Mutual Value and Lasting Impact: Corporate skilled volunteering is changing the game

By Kate Connolly, Corporate Programme Manager, Link UP London | Sep 2025

Over the past few months, we’ve spoken to dozens of corporate volunteers and charity leaders as part of our skills-based volunteering programme, Social Impact Solutions. Their voices reveal something powerful: corporate skilled volunteering isn’t just working, it’s evolving. It’s becoming more meaningful, more strategic, and more mutually beneficial than ever before.

What We’re Hearing

At Link UP London, we’ve seen firsthand how skilled volunteering is changing the game. When businesses bring their expertise to the table and charities offer opportunities for growth, skills development, and deep community insight, the result is something far more impactful than either could achieve alone.

Volunteers contribute their expertise with purpose and energy, while charities benefit from fresh thinking and strategic support. The following quotes, a sample gathered from our recent corporate events, showcase the depth and impact of these collaborations:

“Volunteering is hugely important to me and it was great to be able to bring my business skills and time in a facilitated environment to solve meaningful challenges for an incredible cause.”
Corporate Skilled Volunteer, May 2025

“Fabulous event which enables us to utilise our day-to-day skills in a meaningful and impactful way. What a room of engaged and motivated individuals means you can only walk away full of enthusiasm.”
Corporate Skilled Volunteer, June 2025

“Really wonderful to be able to share some of our challenges and generate some new ideas as well as have validation around some of our thinking and approaches.”
Charity, June 2025

These aren’t just feel-good quotes, they reflect a shift in how people experience and value volunteering. It’s no longer about one-off donations or tick-box volunteering days. It’s about sharing skills and expertise to build lasting capacity.

What Each Side Gains

From what we’ve seen and heard, here’s how corporate-charity partnerships are creating real value:

Charities benefit from:

• Strategic expertise in areas like business planning, marketing, strategy and operations
• Fresh thinking and new approaches to persistent challenges
• Expanded networks and increased visibility

Corporates benefit from:

• Employee development through real-world problem solving
• Stronger ESG and CSR outcomes
• Real-world, measurable community impact
• Deeper understanding of social issues and agile thinking

These aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re strategic advantages. According to our Building Bridges report, skilled volunteering leads to career development benefits valued at £2,000 per employee. For charities, the consultancy value often reaches thousands of pounds, helping build long-term capacity.

How Link UP London Makes It Happen

We connect corporate employees and charities through structured, low-commitment programmes designed for impact:

• Flash Consulting: 2-hour targeted sessions
• Be the Change: 3–4-month deeper project-style engagements
• Marathon Days: immersive, full-day experiences

Whether you’re a company looking to energise and develop your people, or a charity seeking expert support, we tailor each experience to meet your goals.

Real Impact

So far this year:

Charities have developed organisational and fundraising strategies, business plans, marketing strategies and improved operational plans. 100% of participating charities said they learned something valuable they will act on, 100% said that being connected with corporate volunteers was a positive experience. All would participate in another corporate skilled volunteering engagement.

Corporate volunteers have gained empathy, confidence, leadership skills, and strategic agility. On average, 79% of corporate volunteers reported feeling more positive about their workplace, 82% felt renewed value in professional skills, 85% felt more purposeful. All would participate again.

That’s not just impact – that’s meaningful change.

Let’s Start the Conversation

At Link UP London, we believe skilled volunteering is the future of corporate-charity collaboration. If you’re a small charity or a corporate working in or around London, we’d love to hear from you.