How to use volunteering days to declutter and make a difference
Imagine if there were a ridiculously easy way for businesses to become genuinely more sustainable and socially responsible. Most companies would surely jump at the opportunity. Volunteering can have a significant impact on society and the environment, and can potentially even boost a business’s bottom line.
People are a powerful tool for change
A business can focus on endless areas when it comes to sustainability and social responsibility: implementing energy-efficient practices, reducing waste through recycling, sourcing materials ethically, supporting fair trade and engaging in community outreach.
All of these are worth doing. They’re essential in building a more sustainable and equitable world. However, one of the easiest and most impactful ways a business can make a difference is by involving its people. When people come together, they are a powerful tool for change.
By offering employees the opportunity to use workdays for volunteering, staff are given the chance to do something, on behalf of the business, that makes them feel proud.
Why introduce volunteering days into the workplace?
Compared to some of the more complex initiatives that businesses get involved in to boost their social and sustainability credentials, volunteering days are a popular choice because they’re generally simple to put in place. Volunteering days take very little work to set up, but provide a long list of benefits.
Company volunteering days:
Show a commitment to social responsibility and demonstrate the company’s dedication to making a positive impact.
Support causes in need and target this support at the causes that matter to the company and its team.
Encourage engagement with the local community and strengthen the company’s relationship with its neighbours.
Show employees that the company cares and let staff know that they work for a caring organisation.
Serve as a team-building exercise and provide opportunities for staff to collaborate on meaningful projects.
Provide a refreshing change and give employees a break from their routine workday, with something rewarding to look forward to.
Offer flexibility as the company can decide whether to get a large team volunteering together, or to create smaller groups that better fit the business’s needs.
What to use volunteer days for?
Planning what to use volunteer days for can feel daunting: there are an infinite number of charities to support and initiatives to get involved with. The world is brimming with dedicated people leading meaningful causes.
Your team could make a positive impact by getting involved with:
Local food banks
Environmental cleanup projects
Animal shelters
Youth mentoring programs
Care facilities
Literacy and education programmes
Homeless shelters
Community gardens
Disaster relief efforts
Health and wellness campaigns
There’s really only one downside to volunteering days: it can feel so hard to pick a cause! Deciding what your employees should use their volunteering days for can be far from an easy choice.
Why not consider using your volunteering days to declutter and make a difference via A Good Thing’s nonprofit online platform? All without leaving the comfort of your workplace.
What is A Good Thing and how does it work for volunteering days?
A Good Thing is a nonprofit online platform that makes it easy for businesses to donate unwanted items to local charities through a simple app. If you’re looking around your office or storage space and thinking it might be time for a clear-out, this option could be the one for you.
Sign up to our app for free, get your team involved, and start digging into the back of your cupboards. Learn more about A Good Thing and how it works.
Wondering what can be donated? The answer is… pretty much anything! If someone somewhere may have a use for it, it’s likely to be snapped up by a charity. The platform has seen all sorts successfully given away by UK businesses: from the obvious items like computers, laptops, desks and chairs, to the more unusual things like ex-hotel uniforms, babygros, pillows, buggies, lanyards and even squishy goldfish toys.
Have a rummage through whatever you’ve got. You’d be surprised how resourceful charities are, and how easily they will put your dust-gathering items to good use.
Make a day of it
You could make a big day of it and get everyone involved. Maybe even order in a few pizzas as a treat. But if the nature of your business doesn’t allow for such disruption, you can always pair employees up and schedule different pairs on separate days.
Uploading items to the A Good Thing platform
Create your account: if you haven’t already, create a free account on the A Good Thing platform. It only takes 30 seconds!
List your items: just as you would with a site like eBay, attach photos and write a quick description of each item as you upload it to the platform.
Coordinate the donations: once your items are listed, A Good Thing will help match them with local charities in need. Use the platform to coordinate pick-up or delivery, making the process really effortless.
Celebrate your impact
After the volunteering day, take a moment to celebrate what your team has achieved. Share the success stories of where your donations went and how they are being used. This will boost morale among your employees but will also reinforce the positive impact your company is making within your community.
Don’t be shy about what you’re up to: share your volunteering day on your socials, write up a blog post about it for your company website, and even add a feature about it in your monthly newsletter. It’s important to celebrate the good we do, and lead by example.
Use volunteering days to do A Good Thing
Using volunteering days to dig out and donate unneeded items through A Good Thing’s platform is a win-win for everyone involved. It helps your company reduce waste and disposal costs, supports local charities and strengthens team bonds. So why not make your next volunteering day a meaningful one? Sign up to A Good Thing and start making a difference.