Volunteering
At Microsoft we like to enhance our support by giving the community what we value most – the time and skills of our employees. Our UK programme enables employees to use 3 days a year volunteering leave to get involved in a way that suits them - whether they would like to spend a couple of hours helping out on a one-off key skills workshop or make a long term commitment to mentor a young person.
Our volunteering is delivered through a number of external partners including, Leonard Cheshire Disability, Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership, IT4Communities and The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust amongst others.
Matching
Microsoft runs a matched giving scheme to encourage individual fundraising activities. The scheme matches staff fundraising up to £7,500 per annum, per employee. In 2008, Microsoft matched over £180,000 to help support over 70 organisations.
Give As You Earn
By signing up to GAYE, employees can choose to donate to a charity directly from their salary pre tax. Employees can choose any cause they wish to receive monthly donations and Microsoft will do the rest.
The Microsoft UK Challenger Event
The Microsoft UK Challenger Event has given thousands of people the opportunity to push themselves to their limits and achieve more than they ever believed they were capable of. Each year up to 60 employees go through a rigorous selection process to become a member of the Microsoft Challenger team. The event takes place over three and a half days using a variety of transport, from mountain bikes and ferries to kayaks and on foot, competing together with your team in daylight and moonlight. Part of the selection process is to raise as much as possible for the Challenger charity the NSPCC.
Microsoft UK Challenge enables the NSPCC to raise money from over 70 of the UK’s leading corporate organisations. It also offers the NSPCC a unique opportunity to speak to these organisations about their responsibility to end cruelty to children.
Did you know?
In 2008 Microsoft Employees fundraised over £500,000 for UK Charities.
Last year 6,530 PC were refurbished in the UK through the MAR scheme.
Last year Microsoft donated £10 million of software to UK charities.
In 2008 25 teams undertook a one day volunteering project in the local community.