engagement, connection to
the company mission, and pride in the
organization. Participants, for the most
part, make meaningful strides in their
growth and development and frequently
cite the program as ‘the best thing I’ve
ever done in my career at the company.’”
– CORPORATE SURVEY RESPONDENT
BECAUSE GLOBAL PRO BONO PROGRAMS ENGAGE EMPLOYEES and their professional skills and expertise in creating social impact, they provide an authentic way for companies to demonstrate commitment to important causes and the communities in which they operate.
Companies are being strategic about investing in Global Pro Bono to meet CSR targets—for example, by selecting host clients focused on specific Sustainable Development Goals. The most common SDGs to which companies align their programs are education (SDG 4), healthcare (SDG 3), entrepreneurship (SDG 8), and community development (SDG 11).
As ESG and other social impact criteria gain prominence, industry trends reflect the impor tance of companies fulfilling a social purpose. According to Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends 2018 Repor t, companies are pursuing inclusive growth strategies that generate oppor tunity through financial and human capital investments. Global Pro Bono represents one such strategy.
Investing in sustainable social impact at the community level and actively engaging employees in a meaningful assignment aligned with the business has a r ipple effect that leads to greater employee retention and motivation to work at a company.
The CPI project also revealed that of 1, 014 pro bono participants from seven companies:
The 2017 CPIs revealed that of 330 local clients:
Global Pro Bono has allowed companies to improve the capacity and, by extension, deepen the impact of the host organizations. PYXERA Global’s Common Performance Indicator (CPI) project, an ancillar y measurement initiative, is the only one of its kind that benchmarks companies’ Global Pro Bono program performance against their peers via 13 agreed-upon reference points.
82%
57%
57%
I00%
0%
Generate sustainable social impact at local levels in line with their CSR strategy
Improve employees’ leadership skills
Increase employee satisfaction and loyalty to the company
92%
85%
90%
92%
Repor ted Global Pro Bono suppor t as a change agent.
Repor ted enhanced motivation to perform.
Repor ted satisfaction with Global Pro Bono impact on operational areas. Examples include stakeholder management, leadership, marketing, training, and knowledge transfer.
Repor ted improved understanding of the company as a corporate citizen.
Companies invest in a Global Pro Bono program to:
Perc
ent
of
Co
mpa
nies
Top Reasons to Invest
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 10
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono programs with their corporate strategy.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 11
NINETY PERCENT of companies responded that they have designed their Global Pro Bono program to advance both business and social goals. As one survey respondent noted, Global Pro Bono is a strategic investment that meets HR & CSR goals, “offering colleagues a leadership and development oppor tunity while also leveraging their core competencies to effect social change.” Approximately 85 percent of companies align their program with their established social impact strategy, including corporate social responsibility objectives, while 70 percent repor ted alignment with the company’s business strategy.
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono
programs with their corporate strategy.
“In this last year, we aligned our projects with our
Foundation's grant investments, which resulted in
more impactful and potentially sustainable projects.”
Geographic Focus
Advancing Economic Growth in Detroit
Company Culture
Inspiring Employees through Volunteerism
Issue Area Alignment
Bridging the Digital Divide
85%90%
70%
of companies align their Global Pro Bono program with their SOCIAL IMPACT strategy
of companies have designed their Global Pro Bono program to advance their CORPORATE STRATEGY
of companies align their Global Pro Bono program with their BUSINESS strategy
Each of the following examples highlights a different way programs can create value for their stakeholders while also addressing issues per tinent to the business .
A strategically designed Global Pro Bono program is a key component in actualizing a company’s inclusive growth ambitions by generating value for communities, employees, and the business.
Company Spotlights How are companies actively aligning Global Pro Bono programs with their corporate strategy?
What are companies saying about Global Pro Bono and corporate strategy?
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 12
Advancing Economic Growth in Detroit
Geographic FocusSpotl ight: J P M O RG A N C H A S E & C O .
JPMorgan Chase’s Field Service Corps program invites employees to offer pro
bono assistance to social sector organizations in cities where the company has
made long-term commitments. Detroit was the first location to receive the Field
Service Corps, complementing the firm’s $100 million commitment in grants and
loans to improve the local economy.
