In today’s rapidly evolving workplace, employee engagement through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) has emerged as a best practice for companies seeking to build a loyal, productive, and purpose-driven workforce. While CSR encompasses a wide range of initiatives – from environmental sustainability to ethical sourcing – this post focuses specifically on corporate volunteerism as a particularly powerful and tangible driver of engagement. No longer is CSR just about philanthropy; it’s a strategic initiative that directly supports recruitment of prospective employees, retention, and overall company culture.
Today’s employees, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, expect more from their employers. They want to be part of something meaningful.
That’s where employee volunteerism steps in—not only as a key pillar of Corporate Social Responsibility, but using practical, scalable volunteering approaches to unite distributed teams, foster loyalty, and uplift communities, leading to a positive impact and increased job satisfaction. The question is no longer should you integrate CSR into employee engagement—but how.
Why Employee Engagement Through CSR is a Business Imperative
Employee engagement is declining nationally. According to Gallup, just 31% of U.S. workers were engaged in their jobs in 2024, marking the lowest point in over a decade. Gen Z, in particular, has seen a steep drop, with millions now categorized as actively disengaged.
Clearly, leaders need a better strategy to connect with their workforce. CSR provides a powerful one.
6 Ways CSR Volunteerism Boosts Employee Engagement
Here’s why CSR-focused volunteerism is such an effective lever for employee connection and engagement:
- It Provides a Sense of Purpose: Employees increasingly want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. When employee participation in a meaningful CSR initiative takes place—like packing healthy meals for families in need—they experience purpose, empowerment, and see the direct impact of their efforts.
- It Strengthens Workplace Bonds: Collaborative volunteer activities encourage relationship-building and break down silos, especially among teams or individuals who don’t interact daily or are at different levels in the organization. This builds trust, fosters camaraderie, and improves collaboration.
- It Builds Leadership Skills: Volunteer programs often provide opportunities for employees to step up and lead logistics, communications, or event coordination, allowing them to develop valuable, real-world leadership experience outside their regular job scope.
- It Aligns Work with Personal Values: Employees are more likely to feel loyal to, and stay with, companies that demonstrate shared values. CSR initiatives show that a company cares—not just about profits, but about people and the planet, resonating with employees’ personal beliefs.
- It Enhances Brand Reputation: Purpose-driven CSR not only attracts and retains like-minded employees but also wins favor with customers and society more broadly. In a world where many consumers prefer brands that demonstrate a commitment to social or environmental causes, volunteerism also has a positive impact on brand perception.
- It Fuels Retention and Satisfaction: Engaged employees are far more likely to stay. Volunteerism directly impacts key retention metrics.
How Some Companies Use Employee Engagement Events
The following case studies show three different approaches to employee engagement and how companies can make a difference using one specific tool – the MATTERbox Packing Event.
Case Study #1: Discover Financial Services – Nationwide Hybrid Volunteering
- Need: With over 17,000 employees across 40 states, Discover needed a scalable way to unite their hybrid workforce around a shared purpose.
- Solution: Partnering with MATTER, Discover organized two large-scale MATTERbox packing events in 2022 and 2023, aligning them with National Volunteer Week and Random Acts of Kindness Day. Using flexible packing kits, both remote and in-office staff packed healthy meals for donation to their local communities.
- Results:
- Participation doubled: 2,002 people participated in 2023 (a 100% increase over 2022).
- Boosted Satisfaction & Loyalty: 99% felt more satisfied working at Discover, and 98% felt more loyal post-event.
- High Recommendation: 97% would recommend MATTER as a place to volunteer.
- Quote: “MATTER made it easy to give back to our communities by volunteering from wherever we are located. Our employees love MATTERbox packing events and they also appreciate being able to donate within their local communities. Furthermore, since we have employees back in our offices, we have been hosting additional packing events in person. Employees can make connections and give back at the same time allowing teams to create more team building opportunities.” Alyse Perkowitz, Manager, Community Affairs, Discover Financial Services
Case Study #2: Huntington Bank – Investing in Communities and Culture
- Need: As part of a $40 billion community investment plan, Huntington Bank sought impactful ways to engage employees in serving their communities.
