Vivendi’s HR teams take the lead on a public interest initiative

What’s the best way to get all your employees on board with a new practice? At media and communications group Vivendi, trialling a new initiative is how they hope to move things forward. And who better than the HR department to conduct this experiment?

The company is looking to gradually roll out the concept of pro bono work (1) within its entities. Although the practice was initially limited to paralegals, it is set to be extended to a broader range of professions. 

Representatives of all the group’s subsidiaries recently came together to take part in a pro bono “marathon” with the aim of helping three non-profits (which often have limited resources) find a solution to a tangible issue.

According to the strategy’s initiator, it has two advantages:

• By rallying people who do not often have the opportunity to work together around an inspiring cause, a creative and productive spirit of competition is quickly established

• The chosen beneficiaries receive a solution in which the assessment, advice and recommendations are designed to ensure real time savings and effective implementation

Collective commitment in the public interest bolsters values of solidarity and mutual aid, which inevitably has an influence on employee motivation and well-being.

¹ Work carried out free of charge by a professional for an organisation which is unable to cover the cost.