Scaling purpose-driven engagement with strategies that put people first
Looking to scale your impact while keeping employee engagement meaningful and authentic? Learn how GitHub and eBay have built thriving global ambassador programs that center on passion, purpose and storytelling — without burning out internal teams.
Join Demi Wright and Tiana Austel as they share real-life strategies, lessons learned and creative approaches to launching and sustaining successful champion networks that drive business and social impact.
You’ll discover:
- How to design scalable social impact programs rooted in personal motivation and shared values
- Tools, templates and recognition tactics that empower program ambassadors to lead with confidence
- Ideas for building inclusive, sustainable structures that grow with your business
Key learnings
- Social Impact Programs: GitHub and eBay: Demi Wright from GitHub discussed their company's Champions program which aims to foster skilling, accessibility, environmental sustainability and humanitarian response. She highlighted that GitHub matches up to $15,000 per employee annually and offers $25 in donation credits for every volunteer hour. On the other hand, Tiana Austel from eBay showcased eBay’s Cares program. The program includes matching employee donations up to $10,000 per employee per year, grant-making partnerships, and a Changemakers program. eBay has notably provided nearly $140 million to nonprofit organizations and raised over $1.3 billion for charity.
- Employee Engagement in Social Impact: Both Demi and Tiana emphasized on empowering employees to lead initiatives, promote their stories, and inspire others to take action. They highlighted the importance of making giving programs enjoyable and not burdensome for employees. The shift towards employee-led efforts resulted in boosted momentum in their respective programs.
- Role of Ambassadors in Scaling Volunteering Programs: Tiana touched on the challenges of managing a global volunteering program and emphasized the importance of ambassador programs to scale initiatives and engage employees at a global level. She underlined successful strategies like the setup of giveaway for volunteers and seeding campaigns.
- Importance of Clear Communication and Leadership Support: Both Demi and Tiana highlighted the significance of clear communication, robust leadership backing, and empowerment of ambassadors for meaningful engagement and participation in social impact initiatives. They outlined the necessity for decentralized workloads, confidence-building among ambassadors, and propagating a positive company through these social impact programs.
- Storytelling and Employee Involvement: Tiana and Wright emphasized the power of storytelling and shared that it plays a vital role in creating connections and building a culture of giving back within their organizations. They recommended safe spaces for employees to share their stories and inspire others, highlighting the tangible impact of their programs. They underscored the importance of presenting the stories behind the data, striking a human chord beyond pure metrics, and placing value on the genuine experiences of employee involvement.