- Solution: Huntington partnered with MATTER to host multiple food packing events across key markets like Chicago and the Twin Cities.
- Results:
- Significant Community Impact: Over 12,000 MATTERbox snack packs were packed and distributed. Company-wide, 28,500+ hours of service took place across 1,100 community organizations.
- Quote: “Through a number of MATTER events in the Twin Cities and Chicago, dozens of Huntington volunteers have packed thousands of MATTERboxes to help address food insecurity in the communities we serve. These events are not only impactful for those receiving the snacks, but also for our colleagues, who can see the value and impact in the work they are doing,” said Derrick Johnson, Huntington’s Community Impact Group Manager.
Case Study #3: Hormel Foods – Nourishing Champions in Minnesota
- Need: Connect employees with the local community and reinforce Hormel’s commitment to fighting food insecurity, aligning with their goal to deliver 70 million meals by 2030.
- Solution: In September 2024, Hormel teamed up with MATTER for a “Nourishing Champions” event at Austin High School during homecoming week. Over 150 Hormel staff members joined more than 1,600 students to pack 24,000 meals for the school’s pantry and local nonprofits.
- Results:
- Strengthened School Connection: 93% of students felt more connected to their school after the event.
- Increased Awareness: 73% of students learned more about food insecurity.
- Employee Camaraderie: Reinforced teamwork and company values.
- Quote: “Hormel Foods team members relish opportunities to get involved in the communities where they live and work,” said Katie Clark, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Hormel Foods. She explained how their partnership with MATTER helps Hormel achieve certain goals within the company, “One of the company’s global impact goals is to bolster food security by delivering 70 million meals through cash and product donations by the year 2030. MATTER is a key partner in helping us deliver on that promise by offering strong programs that we can invest in that deliver food and resources that lift up communities around the world. The experience was incredibly rewarding for our team members – and the community members – who participated. It’s a great reminder of why it’s so important to keep celebrating and supporting our community.”
How MATTER Makes CSR Volunteerism Simple and Scalable
MATTER simplifies the process of impactful CSR volunteering with:
- Flexible Kits: Options for in-person events and remote-friendly kits ship directly to employees.
- Turnkey Solution: All supplies, easy-to-follow instructions, and shipping logistics are included.
- Local Impact: Packed items can be donated in local communities.
- Proven Results: Post-event feedback consistently shows high impact:
- 99% say their company makes the community stronger by participating in volunteer events
- 98% are proud their company allows them to volunteer during work hours
- 95% report increased job satisfaction due to volunteer activities
- 92% feel more loyal to their company for offering volunteer opportunities
- Meaningful Contents: Each MATTERbox packing event includes beneficial food items and inspiring “You Matter” notes. Custom branding options are also available.
Getting Buy-In: Tips for HR and CSR Leaders
Ready to leverage volunteerism for engagement? Here’s how to get started:
- Align CSR with Core Values: Ensure initiatives resonate with your company mission and employee interests.
- Offer Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Make it easy for employees to participate. According to a U.S. News study, 46% of companies offer VTO – join the trend!
- Empower Local Impact: Allow teams or individuals to choose local causes or nonprofits for their volunteer efforts or donations.
- Leverage Hybrid Models: Use flexible solutions (like packing kits) that include both in-office and remote employees.
- Share the Stories: Communicate the impact internally (newsletters, town halls) and externally (social media, annual reports) to celebrate efforts and inspire others.
Final Thought: Purpose Drives Performance
When Corporate Social Responsibility becomes an integral part of the workplace rhythm, incredible things happen. Ultimately, fostering employee engagement through CSR, especially via meaningful, well-executed volunteerism, builds stronger teams, boosts morale, strengthens company culture, and just makes sense! And most importantly—communities benefit directly from these efforts.
Ready to Engage Your Team With Purpose?
Whether your team is remote, hybrid, or in-office, MATTER makes it easy to create meaningful engagement resulting in a positive impact and a sense of pride through high-impact volunteerism.
Learn more and book your event today!
Because when employees feel they matter, everything changes!
