Knauf volunteering days – helping wildlife and local communities
The importance of charity and volunteering has been accentuated over the last eighteen months. Knauf has recognised this importance for a long time, which is why the Company allows employees up to three paid days per year to volunteer and support a charitable organisation.
Steve Morris, SAP Consultant for Knauf, has been utilising these volunteer days for several years, initially helping seniors improve their IT skills. Steve would visit a retirement home to help the residents there keep up with the ever changing technological landscape.
Steve has since decided to volunteer with the RSPB after being inspired by his daughter as she prepared to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. He explains “My daughter did a couple of sessions with the RSPB and, after hearing about her experience, I decided to volunteer with them also. It’s a really feel-good activity, I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to do this every year.”
Steve described what these volunteer days consist of, which for the RSPB is generally helping maintain local habitats to allow wildlife to flourish in the area. This can range from clearing shrubbery, cutting out undergrowth and making it easier for birds that nest in the ground to find somewhere to nest.
Steve goes on to explain the personal benefits he gains from utilising the volunteering days: “I find the volunteering days to be excellent from a work-life balance perspective. Clearly the Company sees the benefit in it as the allowance for volunteering days has gone up from 1 per year to 3 per year whilst I’ve been working here.”
Steve continued “I certainly think it enhances my connection to the Company, not every business does this – it’s certainly the first company I’ve been part of that does it.”
Keep an eye out for more on our charity work at https://www.knauf.co.uk/about-us/news.
