In a world where people work to live, rather than live to work, businesses need to find new and innovative ways to work with communities in need and attract outstanding employees. VSO Business Partnership is an inspiring, challenging way for your employees to use their skills to fight poverty and disadvantage. Business Partners work collaboratively with VSO to design a tailored framework of support in line with your Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.

Meeting the needs of the developing and the developed world

Entrepreneurs the world over need vocational training and business acumen to flourish. Through the VSO Business Partnerships scheme, partner companies second employees to undertake a placement of three to twenty-four months in a developing country that is designed to strengthen local organisations and give them the best chance of long-term success. Our partner organisations in developing countries can benefit from your employees’ skills, experience and fresh perspectives. Together they can develop strategic planning and build organisational capacity to meet the needs of their communities.

What are business partnerships?

VSO Business Partnerships (VBP) is a secondment scheme which allows partner companies to release their employees to take up short term assignments with VSO. These employees utilise their business and management skills to assist organisations and communities throughout the developing world.

• Find out more about the VSO Business Partnerships (VBP) scheme

The benefits to your business

“VSO Business Partnerships has captured the imagination of our people. Clearly there is an enthusiasm among our staff to do something like this, and for the firm it’s really an enlightened selfinterest because we’re helping to meet the needs and aspirations of our people. We’re demonstrating that we live the values that we espouse and don’t just talk them, and our people are coming back with skills that they may not have got in day-to-day client work, which we think are really important.”
- Liz Padmore, Director of Policy and Corporate Affairs, Accenture

“Being part of the business partnerships scheme is a powerful tool in recruiting, retaining and developing the best people, in what is a competitive market for talent.”
- Gib Bulloch, Associate Partner, Accenture

• In an independent study into VSO Business Partnerships, 90% of respondents* stated that a company offering a six month secondment through VSO would be more attractive as a prospective employer.
• Volunteers enhance their leadership, communication and creative skills and broaden their frame of reference.
• Participating companies demonstrate their commitment to the global community and benefit from highly motivated, highly skilled staff.

During an independent review** of Accenture and Shell volunteers, participants completed self-assessment forms before and after their placement. On average, their skills increased by 15%. Respondents specifically gained:

• over 30% in collaboration skills
• over 23% in influencing skills
• over 21% in skills to maximise performance.

VSO Business Partnerships in action

Chang Ching Wang is a finance analyst with Shell (Exploration and Production) in The Hague. She undertook a nine-month secondment with the Kiboga District Administration, Uganda. Chang Ching advised staff on economic development, streamlining financial management and long-term planning.

“My nine months in Uganda was truly one of the most unique experiences of my life. I had to put my creativity, persistence and interpersonal skills to real tests. There has been significant improvement in linkages of activities with higher level development objectives from the previous ad hoc circumstantial activities. These improvements will lead to better service delivery from the local government to the community.”
- Chang Ching Wang, Economic Development Adviser, Uganda

Justin Highstead, a management consultant with Accenture, volunteered for six months with Trendsetters, a newspaper raising awareness of HIV and AIDS written and published by young people in Lusaka. His skills helped staff develop a marketing strategy and boost readership. He also helped improve fundraising and sourcing procedures.

“I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to give something back. It is very motivating to give to a good cause in the knowledge that providing one youth with the opportunity to read the paper could arm him with the knowledge that could save his life.”
- Justin Highstead, Marketing Adviser, Zambia

“Justin’s excellent professional skills, together with his adaptability and total understanding of what capacity building means, enabled him to share his skills and train his colleagues. I believe that his impact here is sustainable.”
- Elizabeth Serlemitos, Employer, Zambia Integrated Health Programme

If your organisation would like to join VSO’s Business Partnerships, we will be happy to meet to discuss your involvement in the scheme. Please contact corporate.partnerships@vso.org.uk.

* 100 experienced business professionals (aged 25–36 years), who represent typical clients/employees for Accenture
** The Corporate Citizenship Company, 2001