State of Corporate Volunteering in Dubai

Corporations are increasingly being held responsible for the impact of their operations and strategies. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as an inescapable priority of businesses in every country [1]. CSR initiatives are frequently realized through community involvement, support for nonprofit organizations and charities, or corporate volunteering [2]. Corporate volunteering (CV) is businesses supporting and encouraging employees’ involvement in the community. CV can be an element of CSR initiatives. Corporate volunteering is a widespread business practice in developed countries. For example, in the UK corporate volunteering was developed in the ‘80s and ‘90s. A 1995 Charities Aid Foundation study showed that one in three large UK businesses have formal employee volunteering programs. In the US, corporate volunteering is even more established. A recent Canadian survey found that more than half of respondents received some form of nonmonetary support from their employer for their volunteering activities [3]. Closer to home, corporate volunteering is done on a more modest scale and in many cases is less formalized. The concept is very new to Dubai.