Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what encouragement they are providing to businesses to promote and encourage volunteering amongst employees.

His Majesty’s Government recognises how vital volunteering is for society, reaping benefits for those who volunteer as well as the organisations they assist. The Government aims to remove barriers which prevent people from getting involved.

HM Government wants to see employers develop their own strong corporate responsibility programmes and to encourage businesses, the public sector and charities to consider the role that employer-supported volunteering can play as part of their impact on society.

HM Government strongly encourages employers to consider offering volunteering leave as part of their employee benefits package. Employees have the right to reasonable time off work to carry out specified public duties, as established in Section 50 of the Employment Rights Act 1996. Time off for other voluntary duties is a matter for individual employers as they balance their business needs.