Pro bono for employees

Anyone can participate in a Projects Abroad Pro volunteer placement, but if your employer has set up a pro bono programme, you might have the opportunity to have all or part of your project financed by your employer, works council or corporate foundation. If a pro bono programme does not exist yet, you can take the initiative and suggest it to your employer.

Can I participate with Projects Abroad Pro, even if my employer does not co-finance my project?

Absolutely! Your employer's co-financing of your project is only one option. You can participate individually in all our volunteering projects and internships. During your holidays, you are free to do whatever you want.

We recommend that you plan from the start to finance your project entirely by yourself and not to have to depend on your employer. Even if the concept of pro bono starts to become popular and more and more enterprises and public organisations set up programs, the majority of employers still have not made the move.

How can I find out if my employer has set up a pro bono programme?

Ask your human resources department or the person in charge of sustainable development or corporate social responsibility. If your employer has set up a pro bono project, these people will know. In this case, ask these same people to inform you about the exact conditions of the pro bono programme in place, because they can vary from one employer to the next.

It is possible that your employer already has a pro bono programme but they do not yet have a partnership with Projects Abroad Pro. In this case, we recommend that you identify the person in charge of pro bono and give us their contact details. In cooperation with you, we will then contact them to discuss the creation of a partnership to enable you and your fellow employees to volunteer with Projects Abroad Pro.

Your employer has no legal obligation to set up a pro bono programme. It is entirely down to negotiation between the employer and employees.

Which part of the cost of the project will my employer pay for?

Each employer is free to establish the conditions of their pro bono programme. Therefore, we cannot answer this question for everybody.

The best thing to do is ask your human resources department or the person in charge of sustainable development or corporate social responsibility about the existence of a Pro bono project and its exact conditions.

How should I proceed if my employer does not have a pro bono programme yet?

If your employer does not have a pro bono programme, you can suggest that they create one and be the first employee to take advantage of it.

Every organisation that has employees can set up a pro bono programme:

  • Private enterprise
  • Corporate foundation
  • Public organisation (region with a measure of autonomy, administrations, universities, research institutes, etc.)
  • Association

The organisation can be based in any country.

The best methods to start the process are usually:

  • Internal communication with your employers
  • Talking to your human resources department, works council or corporate foundation

You can go to the “pro bono for employers” section to see more detailed information about the factors concerning employers.

If you wish, you can contact us to discuss your project and the appropriate approach in more detail.

If you have identified the right person, give us their contact details. In cooperation with you, we will then contact them to discuss the creation of a partnership to enable you and your fellow employees to volunteer with Projects Abroad Pro.