Approaching corporate volunteering in Spain

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of how corporate volunteering is actually put into practice in Spanish firms as part of their social responsibility strategy. The paper presents the notion and the basics of corporate volunteering (CV), with emphasis on its capacity to strengthen the bonds between the company and its employees.Design/methodology/approachWith the intention of approaching the actual state of corporate volunteering, a survey was conducted of Spanish firms regarding their managers' perceptions of the main success factors and the potential benefits and costs of CV programs.FindingsIn the contemporary Spanish business environment, companies have incorporated volunteer initiatives as a key element of their corporate responsibility strategy. The importance of the practice of CV is interpreted as a symptom of commitment to a stronger socially responsible behavior in Spanish companies.Practical implicationsTo stay well informed of employees' needs, to evaluate which NGOs to work with or human resource management responsiveness, the authors put forward recommendations for CV programs designed to increase both competitive sustainability and employee satisfaction and retention.Originality/valueReflecting the literature which highlights the importance of CV in Spain, the results indicate that while organizations strive to achieve corporate responsibility goals, it is expected that effectiveness will be greater among organizations using CV for this purpose. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time this relationship has been discussed and recommendations have been offered for practitioners.