Corporate Volunteering Partnerships: A Guide for Charities
How to attract and manage corporate volunteers. Build partnerships with businesses that bring skilled volunteers, team days, and long-term support.
Corporate volunteering is one of the most underutilised opportunities for charities in New Zealand and Australia. Many companies now offer employees paid volunteer leave—typically 1-2 days per year—but struggle to find meaningful ways to use it.
That's where you come in. A well-structured corporate volunteering programme can provide your charity with reliable, skilled volunteers while helping businesses achieve their social responsibility goals.
The opportunity is significant
In Australia, workplace volunteering is worth an estimated $320 million annually. In New Zealand, over 30% of large employers now offer structured volunteer programmes. Yet many charities have never approached a single corporate partner.
Why Corporate Volunteers Are Different
Access skilled volunteers
Corporate volunteers bring professional skills—marketing, finance, IT, HR—that can transform your operations.
Predictable scheduling
Team volunteer days are booked in advance, so you can plan around confirmed volunteer numbers.
Additional funding opportunities
Volunteering often leads to corporate donations, sponsorships, and matched giving programmes.
High reliability
Corporate volunteers rarely no-show. There's social accountability when the whole team is coming.
Long-term partnerships
One successful team day often becomes an annual relationship with ongoing support.
Brand alignment
Association with respected businesses enhances your charity's credibility in the community.
Types of Corporate Volunteering
Different companies—and different volunteers—want different things. Offering multiple options increases your appeal to potential partners.
Team Volunteering Days
A group of employees volunteers together for a day or half-day. Popular for team building and CSR initiatives.
Best for: Physical tasks, events, one-off projects that benefit from many hands
Tip
Design activities that work for groups of 10-30 people with minimal training required.
Example activities:
- Beach or park cleanups
- Charity collection days
- Warehouse sorting and packing
- Garden makeovers
- Meal preparation
Skilled Volunteering (Pro Bono)
Employees contribute professional skills—often during work hours—to help charities with specific needs.
Best for: Strategy, technology, marketing, legal, financial planning, HR
Tip
Have a clear brief and project scope. Skilled volunteers want to deliver tangible outcomes.
Example activities:
- Website redesign
- Marketing strategy
- Financial modelling
- Legal document review
- Board advisory
Ongoing Commitments
Individual employees volunteer regularly, often using employer-provided volunteer leave.
Best for: Mentoring, tutoring, ongoing programme support, governance roles
Tip
Make it easy for employees to track and report their volunteer hours back to their employer.
Example activities:
- Youth mentoring
- Board membership
- Regular programme volunteers
- School reading helpers
Virtual Volunteering
Remote skilled support that can be done from anywhere, fitting around work schedules.
Best for: Research, writing, design, admin support, phone-based roles
Tip
Provide clear briefs with deadlines. Virtual volunteers need structure to stay engaged.
Example activities:
- Grant writing support
- Social media content creation
- Data entry and cleanup
- Translation services
- Research projects
How to Approach Corporate Partners
Identify target companies
Start with companies that have existing CSR programmes, values aligned with your cause, or staff who might have personal connections to your mission.
- Research companies' CSR reports and community investment
- Look for industry alignment (health companies + health charities)
- Check if any of your existing supporters work at target companies
- Start local—companies prefer supporting their community
Find the right contact
Large companies have dedicated CSR or community investment managers. Smaller companies—try HR, marketing, or the CEO directly.
- Search LinkedIn for 'CSR', 'Community', 'Sustainability' roles
- Check the company website for community or sustainability pages
- Ask your network for introductions
- Don't be afraid to start with a general enquiry email
Prepare your pitch
Companies want to know: What will their people do? What impact will it have? How does it benefit their team?
- Create a one-page partnership overview
- Include specific volunteer activity options
- Quantify your impact (people helped, dollars raised)
- Highlight the team-building and skill-development benefits
Make it easy to say yes
Reduce the friction and risk for companies considering a partnership.
- Offer a trial activity—one team day, no ongoing commitment
- Provide all necessary logistics, insurance details, and support
- Be flexible on dates and group sizes
- Handle everything so their HR team has minimal work
Creating Corporate Volunteer Packages
Make it easy for companies to partner with you by offering clear, pre-packaged options.
Team Challenge Day
A full-day, hands-on volunteering experience for teams of 10-30 people.
Typically includes:
- Welcome and cause briefing
- Meaningful hands-on activity
- Team lunch (optional)
- Impact report and photos
- Certificates for participants
Often provided free; some charities charge a contribution to cover costs
Skilled Volunteer Project
A defined pro bono project with clear deliverables and timeline.
Typically includes:
- Project brief and scope
- Kick-off meeting
- Regular check-ins
- Final presentation of outcomes
- Public recognition (if desired)
Usually free—the company provides employee time as in-kind support
Annual Partnership
Year-round engagement combining team days, skilled support, and fundraising.
Typically includes:
- Quarterly team volunteering days
- Ongoing skilled volunteer placements
- Workplace giving/matched donation programme
- Co-branded campaigns
- Board or advisory opportunities
Often includes financial sponsorship component
Corporate Volunteering Platforms
These platforms connect charities with corporate volunteer programmes. Listing your opportunities here increases visibility with businesses.
Tips for Successful Corporate Partnerships
Make them look good
Provide photos, impact stats, and stories they can share internally and externally. Help them demonstrate ROI on their community investment.
Be flexible on timing
Corporate team days often need to fit around project deadlines and busy seasons. Offer multiple date options and be willing to reschedule.
Provide a proper welcome
Treat corporate volunteers like VIPs. Brief them on your cause, make them feel valued, and ensure they have a meaningful experience.
Follow up promptly
Send thank you notes, photos, and impact updates within a week. Start the conversation about the next opportunity.
Build relationships, not transactions
One team day can become a multi-year partnership. Stay in touch, share your news, and invite key contacts to your events.
Ask for feedback
Find out what worked and what could be better. Companies appreciate charities that are responsive and professional.
Key Takeaways
Ready to manage corporate volunteer teams?
PurposeTech makes it easy to coordinate team volunteering days and track corporate partner engagement over time.