“The team helped us redefine our strategic
vision and the value we are providing
to the community. They developed new
metrics, a powerful story, and infographics
that we will be able to share with existing
and new funders to strengthen and build
relationships. In addition, they uncovered
key themes regarding the experience of our
volunteers that we will use to transform
how we train and manage our volunteer
network. This will result in increased
volunteer numbers and retention, enabling
our agency to meet our strategic vision.”
– KATHLEEN ARO Account ing Aid Society Pres ident
JPMorgan Chase employees suppor t mission-driven organizations identified as key to advancing the city’s economic recovery. For example, par ticipants worked with Accounting Aid Society (AAS) to improve the efficiency of its tax assistance service to low and middle-income families. Since the assignment, AAS implemented the Field Service Corps’ recommendations by updating organizational metrics and streamlining activities for improved service deliver y. AAS President, Kathleen Aro, credits the pro bono team as “pivotal in receiving an award” for the Neighborhood Builders Grant from Bank of America, which enabled leadership development training for AAS staff as well as $200,000 in flexible funding to invest in the JPMorgan Chase team’s recommended growth model.
The Field Service Corps program is par t of the company’s corporate responsibility model for impact, which maintains that strengthened systems are key to generating sustainable change and driving inclusive growth. By focusing resources on nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations, the Field Service Corps is bolstering a sector considered essential to serving cities and developing effective solutions to their most pressing problems. The program is now celebrating its fifth year in Detroit, with the tenth Service Corps team scheduled to deploy to the city in May 2019.
To date, near ly 240 employees from offices in 19 cities around the world have contributed more than 30,000 hours across 66 projects at near ly 60 organizations in Chicago, Detroit, Hong Kong, Paris, Johannesburg, London, Mumbai, New Orleans, and Uberlandia, complementing social investments in the same geographies.
A JPMorgan Chase Detroit Ser v ice Corps team working with the Accounting Aid Society (AAS).
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono
programs with their corporate strategy.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 13
Inspiring Employees through Volunteerism
Company Culture Spotl ight: G S K
“PULSE volunteers have created positive,
sustainable change in communities all around
the world. They are role modeling our
expectations for courage, accountability,
development, and teamwork, and building
trust within and outside of the company.”
– EMMA WALMSLEY Chief Execut ive Off icer, GSK
GSK utilizes par ticipant and direct line manager surveys and testimonials to measure the impact of the program on par ticipants and the company. After returning from PULSE assignments, both PULSE par ticipants and their line managers repor ted development and growth of par ticipant skills, including resilience, learning agility, cultural competence, and teamwork. Eighty-seven percent of PULSE par ticipants’ line managers say that the employee brought back innovative ideas and fresh ways of working to GSK.
The PULSE assignment sparked new ideas for Alex, a GSK Panama employee and PULSE par ticipant with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) Uganda. After returning from her assignment she remarked, “I want to influence how our industr y can transform and do more to improve [healthcare] access, impact more patients, and reduce the pover ty divide . I feel l ike the oppor tunity to make a difference is in reach.”
The PULSE program suppor ts a positive cultural change at GSK and higher engagement at the company, with four out of five PULSE par ticipants repor ting being more motivated to perform their work at GSK after returning from their assignment.
GSK’s other flagship volunteer ing initiative , Orange Days, encourages employees to dedicate one paid day off each year to volunteer ing with a local nonprofit . Orange Days are quite popular. Last year, employees contr ibuted a total of 120,000 volunteer ing hours to causes all around the wor ld.
In perhaps the longest Global Pro Bono assignment offered to any corporate
employee, GSK’s PULSE program invites participants to collaborate with non-
profit organizations, full-time, for three or six-month assignments. The program
enables GSK’s employees to embody the company’s purpose: to help people do
more, feel better, and live longer.
Manj i t Kaur Marbaha, a 2018 PULSE vo lunteer wor k ing with Save the Chi ldren Phi l ippines . As a Market ing & Fundra is ing Coord inator, Manj i t suppor ted the des ign and development of the Chr is tmas campaign “LahatDapat” to tack le ch i ld malnutr i t ion and stunt ing.
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono
programs with their corporate strategy.
