Many of our employees give their time as volunteers to support good causes. This benefits charities and communities but also allows our employees to learn new skills.
We encourage employee volunteering and help to raise additional funds from third parties. Most of our local operating companies have programmes to encourage employees to volunteer in working hours. In 2007/08, more than 1,600 employees volunteered a total of over 11,300 hours to charity and community work.
Here are some examples of employee volunteering programmes that ran in our local operating companies in 2007/08:
Vodafone Albania: Blood donation day
In Albania, 8% of the population carries Thalassemia – a blood condition that can cause serious health problems – and 20 children are born with the condition each year. Blood transfusions are the most common way to treat the disorder, and donors are urgently needed. To help this situation, Vodafone Albania organised a Blood Donation Day in November 2007 in co-operation with The Red Cross. Some 55 employees gave blood. In 2007/08 Vodafone Portugal and Vodafone Ireland also ran blood donation programmes.
Vodafone Australia: Beyondyou programme
Vodafone Australia has launched the Beyondyou programme to help employees make a personal difference to their community and the environment, with the support of Vodafone and the Vodafone Australia Foundation. Beyondyou offers individual volunteering and team volunteering as well as career development opportunities with community partners. Employees are entitled to one additional day of paid leave each year for volunteering activities, ranging from environmental regeneration to sharing their expertise in communications with community organisations. In 2007/08, 197 employees volunteered for over 8,510 hours in total. Beyondyou also includes payroll giving and matches funds raised by employees for community organisations.
Vodafone Portugal
Employees at Vodafone Portugal are encouraged to volunteer up to 12 hours (a day and a half) of working time per year for social projects. These hours can be carried over for each year of service. During 2007/08, 267 employees from Vodafone Portugal participated in various volunteer programmes for a total of 669 hours.
Vodafone UK: Take a Chance scheme
Vodafone UK began to work with the Education Business Partnership in September 2007 on a programme to help fifty 14 and 15-year-old students become high achievers. Students attend a half-day workshop at Vodafone UK headquarters to learn business skills. Thirty Vodafone employees volunteered to support the students, meeting students every month to share expertise and give advice. Vodafone will maintain this support over a five-year period, as the students go through school and vocational training or to university.