BVU’s Amy Stoessel writes about how corporate volunteerism is a win-win-win.
A room at Second Harvest Food Bank in Lorain was affectionately referred to this fall as “The Marshmallow Room.”
Here, volunteers from Medical Mutual spent hours separating mini marshmallows – transforming giant gooey blobs into, well, much smaller gooey blobs.
The marshmallows were destined to become part of Thanksgiving meal boxes to be delivered across Lorain, Erie and Huron counties.
In a much different room, this one at Hyland Software’s sprawling campus in Westlake, there were sounds of bells ringing, occasionally interrupted by a high-pitched quack.
Here, a group of about 20 Hylanders worked to rebuild toys with the help of RePlay for Kids, a Medina-based nonprofit that repairs, adapts and distributes toys and assistive devices free of charge.
Marshmallows. Toy duckies.
While their missions and outcomes were vastly different, the potential impact was the same for the volunteers from Medical Mutual and Hyland, both longtime business members of BVU, which coordinated the volunteer opportunities.
Consider these findings by Deloitte’s Purpose and DEI Office, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. workers:
95% believe it’s important that their employer makes a positive impact in their community
87% consider workplace volunteer opportunities a factor in their decision to stay with their current employer or pursue a new one
91% of survey respondents said volunteer opportunities can have a positive impact on their overall work experience and connection to their employer
And, if those statistics aren’t proof enough of the value of corporate volunteerism, consider the perspectives of the younger generation, also outlined by Deloitte, in the 2025 Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey.
89% of Gen Z and 92% of Millennials consider a sense of purpose integral to their job satisfaction and well-being
Approximately 40% of both generations have rejected a potential employer because the company’s values or ethics (including social impact) did not align with their personal beliefs
75% of Gen Z and Millennial workers explicitly factor in an employer’s community engagement and societal impact when searching for a new role
These statistics tell just half of the story of corporate volunteerism, though.
The other part — the most important — is seen in the smiles and connections made possible by employers like Medical Mutual and Hyland that promote the chance to step away and make an impact.
That’s because corporate volunteerism, done right, is always going to be a win-win-win: for the company, for the employee, for community.
And, who knows, you might get to play with some marshmallows and a toy ducky along the way.
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For more than 30 years, BVU has served as a link between the business community and nonprofit community, coordinating team volunteer initiatives and pro bono projects in a meaningful way for its business members.