The added value of signing up for corporate volunteering

2026 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Volunteering for Sustainable Development. It is a very remarkable milestone that highlights and gives visibility to the dedication, knowledge and commitment of millions of people.

In a business environment increasingly oriented towards sustainability and social impact, corporate volunteering has become a strategic element for many companies. Even more so when the programme it promotes is aligned with the company’s culture and values.

A little over a year ago, I participated in my first corporate volunteering initiative. The aim was to clean paths and recreational areas of a ski resort, sorting the waste for subsequent recycling. We carried it out in a participatory, relaxed and fun atmosphere, but also with a competitive element, as everyone put in the maximum effort to achieve the highest possible number of kilos of litter collected per person. We participated in a multidisciplinary team composed of people from the staff of different companies (Creand, Chaldea and SETAP365) through the “Connectand” corporate volunteering programme. This experience left me with a very positive impression, but I don’t think I was fully aware at the time of all the benefits that this sort of initiative brings to both the participant and the company that decides to put it into practice.

Firstly, as well as deriving personal satisfaction from contributing to society, volunteers have the opportunity to develop a range of key skills that are essential in any professional environment today: communication, empathy, creativity, teamwork, proactivity and the ability to adapt to different situations and environments are good examples of this. Several studies also indicate that employees who join these types of initiatives develop greater emotional well-being, which is often accompanied by a reduction in stress. Furthermore, these experiences create a real physical connection, an antidote to the social isolation and solely digital contact, so prevalent in today’s world. When it comes to a team volunteer programme, we expand our network of professional contacts and break down departmental or hierarchical “barriers”. The fact that we take on the same role or a relationship of equals encourages the integration of work teams and helps increase future synergies with co-workers.

Secondly, for companies, volunteers connect the organisation’s purpose with concrete actions, thus increasing their sense of belonging to the company. With volunteer programmes, whether social, educational or environmental, they strengthen their bond with society, improve the work climate and enhance their employer branding when onboarding new professionals.

Volunteering therefore becomes a tool for organisational transformation.

With all these achievements under its belt, Connectand will be celebrating its first anniversary in a few months’ time. Taking stock of the programmes carried out during this period, we see how much of the success has been in putting people at the centre, generating shared motivation, an organisational identity that has converted an isolated proposal into a way of living and seeing the company differently. To be able to continue blowing out the candles for many more years, we need every year to be Volunteering for Sustainable Development.

Diari d’Andorra, 20.08.2026