Click to Watch the Video Here >>AHSIYA POSNER MENCIN, Ph.D., Director, Global Employee Experience at GSK, speaking on a panel about the power of pro bono during PYXERA Global’s Global Engagement Forum: Live in October 2018.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 14
Bridging the Digital Divide
Issue Area AlignmentSpotl ight: SA P
“Technology is changing the way people live
and work. In the face of these changes, SAP
finds it important to meet people where
they are on their education and employment
journey. SAP programs like the Social
Sabbatical portfolio accelerate nonprofit and
social enterprises’ ability to provide the skills
needed to be successful in the world today—
especially as the world continues shifting into
more non-traditional work environments. We
offer these third party organizations the same
benefits we offer to our customers; we help
them become best-run businesses.”
– HEMANG DESAI Global Program Director, SAP Socia l Sabbat ica l Por t fo l io, Global Corporate Socia l Respons ib i l i ty
Global technology leader SAP considers the growing skills gap a critical issue for the
future workforce and for its business. With increasing digitization across industries,
low levels of digital literacy are already resulting in unemployment and an absence of
skills-demanded by technology companies. SAP’s Social Sabbatical program strives to
solve concrete business challenges for nonprofit organizations and social enterprises
that focus on bridging the digital divide in underserved markets across the globe.
One example of the Social Sabbatical engagement in action takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, where access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) like internet, computers, and other digital ser vices is simply not available in many township communities. Without ICT access, even top-performing students are not developing the twenty-first century skills they need to gain employment in a digital economy.
Recognizing this untapped potential, SAP par tnered with Silulo Ulutho Technologies, a social enterprise opening internet cafes throughout the townships, that provides internet access and digital skills training. SAP’s three-person pro bono team set out to simplify Silulo’s operational processes and ultimately developed a concept for market expansion through a franchise model, conducting a feasibility study to help understand how Silulo could realistically grow to 100 stores across South Africa by 2020.
“The amount of work and contributions that the SAP team managed to accomplish in four weeks would have taken us five months to sor t out. To gain this international perspective and see how our work can be simplified and better implemented is just amazing.” said Hannes Botha, General Manager for Silulo.
SAP’s latest Global Pro Bono endeavor—the Corporate Champions for Education—takes this thematic focus to the next level by spearheading a multi-company pro bono model. Co-created with PYXERA Global, par ticipants not only collaborate with a mission-driven organization in an immersive foreign environment, but also with corporate peers from diverse company cultures and industries.
Twelve years ago, Luvuyo Rani launched Si lu lo Technologies from the back of his car. Today, 36 Si lu lo shops ser ve rural and township communit ies throughout South Afr ica.
Companies are actively aligning Global Pro Bono
programs with their corporate strategy.
Click to Watch the Video Here >>
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 15
Corporate managers engage an average of four internal stakeholders, the most common being Human Resources, Talent Development, Business Units, and employees.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 16
Corporate managers engage an average of four internal
stakeholders, the most common being Human Resources,
Talent Development, Business Units, and employees.
GLOBAL PRO BONO SERVES AS A MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COLLABORATION, breaking down silos within the company. It represents an opportunity to align business objec-tives with CSR strategy.
Sixty-seven percent of sur vey respondents repor ted that the most significant effect their Global Pro Bono program has on the company is the collaboration generated among internal stakeholders.
Below are the three most common ways companies report engaging other departments and employees.
Companies reported engaging the following internal stakeholders for their Global Pro Bono programs:
Internal Stakeholders for Global Pro Bono Programs
Communicate and engage in decision-making
Align on objectives Engage in decision-making about Global Pro Bono program design
1 2 3
In par ticular, companies with programs managed out of their CSR depar tment repor ted that stakeholders critical to engage are Human Resources, Talent Development, Marketing, Business Units, and the employees themselves. CSR depar tments engage these stakeholders in several ways, from aligning on program objectives during the program design phase to communicating about the program during implementation.
Companies that reported their Global Pro Bono program aligns with business strategy had higher collaboration with Research and Development, Talent Development, and Human Resources than the aggregate.
The benefits of engaging each stakeholder varies for each Global Pro Bono program depending on the program’s objectives and alignment with the corporate strategy. One survey respondent highlighted how their CSR unit’s collaboration with Human Resources enabled them to reach high-potential employees, stating, “We recently began a collaboration with the Leadership and Development section of our HR depar tment, offering them a new way to reach high performers.” Another survey respondent commented that while their program was available to employees globally, it experienced low par ticipation from some regions due to poor stakeholder sponsorship. After finding a business leader to advocate for the value of the program, they developed a plan to engage local employees to enable them to par ticipate in their home country/region.
