E.ON Pro Bono Program Aids Six More Civil Organizations

In the life of a nonprofit organization, the cause is what matters most: staff and volunteers work day in and day out to bring about real change in the lives of individual communities. However, for this impact to be felt in the long term, commitment alone is not enough: sustainable operations also require organizational development, expertise in HR, marketing, and communications, as well as thoughtful resource management. Often, this is precisely what civil society organizations lack the resources for, so the very improvements that could make their operations more efficient – and enable them to reach even more people with their assistance – are left undone.

The Pro Bono program of the E.ON Hungária Group, which operates the electricity grid in Budapest, Pest County, and the Transdanubia region, was launched in 2016 with the goal of enabling the company’s employees to use the knowledge they have gained in their respective fields to support the development of civil society organizations. This year, six more organizations working in various social sectors joined the collaborative effort, and 21 company volunteers dedicated approximately 350 work hours to working with civil society partners to find solutions to challenges affecting their day-to-day operations.

Among the participants were the Igazgyöngy Foundation, which helps children living in extreme poverty; the Superar Music Foundation, which works to provide music education to disadvantaged children; the Foundation for Africa, which strengthens ties between Africa and Europe; the KÖZ-PONT Youth Association, which focuses on developing young people’s skills; the CHIPet Dog Rescue Association, which works to rescue animals and promote responsible pet ownership; and the Élet Kis Virága Foundation, which supports families raising children with multiple disabilities.

The collaborative effort was based on the actual needs of the civil society organizations. Volunteers contributed their expertise in HR and organizational development, capacity building, communication, and marketing to help participants gain new perspectives, well-thought-out solutions, and practical tools they can use in their daily work.