Employees no longer see workplace social impact as desirable, but as an expectation.
The scope of causes employees support and the ways they want to give back are widening from speaking out on social media, volunteering time on weekends, to offering a pro-bono service and organizing team fundraising events.
Employees increasingly expect their workplace to support them in giving back to the causes they care about. So, how do companies design an employee giving program that meets strategic business goals and ensures employees are engaged? An Employee Volunteer Program, that’s how!
But wait. What’s an Employee Volunteer Program?
Often called corporate volunteer programs, or employee-supported volunteering, an Employee Volunteer Program (EVP) is where a company commits to a certain amount of hours or days that they will provide their staff to volunteer. The time employees spend volunteering is paid time and companies ensure that their staff have the resources and support to volunteer in their community for causes they care about.
The Growing Trend Among Startups
Although the growth of Employee Volunteer Programs (EVP) isn’t only specific to the tech sector, the number of startups implementing an EVP at their company is a growing trend. It helps that studies show that “68% of Canadians, given the choice between two jobs, would choose the one with the strong volunteer culture.” (Volunteer Canada 2017) Startups that are committed to creating a strong company culture are choosing to implement an EVP not only because of the improved recruitment, retention and productivity, but also because they believe that it’s just the right thing to do.
Check out our list below of 25 Canadian Startups with an Employee Volunteer Program.
Canadian Startups with Employee Volunteer Programs
2Keys Corporation – Toronto, Ottawa
A cybersecurity software company that is a national leader in research, policy, process, operations and technology for Digital Identity and Access and Cyber Security in Canada. 2Keys’ Good Works Committee program helps employees get involved with their community by providing paid volunteer time and matching charitable donations.
Allocadia Software Inc. – Vancouver
A computer software company that offers a budget and planning platform that helps bring confidence to marketers worldwide. One way Allocadia helps its local community is through their employee’s volunteer spirit; Allocadia organizes quarterly volunteer events so that they can give back together as a team.
Aquatic Informatics Inc. – Vancouver
A computer software company that aims to protect life with open and timely water information, by organizing the world’s water data and empowering industry experts to make data-driven, smart decisions. Aquatic Informatics’ volunteer program helps various organizations and their employees are involved in the selection of the charities they support and receive up to two paid days off to volunteer.
Bits In Glass Inc. – Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary
A computer systems design service that helps their clients achieve their strategic goals through leveraging technology. Bits in Glass often takes part in larger company-wide volunteer events and also offers employees paid time off to volunteer.
Clio – Burnaby
A computer software company that builds cloud-based and client-centred technology that will transform the legal experience for all. Clio’s Clio Gives Program donates 1% of their employees time (2.5 days a year) towards volunteering to various charity organizations.
Copperleaf Technologies Inc. – Vancouver
A specialized computer software company that provides decision analytics to companies managing critical infrastructure. Copperleaf’s volunteer program Random Acts of Delight (RAD) allows employees to actively support causes they are passionate about. Employees receive paid time off to volunteer and can also make suggestions for group initiatives that other employees can join in on.
CrowdRiff Inc. – Toronto
A software development company that powers travel brands with content and insights that inspire travellers to see the world differently and explore sustainably. CrowdRiff encourages employees to get involved in the wider community through paid volunteer time off as well as through a generous matching donations program, to $3,000 annually.
East Side Games – Vancouver
An independent game studio that creates products that encourage laughter and community. East Side Games offers its employees one day of paid time off to volunteer to charities of their choice as well as donation matching.
eSentire Inc – Waterloo
A cybersecurity company that proactively hunts threats across clients’ networks, endpoints, cloud and hybrid environments so they can focus on everything else. eSentire employees are involved in the selection of charities the company supports and also receive up to one day of paid time off to volunteer.
Fiix – Toronto
A software developer that offers a platform to plan, track and optimize your maintenance. Fiix gives its employees two days of paid time off to volunteer and has a regular volunteer program that features a large group event in the summer.