67%
57%18%
of survey respondents reported that the most significant effect their Global Pro Bono program has on the company is the COLLABORATION AMONG INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS
of Global Pro Bono programs are managed by the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department
of Global Pro Bono programs are managed by the company’s Human Resources (HR) department
85% I00%
0%
Employees Human Resources
Talent Development
Business Units
Marketing/Communications
Other Research and Development
Perc
ent
of
Co
mpa
nies
Type of Stakeholder
81% 73%
62% 54%
19% 12%
I N T E R N A L C O R P O R AT E STA K E H O L D E R C O L L A B O R AT I O N
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 17
Business and social impact measurement are increasing, equipping managers to make the case for Global Pro Bono.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 18
Business and social impact measurement
are increasing, equipping managers to make
the case for Global Pro Bono.
COMPANIES INTEGRATE IMPACT MEASUREMENT— most commonly through surveys of local host organizations and participating employees — to understand the impacts of their interventions. Over the last four years, impact measurement has grown in importance for Global Pro Bono programs.
Since 2013, the number of companies conducting social impact measurement has increased by 33 percent, while business impact measurement increased by 14 percent. More companies want to examine outcomes to inform adaptive program management and to amplify impact through communications to external and internal audiences with supporting quantitative and qualitative data.
Companies that align Global Pro Bono programs with their corporate strategy are more likely to measure impact. Of companies repor ting alignment of their Global Pro Bono program to the social strategy, 86 percent measure social impact, compared to the aggregate of 82 percent. Of companies that align their Global Pro Bono program to the business strategy, 89 percent measure business impact, higher than the aggregate of just 71 percent.
The length of time to intended impact, resource availability, and low response rates are the most common challenges reported in measuring a Global Pro Bono programs’ social impact. Integrating impact measurement into the program design process, establishing clear program goals, and having a communications plan in place for impact measurement can alleviate these challenges. Strategies to improve the accuracy of data received include informing host clients and participants of the purpose of impact measurement from the outset of the assignment and sharing best practices on how to complete surveys. To further understand impact over time, companies can conduct a follow-up survey nine months after the assignment ends as some recommendations take time to implement.
What are the challenges in measuring social impact?
The most common metrics companies use to convey their Global Pro Bono program’s social impact are:
Companies Measuring Social and Business Impact
The most common tools companies reported using to measure social impact are:
S O C I A L I M PAC T M E A S U R E M E N T
Host client satisfaction with the Global Pro Bono program
Host client repor ting Global Pro Bono as a change agent
Lives impacted directly by training or knowledge transfer
Immediate post-engagement survey of host organization
Par ticipant testimonials
Pre-engagement baseline data collection
Post-engagement survey of host organization when some project benefits are taking shape
Post-engagement survey of host organization when some project benefits can be compared to pre-project baseline data
1 2 3
74%
70%
48%
26%
4%
0% 100%
60%
I00%
0%2013
Perc
ent
of
Co
mpa
nies
Percent of Companies
Year
S O C I A L
B U S I N E S S
2018
80% 70%
80%
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 19
Companies reported challenges tracking employee engagement, insights that participants gain from a Global Pro Bono program, as well as demonstrating direct
impacts on the business. Putting in place an integrated reporting process helps ensure that the data captured is comparable to data already being measured by the company
through other business units, such as Human Resources. Creating an integrated reporting process requires aligning the indicators and surveys that internal stakeholders use. For instance, if a program seeks to capture employee engagement data, collaborating with
Human Resources to determine which existing indicators and surveys can be used to compare employee engagement data of Global Pro Bono participants versus non-participants.
What are the challenges in measuring business impact?
B U S I N E S S I M PAC T M E A S U R E M E N T
According to sur vey respondents, the most common communication objectives are:
The most common tactic used to communicate internally is through in-person presentations and written publications. Effective communication of data can help garner buy-in both at the executive level, for program resources, and at the employee level, for recruitment purposes.
Companies primarily measure business impact of their Global Pro Bono programs through the impact program participation has on their employees.
