July 1, 2012

June 2012

E-IAVE

IN THIS ISSUE

NEWS FROM IAVE

FROM IAVE MEMBERS

FROM THE EDITOR

 

UPDATE ON THE WORLD CONFERENCE
Online Registration Opens
After some technical difficulties, online registration for the conference is now open. Early registration, with reduced registration fees, is available through October 15. Please visit www.iave.org/london2012 for further information and to register.

Hotel Listings Available Online
We have chosen The Corporate Team, a leading London hotel booking service, to provide hotel listings for the conference. Go to www.iave.org/london2012/accommodation to choose from a selection of 35 hotels at all price levels. Hotels may be booked directly online or through The Corporate Team booking desk via email or telephone. Customer service agents are happy to meet special requests for assistance.

First Global Convening of Volunteer Centers
An important component of the conference is IAVE’s first global convening of volunteer centers, the national and local leadership organizations for volunteering. There will be special sessions for national volunteer centers to discuss their work and to explore the possibility of creating a global network. There also will be workshop and sharing sessions for all volunteer centers.

NEWS FROM IAVE
IAVE CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING AWARDS PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
IAVE is pleased to announce its new Global Corporate Volunteer Awards. The two awards, to be given for the first time at the 2012 IAVE World Volunteer Conference, will recognize a global company that demonstrates an exemplary overall approach to its volunteer efforts and a single distinctive volunteer effort designed to respond to a specific issue or need.

Full details on the awards program and the application process will be announced in mid-July.

The awards are part of IAVE’s overall strategy to promote and support corporate volunteering and to strengthen volunteer-based partnerships between businesses and NGOs. IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) has now grown to over 30 global companies. The GCVC inspired and supported Global Corporate Volunteering Research Project created a new base of knowledge and understanding of corporate volunteering.

The presentation of the awards in London at the closing of the World Volunteer Conference are most appropriate, given the conference’s primary focus on corporate volunteering and corporate-NGO partnerships.

MEMBERS APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO IAVE BY-LAWS
We are pleased to report that IAVE members choosing to vote on the proposed amendments to the by-laws approved them by an overwhelming positive vote. A positive vote of 2/3 of the members voting is required to approve amendments. The actual vote was 99% in favor; 1% opposed.

The new by-laws can be found at www.iave.org/content/bylaws.

NEW IAVE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES NAMED
Dr. Kang-Hyun Lee, IAVE World President, has announced the appointment of these new National Representatives:

  • Ouedraogo Georges, Burkina Faso
  • Moussa Guettari, Algeria
  • Dr. Abdulmalik Gichuki Tuesday, executive director of the National Volunteer Network Trust (NAVNET), Kenya

IAVE National Representatives are appointed by the World President in consultation with the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of Regional Representatives.

The National Representatives are responsible for representing IAVE in their countries – building awareness of our work, promoting membership, maintaining contact with members in the country, contributing to E-IAVE and identifying opportunities for IAVE engagement there.

Ruth MacKenzie, National Representative from Canada and also president and CEO of Volunteer Canada, was elected in January 2011 by the National Representatives present at the IAVE World Volunteer Conference in Singapore to serve as their representative to the IAVE board of directors.

The IAVE board has decided that the next election will take place by e-vote to allow all National Representatives to participate. It will be scheduled for early 2013.

IAVE IN THE SPOTLIGHT: AT THE U.S. NATIONAL VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE
IAVE had a strong profile at the annual U.S. National Conference on Volunteering and Service held in Chicago, June 19-21, led by board member Sam Santiago and executive director Kathi Dennis.

Sam chaired both the pre-conference meeting of IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) and a conference workshop “Inspiring in Global Corporate Volunteering,” organized by Sarah Hayes who is responsible for managing GCVC. It featured GCVC member companies Telefonica (Spain), represented by Lucila Ballarino, and Vale (Brazil), represented by Fernanda Castanheira.

Kathi organized the workshop “Japan 2012: Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami,” in cooperation with Akiko Seto, president of IAVE Japan. Ms. Seto had arranged for speakers from business and NGOs to discuss the volunteer response to the March 2011 disasters. She also presented an overview of corporate response to 3/11, reporting on data compiled by the Keidanren, Japan’s leading business association.

Representing Yamato Transport, Japan’s leading logistics and delivery company, were Mr. Yuichi Usui, Executive Officer, Division of CSR Development, and Mr. Tohru Takamatsu, Manager, Public Relations Dept., Division of CSR Development. They described the far-reaching response of the company, from on-site management of response logistics to significant fundraising by employees and contributions from the company, placing it in the context of the company’s philosophy and commitment to its workers, community and society.

