Untapped impact: unlocking the 140 million hour opportunity

Employee volunteering could deliver billions in productivity gains while strengthening communities

The UK economy could stand to benefit from productivity gains worth £32.5 billion each year, or £5,239 per employee working in professional and managerial occupations - if workplace volunteering days were fully utilised. 

This report, commissioned by Royal Voluntary Service and compiled by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), highlights how underused volunteering time could drive massive gains for the UK economy.

Whilst UK businesses face growing pressures and rising ESG expectations, over 140 million hours of paid volunteering time went unused last year. This report reveals how better use of employee volunteering could boost UK productivity by £32.5 billion annually, offering a powerful, untapped opportunity to drive business performance and social impact.