Taproot Foundation Releases ‘The Next Wave of Growth in Corporate Pro Bono Service’

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 16, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Taproot Foundation today announced the release of its new report, “Key Trends to Watch: The Next Wave of Growth in Corporate Pro Bono Service.” outlining an increasing effort by companies to offer pro bono services in innovative ways that add deeper value for both nonprofits and the private sector.

Citing findings from the upcoming tenth edition of CECP’s Giving in Numbers report, which shows a 56% increase since 2008 in the percentage of companies reporting pro bono programs, Taproot identifies an emerging trend in corporate pro bono emphasizing growth driven beyond traditional approaches to program design.

Taproot’s report, which was made possible through the support of PwC, outlines three key practices that are advancing the corporate pro bono movement:

• CONNECTING TO CORE COMPETENCIES – Accelerate program growth and deepen the value to community partners by leveraging a business’ core competencies to address nonprofits’ needs.
   
• LINKING TO TALENT DEVELOPMENT    – Deepen the commitment to pro bono programs by tapping into its significant leadership development and employee engagement value.
   
• SCALING A PRO BONO ETHIC BEYOND LEGAL – Engage internal business leaders to own program delivery, creating a culture of pro bono service deeply engrained in company values across departments.

“Leading companies are innovating around pro bono every day while making a deep and meaningful difference in their communities and we are so pleased to highlight and share the trends we believe will spur continued growth and added value in the sector,” said Taproot Foundation President and CEO, Liz Hamburg.

To access the full report, including three corporate case studies, visit http://www.taprootfoundation.org/do-probono/corporations/insights-publications/research

To read CECP’s Giving in Numbers: 2014 Addition, visit http://cecp.co/research/benchmarking-reports/giving-in-numbers.html

About Taproot Foundation
Since 2001, Taproot Foundation has proven that pro bono service is a viable and reliable tool for strengthening nonprofit organizations. Today, Taproot continues to be a national leader and seeks to build a pro bono marketplace that, like philanthropy, is large, accessible, professional and transparent. By taking lessons learned from our award-winning Service Grant Program and applying them to our innovative new program areas, we work to stimulate the supply of pro bono resources through our corporate Advisory Services practice, as well as demand for these services by giving nonprofits the tools and training that sets them up for successful pro bono engagements. Our work has evolved to include thought leadership and international field-building, convening global leaders in the social sector to guide the design and direction of the pro bono movement while focusing on infusing a pro bono ethic into business professions, professional schools, companies and nonprofits in communities across the country and around the world. Visit www.taprootfoundation.org.

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