In partnership with Susan Danish, executive director of the Association of Junior Leagues International, IAVE’s National Representative in the United States, IAVE had a booth in the exhibit hall and hosted a reception for members and friends.

With the active support of Points of Light, organizer of the conference and now a Partner Organization for IAVE’s 2012 World Volunteer Conference, there were numerous opportunities to promote the conference to local Volunteer Centers, Corporate Volunteer Councils and businesses.

GCVC Members Gather in Chicago
As has been tradition for the last several years, IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council (GCVC) met the two days prior to the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. This year’s meeting was hosted by GCVC member UBS.

Member companies represented at the meeting were American Airlines, Lilly, Telefonica, Hilton Worldwide, Manulife Financial, ArcelorMittal, Vale, Disney, HP, Starbucks, Salesforce.com, Kraft and Motorola Mobility. The company representatives shared stories and strategies around the primary meeting theme of “communications.” The company sharing time offered an opportunity to discuss challenges and successes in communicating their programs and volunteer efforts, internally and externally.

On Saturday the members were treated to a panel discussion on “IYV + 10 and Beyond,” reflecting on the value of the year to corporate volunteering and on emerging developments in the field. Speakers on this panel were Mae Chao, United Nations Volunteers; Monica Galiano, Iniciativa Brasil; and Jeff Hoffman of Jeff Hoffman and Associates. They discussed corporate involvement in addressing the Millennium Development Goals and moving towards “sustainable development goals,” how companies strive for more impact and collaboration among sectors and stakeholders, and the potential impact of social media on corporate volunteering.

IAVE’s close partner organization, Partners of the Americas, through staff members Melissa Golladay, Jesse Hatcher and Raaida Manaa, reported on the developing RED2021 initiative to link leaders of youth volunteering online, a follow on to the Second Summit on Youth Volunteering, co-sponsored by IAVE and Partners in Barranquilla, Colombia last year. With so many more young people entering the workforce, their influence on corporate volunteering strategies and activities for the future is going to be increasingly important.

FROM IAVE MEMBERS
VOLUNTEERING ENGLAND IN MERGER DISCUSSIONS
[The following statement was issued on June 21 by Volunteering England and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.]

Volunteering England and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations are commencing formal discussions with a view to merging. The Board of Trustees of both organizations have agreed the recommendations of a joint working party to enter into formal merger discussions over the summer and autumn 2012.

The joint working party reviewed options for working together and concluded there was “a very strong case for full merger”: “The closely aligned visions of both organisations could be better fulfilled by coming together.”

It found “a compelling case for merger on grounds of efficiency and sustainability but more importantly that the new organisation will enhance the work of both agencies and help deliver on a new vision for volunteering and voluntary action”.

The working party recommended that the merged organisation will be known as the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and will retain the Volunteering England brand and Institute for Volunteering Research brand.

Formal discussions will now focus on detailed planning on organisational structure and staffing and on membership services, as well as on due diligence. The working party set a target for the merger, subject to the formal discussions, as effective by early 2013.

Sukhvinder Kaur-Stubbs, Chair of Trustees of Volunteering England, stated: “I am proud of the achievements of Volunteering England, our trustees and staff, especially in adapting to the challenging environment of recent years. The proposed merger will sustain our work as the voice of volunteering throughout our communities. It will strengthen the national infrastructure in supporting and representing our members, the volunteering movement and civil society.”

Martyn Lewis CBE, Chair of Trustees of NCVO, stated: “The vision and values of NCVO and Volunteering England are closely aligned. We are a natural fit. We have encouraged the sector to consider mergers and collaboration, and we are practising what we preach. By joining forces we will create a stronger voice and better support for voluntary organisations and volunteering.”

Justin Davis Smith CBE, Chief Executive of Volunteering England, stated: “The proposed merger will enable Volunteering England to strengthen our contributions in improving policy, volunteer management and the quality of the volunteer experience through research and professional expertise and through engaging with our members, particularly through the network of local Volunteer Centres. We will keep and promote our brand as Volunteering England. I am looking forward to talking with our members, national and local, in public, private and voluntary sectors, on the practicalities of working together to ensure the cause of volunteering is represented as powerfully as it should be throughout our society and to central and local government.”

Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, stated: “This merger builds on years of close co-operation between NCVO and Volunteering England. We have a shared vision of how volunteering and voluntary organisations are at the heart of civil society. By pooling our skills and experience we will create a stronger champion for voluntary action.”

