2026 Phoenix Heart Walk

 

Why Volunteer Programs Matter

In my last article, I wrote about the connection between community engagement and employee engagement. Research continues to show that employees who participate in workplace giving and volunteer programs feel more engaged in their role, are more likely to stay, and perform better.

Yet volunteer participation remains relatively low. According to the latest YourCause Industry Report, the average volunteer participation rate among full-time employees is 11%. At Sundt, nearly 30% of our employee-owners have volunteered this year.  We attribute that participation, in part, to an established volunteer program built on top of a strong culture of giving back.

That structure makes service more accessible, visible and meaningful. It gives employees ongoing ways to build relationships with each other, develop new skills, and support causes they care about.

 

Earth Month – Pacific Northwest

 

Sundt’s 10-Year Commitment

In Sundt’s 10-year strategic plan, we committed to contributing 200,000 volunteer hours in our communities over the next 10 years, representing an estimated $7.2 million in impact based on the current value of volunteering.

To help us reach our goal, this year we are celebrating our third annual Service September. The initiative began during the Sundt Foundation’s 25th anniversary to bring employee-owners together around our shared commitment to giving back. It has grown each year, helping us introduce new opportunities, celebrate those already volunteering, and encourage more employee-owners to get involved.

 

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale

 

From Good Intentions to Measurable Impact

Sundt’s commitment to service is not new; it has been a core value of the company since it was founded in 1890. We have always supported our local communities. The challenge was that we did not always have the structure and systems to measure the full extent of that impact.

Before 2024, volunteer activities were one-off events, and hours were not consistently recorded. We heard the stories and saw the relationships our employee-owners were building, but we knew we didn’t have the full picture.

When Savannah Heath, CVA joined Sundt in 2024, she brought the knowledge and experience to translate this passion into impact. We introduced a formal volunteer program with a new easy-to-use platform, guidelines, and resources. More consistent tracking has helped us understand where employees are already engaged, identified additional opportunities, and continue improving our efforts.

 

St. Mary’s Food Bank – Phoenix, AZ

 

An Employee-Owner-Driven Culture

As an employee-owned company, I always share that our community engagement is employee-owned as well. Through our volunteer portal, we have learned that most of our recorded volunteer hours come from employee-owners serving independently in their personal lives, supporting causes that are meaningful to them.

That insight has helped shape our strategy. Many of our employee-owners already come to Sundt with a strong commitment to service. Our role is to support that passion by making it easier to get involved, recognizing the service already happening, and creating more ways for employees with shared interests to connect with each other and their local community.

 

Make-A-Wish San Diego

 

Building the Infrastructure for Service

With service as one of Sundt’s core values, we wanted to make it easier for employee-owners to put that value into action while giving us a better way to capture the service already happening across the company.

In our first year after launching a centralized volunteer platform from Submittable, we saw a 300% year-over-year increase in recorded volunteer hours. In our second year, we anticipate another 100% increase from 2025 to 2026.

A few keys to our success include:

• Employee leaders: Our Volunteer Ambassadors and Sundt Foundation board members have been vital to this success. Each office identifies local needs, organizes events, and connects their teams with nonprofits.
• Skilled volunteer events: As builders, our employee-owners are passionate about lending their building skills. Hands-on opportunities allow us to engage project teams and craft employee-owners more effectively while creating a lasting community impact.
• Team building: More teams are using volunteering as a regular team building activity, giving employee-owners a chance to strengthen relationships while making an impact together.
• Goal setting and recognition: Of course, no Sundt initiative would be complete without some friendly competition. We now report volunteer hours by business unit, giving teams greater visibility into their impact and creating some healthy competition across the company. It builds momentum, celebrates progress and keeps service visible throughout the year.

 

Giving Children Hope – Irvine, CA

 

The Next 200,000 Hours

Our 200,000-hour commitment gives us a clear goal and a shared measure of progress. Success will also be seen in the relationships we build, the community needs we address, and the employee-owners who find impactful ways to serve.

Service September gives us a dedicated time each year to celebrate and recommit to this work.

With the right structure and support, volunteerism can become a central part of any company culture. Over time, individual hours add up to stronger communities, deeper connections, and lasting impact.