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Business partnerships scheme > Becoming a VBP partner
Our current business partners are:- Accenture
- Shell
- SAP
- PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Randstad
Why are companies getting involved?
VSO Business Partnerships is an initiative designed to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships between VSO and progressive, globally-focussed organisations. Our respective objectives – fighting global poverty and achieving international business excellence – can complement each other.
With increasing emphasis on the business agenda for corporate social responsibility, cause-related marketing and work–life balance initiatives, VSO Business Partnerships offers major opportunities for improving your company profile among your staff, investors and potential markets.
What commitment is required from VBP partners?
In order to join VSO Business Partnerships, companies must commit to releasing an agreed number of employees (approximately 5) to take up placements with VSO. In addition, there needs to be a commitment to promoting the scheme internally to employees. Those employees who choose to volunteer will then go through the same recruitment process as other volunteers.
We suggest that seconded volunteers are not paid their full salaries while they undertake a placement with VSO. Financial arrangements will vary from company to company, but in order to preserve the volunteer ethos, we would recommend that a company only provide pension and national insurance contributions while the employees are on secondment. In some cases, partners companies have also committed to covering employees fixed costs (eg rent or mortgage repayments) for the duration of the secondments. In addition, we ask all VSO business partners to make a contribution to VSO's costs.
Secondees will live in the same standard of accommodation as other volunteers and will receive a modest allowance to cover local living costs (eg food, clothing, travel).
When a secondee begins a VSO placement, their company will guarantee to provide them with the same or a similar job when they return home.
Creative Solutions for your business needs
Develop high levels of management skills cost effectively.
VSO volunteers work on challenging assignments with limited resources and at high levels of responsibility. Their business skills are tested, and a wealth of valuable skills, including leadership and negotiation become highly developed.
Building these crucial business competencies through conventional training methods can be expensive. A VSO assignment enables your staff to develop them in real-life situations and at a fraction of the cost of conventional training courses.
Recruit and retain high quality managers
Today’s graduates no longer want to 'live to work'. They would rather work to live. They are carefully selecting employers who offer flexibility and benefits above and beyond upwardly spiralling salaries.
VSO volunteers often describe their experiences as among the most stimulating and rewarding of their lives. Offering VSO Business Partnerships secondments demonstrates a flexible and innovative approach to work-life balance issues and could help to position your organisation as an employer of choice.
Invest in the future with globally orientated managers
Employees who have volunteered with VSO are confident working on an international level. They have genuine insights into communicating and negotiating effectively with other cultures. Given today’s diverse markets and workforces, such skills are invaluable assets for employees and their companies alike.
Enhance your brand and corporate citizenship objectives
As a VSO Business Partner, your organisation can position itself as a globally oriented corporate citizen. This subsequently enhances its brand profile among customers, staff and opinion formers.
As globalisation continues and organisations become truly international, it may be necessary to look beyond local and domestic geographic communities and redefine exactly what 'community' means. Logically, international working in corporate social responsibility and employee volunteering will become increasingly important.
Further information
If you would like any further information on the scheme please e-mail enquiry@vso.org.uk or telephone us on +44 (0)20 8780 7500.
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