OUR “MEMBER-AUTHORS”
We are pleased to offer our congratulations to IAVE members Eugen Baldas (Germany) and Ellen Linsley (U.S.) for their recent publications on volunteering.

Volunteer! Make a difference! Momentum from 2001+10

Eugen Baldas, Regional Representative to IAVE’s board of directors for Europe, and colleagues Jorge Nuño and Reiner Roth have authored Volunteer! Make a difference! Momentum from 2001+10, published by Lambertus of Freiburg, Germany. It was released June 27 in Brussels at the meeting of the board of directors of Caritas Europe. IAVE World President Dr. Kang Hyun Lee was present, reflecting on the value of the book in the continued global development of volunteering.

In terms of its comprehensiveness and international scope, this book is a definite prize.

2011 saw the 10th Anniversary of “2001 – The International Year of Volunteering”. Accordingly, the Council of Europe heralded that significant year as the “European Year of Volunteer and Promotion of an Active Citizenship” They adopted the “UN Year 2001+10” to acknowledge great achievements and with a clear intent to inject new life into volunteerism throughout Europe and around the globe.

“Volunteer! Make a difference!” discusses the background, primary concerns and foundational aspects of the “Year of the Volunteer – 2011” in English and German. Its several comprehensive articles address the goals of the volunteer year. Practical examples from twelve countries provide insight into successful, volunteer endeavours, and relevant ideas and opinions focus on project sustainability.

IAVE is represented in the book by an article from Dr. Lee and an article based on the final report of the Global Corporate Volunteering Research Project prepared by Sarah Hayes.

The book sells for 20€ and can be bought from Lambertus Verlang or Amazon:

http://www.lambertus.de/assets/adb/2e/2e2c9702f9f3ee83.pdf

http://www.amazon.de/Freiwillig-Etwas-bewegen-Impulse-2001/dp/3784121039

and can be ordered through bookstores.

Corporate Volunteerism: Past-Present-Future

Long-time IAVE member and pioneer in promoting corporate volunteering, Ellen Linsley of Los Angeles, California has added to the growing literature on corporate volunteering, drawing on her own extensive experience and what she has learned from others.

In Corporate Volunteerism: Past-Present-Future, Ellen assembles a simple and informative guide to building effective employee volunteer programs, best practice principles and community partnerships that benefit all.

The rich advice is comes from interviews with corporate and community leaders, and others, along with Ellen’s vast corporate volunteering expertise, spanning many continents and over three decades.

The book examines global trends and case studies on corporate involvement programs and offers insight into the future. It also includes her personal memoir, “Journey of One Woman in the Second Half of the 20th Century.”

Ellen is the former president of Involvement Corps, Inc; a California based nonprofit corporation that developed corporate community volunteer programs. In the 1980s and 1990s, she introduced corporate volunteerism to Australia and developed a Community Environment Awareness Program in Fiji. She has presented at IAVE world conferences in Colombia, France, Singapore and Japan.

Since 1996, she has served as Founding Chair of Connect L.A., a virtual organization developed to link volunteers and community organizations around the Los Angeles area. All proceeds from the book are committed to support Connect L.A.’s ongoing mission.

The book is available in print ($70) or on CD ($30) at www.connect-la.org. 

KRAFT FOODS VOLUNTEERS HONORED
Kraft Foods, member of IAVE’s Global Corporate Volunteer Council, was one of the winners of the Corporate Engagement Award for Excellence 2012 presented by Points of Light at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service.

The award recognize companies with a strong commitment to volunteering and that demonstrate a true investment in the well-being of the communities in which they operate. Each company is evaluated on how well it has met the goals and objectives it sets for its own program.

The company’s formal volunteer program began only in 2008, driven by employees demonstrated interest in volunteering and a desire to maximize impact while building employee pride in the company. From the outset, it reflected the emergence of Kraft Foods as a global company with research through employee surveys and focus groups to understand relevant cultural difference from country to country.

Led by the commitment and enthusiasm of its CEO, Irene Rosenfeld, Kraft Foods launched its first global Delicious Difference Week in 2009 with just seven months of preparation – and then watched it happen in 33 countries around the world. It now happens annually in some 60 countries.

FROM THE EDITOR
Next month, our focus will be on news from national volunteer centers – featuring Canada, New Zealand, Fiji, the Netherlands, Australia and Russia. Look for it in your mailbox the third week of July. If you are a national volunteer center and would like to be included, please send us articles of no more than 400 words or other information on your work by July 15 to kenn@civilsocietyconsulting.com.

Thanks!