Special Day Shines Spotlight on Corporation’s Commitment to Helping Others
It’s International Corporate Philanthropy Day, when the business community celebrates achievements in philanthropy and corporate community partnerships. At General Mills, we’re celebrating by releasing the results of our global volunteer survey, which shows that our employees, no matter where they work around the world, are deeply committed to improving the lives of our neighbors in the communities where we work and live.
The survey found that in the United States, where volunteerism is a tradition, 83 percent of General Mills employees volunteer, up slightly from the 82 percent reported in a 2009 companywide survey. Outside of the United States, where volunteerism is generally less prominent, 51 percent of General Mills employees volunteer. Our results stand as an example of the wonderful works companies around the world are engaging in to make a difference.
Taking a deeper dive into the survey, we know that volunteer leadership is also common at General Mills through programs where employees use their business skills to help nonprofits and NGOs drive even greater community impact. The volunteer survey shows that in the United States, 17-percent of employees share their skills and insights by serving on the boards of nonprofit organizations. Employees also serve in other ways such as volunteering with Partners in Food Solutions (PFS), the nonprofit organization General Mills created to share food industry expertise and help boost local economies and improve lives in Africa. Currently, PFS is working with 28 food processors on 77 projects in Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, and Malawi, with 300 General Mills employees lending their expertise.
This kind of volunteer work is why we’ve signed on as members of the Billion + Change national campaign to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based service by 2013. This initiative, managed by the Points of Light Institute, seeks to “transform how businesses leverage their employees to make a lasting impact on society by engaging, inspiring and mobilizing professional talent to build the capacity of non-profit organizations to better meet community needs.”
As a food company, hunger, nutrition and education topped the list of causes that employees across the globe supported. Another top area was basic needs/poverty. In the United States, nearly 40 percent of General Mills employees volunteer every 1 to 3 months or more. Outside the United States, 48 percent of employees volunteer every 4 months or less.
General Mills celebrates volunteerism each spring when employees around the world come together for the company’s annual Think Global, Volunteer Local initiative. Last year, nearly 3,000 employees in 65 locations from Minneapolis to Mumbai volunteered with hunger and environmental projects in their communities.
Employee volunteerism leverages General Mills’ tradition of generous giving and global community support. The company contributed a total of $118.7 million to charitable causes in fiscal year 2011, up 18 percent from the previous year. We invest in and collaborate with community organizations and programs that unleash the power of food across a spectrum of social issues, including hunger, nutrition, and healthy active lifestyles. As a matter of fact, partnering with organizations like the Council on Foundations is a key to advancing our corporate mission to nourish lives.
Donna Svendsen is the associate director of community action at General Mills, a member of the Council on Foundations.