FinancialCAD Corporation / FINCAD – Surrey, Vancouver
A computer software company that delivers a full spectrum of industry-standard derivatives analytics tools that help clients seize new opportunities, anticipate market change, and make informed valuation and risk decisions with confidence. FINCAD’s volunteer program, FINCAD HOPE (Helping Other People Effectively), is an employee-led initiative that offers employees two paid days off to volunteer and helps research charity organizations and volunteer opportunities.
Fresche Solutions Inc. – Montreal, Sydney
A computer systems design service that provides digital transformation enablement and application modernization solutions for companies that rely on IBM i (AS/400) applications. Fresche Solutions involves their employees in the selection of charities they support and also offers one paid day off to volunteer.
FreshBooks – Toronto
A software publishing company that provides accounting software in the cloud for self-employed professionals and their teams. Employees at FreshBooks receive up to three paid days off to volunteer and were able to donate over 350 hours of time to charity organizations in 2019.
Galvanize – Vancouver
A custom computer programming service that offers GRC software that provides visibility into risk, makes it easy to demonstrate compliance, and helps grow clients’ audit, risk, and compliance programs without incurring extra costs. Galvanize involves their employees in selecting which charities they support and also offers 1 paid day off to volunteer. Last year they were able to help 7 charitable organizations and donated over 320 hours of volunteer time.
iQmetrix – Vancouver, Regina, Winnipeg
A computer software company that offers retail management, omnichannel, and point-of-sale solutions designed for telecom retailers to maximize operational efficiency, deliver a unified experience, and enable customers to buy anywhere. iQmetirx offers its employees four paid days off to volunteer and help others in need.
Left Technologies Inc. – Maple Ridge, Vancouver
A Canadian travel tech company that makes the world a better place by leveraging technology and business to solve the world’s biggest problems. Left’s award-winning Community Engagement Program offers unlimited, paid time off for #Lefties to volunteer in their communities.
Points – Toronto
A company that specializes in customer loyalty software. Points’ volunteer program, Points For Good, is an employee-led initiative that offers one paid day off to volunteer and allows employees to pursue supporting the causes they’re most passionate about.
QHR Technologies – Kelowna, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary
A computer systems design company that offers software solutions for healthcare professionals and patients. QHR’s volunteer program offers employees up to four paid days off for volunteering.
RAPID RTC – Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg
A multinational digital communications company that specializes in automotive, serving 4,000 retail and manufacturing clients around the globe. RAPID RTC is a community-focused organization committed to giving back through annual charitable initiatives and a paid humanitarian day for all employees.
Redbrick Technologies Inc – Victoria
A custom computer programming services company that invests, conceives of and acquires products they superscale into disruptive digital companies. Redbrick offers their employees up to one paid day off to volunteer for a cause they are most passionate about.
StarTech.com Ltd. – London, Waterloo, Kitchener, Toronto
A computer hardware manufacturer that helps identify, find, get and use the right connectivity parts. StarTech.com supports over 30 charities and nonprofits each year and offers employees one paid day to volunteer in support of a cause they are passionate about.
Unbounce – Vancouver
A marketing and advertising company that offers the world’s leading landing page platform. Unbounce’s volunteer efforts have centred around their involvement in events and campaigns such as Shine Bootcamp, PeaceGeeks, TechPong and Brands for Better.
Verafin Inc. – Halifax, St. John’s, Toronto
A specialized financial software company that offers anti-financial crime management solutions, with a mission to create the world’s most effective crime-fighting network. Verafin’s volunteer program, VeraCares, shifted its focus in 2020 to ensure our contributions back to the community had its greatest reach and impact. Despite the pandemic, they were able to donate 572 volunteer hours in their communities in 2020.
Vidyard – Kitchener, Toronto, Waterloo, Vancouver
A software developer that specializes in a video creation platform designed to make virtual selling easy. Vidyard’s volunteer program offers employees two eight-hour days of paid time off to volunteer and was able to donate 2500 hours of volunteering in 2020.
Visier Solutions Inc. – Vancouver
A software developer that specializes in a cloud-based analytics application that delivers fast, clear people insight. Visier offers employees up to four days of paid time off to volunteer to charitable organizations of their choice.
Is your startup missing from this list? Tell us about your EVP!
