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3 minute read
Albertsons Companies Foundation, a leading food and drug retailer in the United States, has long been dedicated to eradicating hunger through its Nourishing Neighbors program. With the Albertsons Companies workforce exceeding 270,000 employees, the Foundation sought to enhance its community impact by establishing a dynamic employee volunteer program. This led them to partner with Catchafire to power their employee engagement and expand their community impact. With access to Catchafire, Albertsons’ employees can lend their professional expertise and donate their skills to thousands of nonprofits.
The partnership aims to empower Albertsons employees to apply their professional skills towards supporting nonprofits focusing on food insecurity and contributing to the program’s larger goal of feeding 1 billion people by 2030. Catchafire recently organized a volunteer event for Albertsons employees, fostering community investment and enhancing employee engagement.
Employee engagement activities: planning a volunteer event
As part of its CSR activities, Albertsons Companies Foundation collaborated with Catchafire to organize a business hackathon in Arizona, involving company associates and six hunger-fighting nonprofits. As part of their employee engagement strategies, the event format was chosen for its potential to generate innovative solutions and to facilitate meaningful team-building and community relationships.
Key planning strategies
Skill-based volunteering focus
Recognizing the diverse skill set of their workforce, Albertsons emphasized skills-based volunteering. This approach allowed employees to lend their expertise in areas like marketing, finance, and strategic planning, ensuring a profound impact on the participating nonprofits.
Building connections
Employees are connected to nonprofits and causes they’re passionate about, fueling their fulfillment and engagement through volunteering. At the same time, CSR leaders are improving employee engagement opportunities for the causes they’re invested in as a company.
Inclusive participation
Employees were encouraged to bring their skills and creativity, with no prior preparation required, fostering an atmosphere of inclusivity and innovation.
Outcomes and impact
Volunteer days play a pivotal role in fostering employee engagement while simultaneously supporting food hunger efforts in local communities. These events create a unique opportunity for employees to step out of their regular work roles and apply their diverse professional skills towards meaningful causes. This engagement transcends traditional volunteer work, enabling employees to make a tangible impact on the pressing issue of food insecurity.
By collaborating directly with nonprofits focused on hunger relief, employees not only contribute their expertise but also gain a deeper understanding and connection to their local communities. Such CSR practices boost morale, foster a sense of teamwork and purpose, and strengthen the bond between Albertsons and its community. Ultimately, these volunteer days enhance the company's corporate social responsibility profile, while imbuing employees with a sense of pride and accomplishment in their contributions to a larger societal goal.
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Engagement: 25 Albertsons associates actively participated in the event.
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Nonprofit support: Collaboration with six nonprofits focusing on hunger relief.
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Impact value: The event generated an estimated impact value close to $40,000.
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Boosted morale and team spirit: Participants, both from Albertsons and the nonprofits, reported feeling energized and inspired after the event, reflecting a significant boost in morale.
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Personal and professional growth: Volunteer days offer a unique platform for personal and professional growth, as employees engage in meaningful community service, they develop new skills, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen their problem-solving and teamwork abilities.
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Enhanced interpersonal connections: The event facilitated stronger relationships among colleagues and between employees and community members, fostering a more cohesive team environment.
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Sustained engagement: These kinds of events serve as employee engagement solutions and spur ongoing involvement with the nonprofits, with many employees continuing their support beyond the event day.
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Planning and coordination: Catchafire ensured that every challenge presented by the nonprofits was well-prepared and suitable for productive brainstorming.
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On-site support: The presence of a dedicated event manager ensured smooth operations and an effective, engaging experience for all participants.
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Post-event support: Catchafire provided follow-up support to maintain the momentum generated by the event and foster long-term relationships between employees and nonprofits.
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