Increasingly, employees are looking to work with a company whose purpose and values align to their own personal beliefs – and ‘walks the walk’ in how they show up at work and in the community. Many large companies are responding to that need by shifting existing corporate giving programs to more employee-led efforts, enabling them to support causes that mean the most to their employees. RBC created the RBC Communities Together Fund (CTF), a program that combines funding with employee-led volunteering. Teams of three or more employees choose a local charity, apply for a $1,500 grant, and then complete a two-hour volunteer activity in support of the cause. In its launch year, the program aims to support 1,500 projects globally – totaling more than $2 million.
“Working for a company that supports causes that are important to me – it means a lot,” says Lori Smith, Regional Director, Community Marketing, Communication & Citizenship, RBC. “It makes me happy that the bank supports, encourages and rewards me for volunteering. It makes me feel valued. It makes me want to do more.”
This support is far from an afterthought, adds Rachel MacLeod, Senior Manager, Corporate Citizenship Communications, RBC. It’s a large part of the RBC employee experience. “We have amazing benefit plans, wellness plans, retirement savings; all these benefits of being an employee. I just love that volunteerism and community support is part of that standard package now. I think people look for that when they consider a role because it says a lot about what type of organization they are joining.”
Through employee feedback, RBC found that it was important to employees to have a voice in identifying and problem-solving with causes they feel a connection to and appreciated the choices offered by the CTF.
“Many RBC’ers are deeply connected to their communities. Programs like CTF help them prove it. They get to make change with their local charities,” MacLeod adds.
Recently, MacLeod and Smith, along with three colleagues, took part in a volunteer effort at LakeCity Works, an organization that helps people living with mental illness build on their strengths, take on responsibilities, and access work experience, education and employment.