Skills-based volunteering helps employees make a global impact

At ServiceNow, we’re passionate about giving back and helping communities thrive. The pandemic and lockdowns around the world challenged us to think more creatively about how we can get out into the local community to give back. So, we’ve provided our employees with opportunities to use their skills and expertise to make an impact in the world.

“As part of our global impact program, we give our employees 20 hours per year to give back to causes they are most passionate about,” shares Alan N., a solution architect who’s been leading a skills-based volunteering project at ServiceNow in Europe. “Skills-based volunteering has enabled employees to give back from the safety of their own homes while making a profound impact to organizations all around the world.”

Passion and experience fuel growth

Employees have been able to use their passion and experiences to help organizations grow. Sarah G. is using her experience as a widow and her 25-year career in marketing to help Apart of Me reach more people with their app. The charity helps young people cope with the death of a loved one.

“At ServiceNow, we create our technology in the service of people, and that’s exactly what Apart of Me has done—created a mobile game to help young people navigate their grief. It’s a perfect match that allows me to extend the passion I feel at ServiceNow of making the world of work, work better to the charity sector, one heart at a time,” she says.

Prabjoth S., an advisory solution consultant, is working with Ignite Hubs to break stereotypes around careers in coding. “The students I’m mentoring believe coding is a lifelong and one-dimensional career, sitting all day alone with a headset on,” he explains.

“I’ve been sharing my career path of being a coder for a year before moving into leadership and management, and how coding gives me an edge when I’m talking to C-suite leaders. The students get a buzz from you talking to them, which helps build their confidence. It’s pretty cool, and it doesn’t take much time to give back.”

Allies to new communities

Other employees have chosen projects that enable them to become allies to single-parent and Black communities.

“The book Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo had a profound effect on me about how difficult it is to be a woman of color trying to find work whilst looking after your children, a challenge that has been exasperated by COVID,” shares Sarah B., security and risk solution sales manager.

“That’s why I’m working with Ranwo, a social enterprise that empowers single parents by educating and employing them to become virtual assistants.”

Andrew W., global sales enablement delivery manager, joined ACE Entrepreneurs to gain a deeper perspective of the challenges Black entrepreneurs face when setting up their own businesses. “From unconscious bias to securing finance from a bank, there are many obstacles Black entrepreneurs face. I’m honored to use my 30+ years of experience to be a sounding board to founder Nadine Campbell and help more Black entrepreneurs set up successful businesses.”

Diversity of thought and approaches

Signup for skills-based volunteering continues to grow because the experience helps our employees with new ways of thinking in their roles at ServiceNow. “Ever since I started working with Ebun Sanusi, the founder of Ranwo, I often ask myself in my role at ServiceNow, ‘How would she approach this?' which helps me to prioritize and bring diversity of thought into my team,” explains Sarah.

Prabjoth describes the experience as grounding. “We collaborate to be strategic whereas students collaborate naturally, so they are teaching me new ways to approach our values of teamwork and collaboration.”

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