Paramount Employees Across the Globe Give Back With Skills-Based Volunteering

Paramount is one of the worldʼs leading producers of premium entertainment content that connects billions of people worldwide. With close to 25,000 employees globally, Paramount aims to engage employees through community partnerships and volunteerism.

Paramount partnered with Catchafire to launch Talent for Good, a program to help employees leverage their skills to support causes theyʼre passionate about.

Initially under Viacom in 2015, the program was focused on engaging US-based employees through volunteerism. Since then, the program has developed to focus on global inclusivity and connectivity, extending a wide variety of volunteer opportunities to Paramount employees around the world.

Paramountʼs partnership with Catchafire has double the impact: they provide nonprofit organizations with access to the platform's capacity building resources, while also engaging their own employees to lend their expertise through skills-based volunteering. Organizations have received critical support in areas such as translation, marketing and communications, and business development. At the same time, Paramount is cultivating a corporate culture of giving back, from the inside out.

A global volunteer experience

Skills-based volunteering is a powerful way to foster global team connectivity and inclusivity by opening doors to diverse, meaningful opportunities for employees across the world. Through virtual and in-person options, Paramount employees can connect with nonprofits that align with their passions and skills, regardless of location. This flexibility not only allows employees to give back on their own terms but also empowers them with the agency to define what matters most in their volunteer experience. By providing access to global nonprofits, Paramount is creating a platform for employees to learn from different cultural perspectives, enhancing cross-border connections and a shared sense of purpose.

The flexibility of the program meets employees where they are, offering programming that caters to each individualʼs skills, interests, and availability. Virtual, in-person, hybrid, individual, and team volunteer opportunities are available. Employees can choose from 15 minute microvolunteering, one hour consultation calls, or full-length projects in areas like marketing, finance, and strategic planning. Board service is also available, allowing employees to connect with nonprofits and lend their expertise long-term.

At the same time, Paramount employees are able to give back to the nonprofits and cause areas theyʼre passionate about, with over 14,000 nonprofits active on the Catchafire platform. They can connect with nonprofits and volunteer opportunities that they traditionally wouldnʼt have access to locally.

By providing agency for employees to curate their volunteer experience, Paramount employees from across the globe can give back to their communities, create a culture around social impact, and support nonprofits.

Rita Papadogiannis, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Paramount, says, “Our goal with this program is to truly make it feel accessible globally. It has been a collaborative effort with our International teams to ensure that we are providing a variety of opportunities that resonate with employees and are onboarding community partners that align with our companyʼs values. It's a work in progress as we build out those offerings, but we have seen huge success so far. And another plus is that we are beginning to notice a trend of employees volunteering cross-culturally with organizations headquartered in other countries. The opportunities are endless.ˮ

How skills-based volunteering builds employee engagement

Skills-based volunteering is a powerful tool that can transform the workplace by boosting employee engagement. By aligning volunteer opportunities with employees' professional skills, companies like Paramount can create meaningful employee engagement activities that not only benefit nonprofits but also contribute to personal and professional growth. Employees feel a greater sense of purpose and pride when they apply their expertise to real-world challenges, making this one of the most effective employee engagement strategies.

Investing in skills-based volunteering is also an investment in employeesʼ professional development. For many, volunteering is a form of upskilling, building leadership skills, and networking with leaders in the social sector. Many Paramount employees have gone on to become repeat volunteers or board members, building deeper, more impactful relationships with nonprofits.

Rita says, “Skills-based volunteering opens doors for employees to showcase their skills to higher ups and supports employee recognition programs. This type of volunteering also helps employees learn new skills, which can lead to new career opportunities in the future. If you feel good about your talents and career, your mental health and wellbeing are also positively impacted.ˮ

Skills-based volunteering and social impact

Skills-based volunteering offers corporate employees the perfect avenue to leverage their professional talents while contributing to the causes they care deeply about. This type of service not only benefits nonprofits but also helps bridge gaps in resources, empowering organizations to expand their impact and achieve their missions more effectively.

To build a work culture around social impact, Paramount offers skills-based volunteering opportunities through:

• Nonprofit board recruitment
• Company-wide meetings and town halls
• New hire onboarding programs
• Workplace giving campaigns
• Team volunteering
• Annual day of service

Paramount volunteers play an essential role in giving back to communities, supporting underserved populations, and advancing critical initiatives like health equity, access to the arts, and civic engagement. With decades of experience in fields such as IT, marketing, and research, Paramount professionals bring invaluable expertise that nonprofits might otherwise struggle to access.

By aligning their skills with nonprofit needs, Paramount volunteers drive meaningful change in areas that might otherwise remain underserved. From creating websites for arts organizations to providing translations for non-English speakers, the contributions of these experienced professionals are transformative. Through skills-based volunteering, Paramount employees have the unique opportunity to apply their expertise to social good, creating lasting value for both the nonprofits they support and the communities those nonprofits serve. It's a

win-win for everyone involved, fueling positive change while deepening the connection between businesses and the world around them.

Learn more about Catchafire and the Talent for Good program.