Coffee with …. KABOOM revealed all benefits of corporate volunteering
The Institute for Youth Development KULT, with the financial support of the European Union, organized an online event “Coffee with… American organization KABOOM!” on the topic of corporate volunteering. Significance, similarities and differences in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States on the topic of corporate volunteering were discussed.
The guest of “Coffee with…” was Sarah Pinsky, Senior Partnership Advisor at KABOOM!, an organization that has teamed up with partners in the United States to build or improve playgrounds and bring joy to millions of children, all through corporate volunteering.
“I have been active in KABOOM! for 17 years, but the organization has actually been working on standardizing playgrounds for children for a long time, and so far, we have managed to build or improve more than 17,000 playgrounds across the United States. Thanks to the engagement of more than 1.5 million community members and corporate volunteers, we have brought joy to more than 11 million children. Do we need more motivation and the reason why corporate volunteering is important !?”, said Sarah at the opening. She added that companies in the United States have other benefits, which are primarily reflected in the benefits for their business, believing that through corporate volunteering, the community is strengthened and inspiring playgrounds are built that open unlimited opportunities for every child. Sarah added that the web platform www.volontiraj.ba is a great tool and way to connect corporate volunteers and associations that need volunteers.
“Social responsibility is a mechanism that ensures that our values and human rights are protected around the world. A responsible approach to business also means sustainable economic growth. The European Union intends to strengthen a competitive economy based on social inclusion and the European social model of a social market economy. Social responsibility is an integral part of rebuilding a competitive economy based on innovation, trust and European values. Social innovation is a powerful force for modernizing the economy, exploiting new sectors and markets, fostering entrepreneurship and facing the challenges we face in maintaining our inclusive and cohesive social model,” said Gianluca Vannini, Head of social development, civil society and cross-border cooperation with the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Coffee with…” gathered more than 30 participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina and encouraged discussion, exchange of opinions and personal experiences in the field of corporate volunteering. One of the participants was Azra Selimović, an employee of the BORAM Agency from Sarajevo: “I think that corporate volunteering is useful not only because of the company’s reputation, but also because of creating a favorable environment for the whole community to progress, and then we all grow together with it. I am convinced that this is the right moment to update this topic, given the pandemic and the difficult economic situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that now more than ever we need companies that do good to support others, because we are witnessing daily layoffs, closures and growing poverty in our country and more and more people are on the margins of society. More communication is needed on this topic, because as far as I have noticed, apart from sporadic projects, very little is said about it in the media.”
The Institute for Youth Development KULT in cooperation with the Association of Employers of FBiH, with the financial support of the European Union implements the initiative “Improving Human Rights Corporate Accountability in BiH” which provides systemic support to corporate volunteering in companies and associations from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The benefits of corporate volunteering are available here.