The most common tools companies reported using to measure business impact are:
Survey of par ticipants
Employee satisfaction & retention data
Retention/Promotion of par ticipating employees
Survey par ticipants’ managers
New business oppor tunities repor ted
Increased workplace par ticipation in pro bono activities
New product/service ideas repor ted by par ticipants
Earned media/thought leadership
Survey of host clients for brand awareness
Awards received
Brand satisfaction
90%
55%
45%
30%
25%
25%
15%
15%
0% 100%
10%
5%
10%
Par ticipant motivation to perform
1
Par ticipant understanding of their role as a corporate citizen
2
Par ticipant retention rates
3
C O M M U N I C AT I O N
1) To ensure that other parts of the company are aware of Global Pro Bono activities.
2) To allow participants to connect with each other before, during, and after their assignments.
Business and social impact measurement
are increasing, equipping managers to make
the case for Global Pro Bono.
Percent of Companies
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 20
Global Pro Bono Practitioner’s Guide
Kick-Start Your ProgramFor companies keen to initiate a Global Pro Bono program,
there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Over the past 10 years,
implementing companies have scrutinized every aspect of program
design and implementation to run programs that accomplish
their diverse objectives. As one survey respondent explained, a
top success factor in meeting the objectives of their projects is
“designing the program and ensuring team diversity of skills and
demographics.” Kick-start your program using this Practitioner’s
Guide to become familiar with best practices in Global Pro Bono
program design and lay the foundation for success.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 21
PA RT I C I PA N T S E L E C T I O N
Selecting the right employees is a key contributor to the success of a Global Pro Bono program.
To find the best candidates, design a selection methodology and keep the following best practices in mind:
• Determine selection criteria by understanding the qualities you value most in your employees and those you want to see come to life in your program.
• Focus your selection on flexibility of employees and their skills to work in different cultures instead of in-company performance or job level—you might find some hidden talent.
• Establish clear procedures for your program’s par ticipant selection process. Questionnaires are becoming the most commonly used method of par ticipant selection, while essay submissions are also increasing in popularity.
PASSION / ATTITUDE
Global Pro Bono Practitioner’s Guide
1
2
3
4
5
Nationalities of Global Pro Bono Program Participants
Corporate Survey Respondents
NOTE: The corporate sur vey respondents have been anonymized and are represented by the letter s A–Y.
Num
ber
of
Part
icip
ant
Nat
iona
litie
s
Most Common Career Level of Participants Sent on Assignment
Jun iorInd iv idua l Contr ibutor
Management Execut ive
Program participants come from two or more career levels—programs targeting management-level employees are most common.
While on assignment and upon their return, par ticipants serve as company ambassadors who directly influence the impact a Global Pro Bono program will have.
A diverse participant pool materializes through strategic participant selection and leads to an enhanced immersion experience for Global Pro Bono teams on assignment.
11
60
0A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y
10
1 2
13
2017
6
34
2 1 2 1 2 1 1 1
20
8
24
6
148
12
53
Methods for Participant Selection
Questionnaire
Nomination
Essay
Telephone interview
In-person interview
Other
52%
48%
48%
0% 100%
26%
15%
44%
Percent of Companies
LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL
CONSIDERED A “HIGH-POTENTIAL” EMPLOYEE
ON-THE-JOB PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT LEVEL
Top Criteria for Participant Selection
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 22
Global Pro Bono Practitioner’s Guide
P R E - A S S I G N M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N
Preparing par ticipants for their assignment through pre-assignment preparation is standard among Global Pro Bono implementing companies, setting the foundation for the par ticipants and, by exten-sion, the host client to get the most out of the experience. Pre-work is one approach to par ticipant preparation that introduces a series of modules covering what to expect and challenging them to reflect on the professional and personal growth to come. Pre-work modules include specific learning objectives around topics relevant to their experience.
U N PA R A L L E L E D E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G O P P O RT U N I T Y
Eighty percent of respondents to Deloitte’s 2019 Global Human Capital Trends repor t believe there are new and unique requirements for 21st-centur y leadership that are impor tant or ver y impor tant to their organization’s success, among the most impor tant are the abil ity to lead through more complexity and ambiguity (81%) and to lead through influence (65%) — two competencies better suited to active learning than the classroom environment.
Global Pro Bono provides an unparalleled experiential learn-ing oppor tunity that allows companies to develop their tal-ent while delivering social impact. Global Pro Bono goes be-yond typical adult learning programs to offer par ticipants an immersive experience where par ticipants apply their profession-al skills while working with social impact organizations in differ-ent cultural contexts with colleagues they might not regular ly engage with.
