(via Atlanta Business Chronicle) Skill-based volunteerism

Maria Saporta – Atlanta Business Chronicle

ATLANTA, April 20, 2012 – A new trend is under way in corporate philanthropy — skill-based volunteerism.

The Atlanta-based Points of Light now is leading a national campaign called “A Billion + Change” to mobilize billions of dollars of pro bono and skills-based volunteer services by 2013.

The initiative is being supported by Deloitte, Hewlett-Packard, the Case Foundation, IBM, State Farm, McKenna Long & Aldridge and Morgan Stanley. The goal is to get 500 companies to sign on to the program across the country.

Atlanta business leaders held a breakfast April 16 to help kick off the U.S. Chamber’s Business Civic Leadership Center’s 2012 National Conference on Corporate Citizenship and America’s Future.

“Already $1.8 billion has been pledged to date from 100 companies,” said Ed Heys, managing partner of Deloitte’s Atlanta office, who co-hosted the breakfast with Jeff Haidet, chairman of McKenna Long.

The breakfast was an opportunity to encourage other Atlanta companies to sign on to the national campaign.

“Over the past three years, the firm has made a commitment that’s totaled $50 million worth of skill-based services,” said Heys, who also is the 2012 chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “We have made a commitment that over the next three years, we will contribute $60 million in pro bono services.”

In Atlanta, the firm has donated more than $2 million in skill-based services in the past three years, and Heys said the firm is going to give more.

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