Global Pro Bono is not only effective in the diversity of learn-ings that employees gain but in cost as compared to tradition-al leadership development programs. The cost of an execu-tive leadership development course at a top universty ranges from $11,000–$44,000, meanwhile Global Pro Bono programs on average range from $16,000–$19,000 per par ticipant for a three-to-four-week immersive experience. Considering the triple benefit that Global Pro Bono provides to companies, employees and the commu-nity, it’s a low cost investment with high returns for the company.
Type of Orientation for Participants
Vir tua l
In-per son
Do not requ i re or ientat ion
Other
39%
36%
11%
14%
80% TEAMWORK & COLLABORATION
80% CULTURAL AWARENESS / AGIL ITY
74% COMMUNIC ATION
71% PROBLEM SOLVING
Global Pro Bono program participants immerse themselves in a new cultural context for a powerful learning experience that a classroom is unable to provide. The 2017 CPI report highlighted the global leadership competencies developed through Global Pro Bono participation:
Common Performance IndicatorsCommon Performance Indicators
“In addition to an in-person, one-week
onboarding session, participants attend
several virtual trainings including project
management, social media, legal and
compliance, and practical acclimation.”
“Virtual training is about 1.5
hours a week for six weeks,
so one day overall when
totaled, and one day of
orientation in country.”
Averaging three days in length, companies host pre-work or other forms of orientation sessions virtually and in-person.
Global Pro Bono is a low cost investment with high
returns for the company
Several companies also repor ted using both in-person and vir tual sessions to prepare par ticipants.
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 23
Global Pro Bono Practitioner’s Guide
H AV I N G M U LT I P L E P RO G R A M S F U L F I L L S A VA R I E T Y O F N E E D S
Many companies have more than one Global Pro Bono program to meet different objectives.
Approximately 55 percent of sur vey respondents repor ted having two or more Global Pro Bono programs.
Twenty-six companies and one multi-company initiative responded to the survey, representing 47 programs. The diversity of Global Pro Bono programs is apparent with the following distribution by program model:
Number of Global Pro Bono programs per respondent:
Program models vary to accommodate distinct corporate goals and to address internal and external challenges. Pro bono suppor t can include both vir tual and in-person models, with varying durations and including domestic and international locations.
LO C A L
LO C A L
The most common program types reflected in the 2018 survey include:
G LO B A L
G LO B A L
V I RT U A L
V I RT U A L
H Y B R I D
H Y B R I D
Participants provide in-person assistance in the same community
where they live and work.
Participants are deployed outside their country of
residence to provide in-person Global Pro Bono assistance.
Participants engage with host clients virtually,
from their home office.
Participants engage through both structured virtual and in-person support.
24 9 8 6
1 progr am
2 progr ams
3 progr ams
45%
33%
22%
77%
31%
of respondents reported having more than one program to reach different categories of employees
of respondents reported having more than one program to address different aspects of their corporate strategy
GLOBAL PRO BONO STATE OF THE PRACTICE | 24
About PYXERA Global
PYXERA Global envisions a world in which individuals,
organizations, and institutions from across the public,
private, and social sectors converge to address complex
challenges through sustainable and mutually beneficial
efforts. Mobilizing the resources of the private sector—
namely the ingenuity of corporate employees—through
Global Pro Bono initiatives since 2008, PYXERA Global
has played an instrumental role in the development and
evolution of the practice among pioneering practitioners.
With a vested interest in the expansion of Global Pro Bono, PYXERA Global has proactively sought to build a body of evidence in suppor t of the practice through a number of research and benchmarking studies, including the State of the Practice and the Common Performance Indicator project, the only benchmarking project of its kind that measures and benchmarks program impact on host cl ients, communities, par ticipants, and the companies themselves. PYXERA Global also regular ly convenes Global Pro Bono LEAD, a working group of companies with Global Pro Bono programs to share learnings and best practices.
As a par tnership backbone organization, PYXERA Global has facilitated more than 400 skills-based consulting teams with over 30 corporate clients, enabling oppor tunities for more than 4,700 par ticipants to suppor t over 1,200 host client organizations in 58 countr ies. In 2018, PYXERA Global facilitated the deployment of over 700 corporate employees to 58 countr ies.
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99 M Street SE, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20003
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