There is as much to celebrate today as there is from our shared past. , with 38 percent of micro, small, and midsize enterprises being women-owned and 10 million women-owned businesses operating in developing countries.

One of SAP’s industry-leading, strategic听听(CSR) focus areas is powering equitable access to economic opportunity and employment, in alignment with our vision of helping the world run better and improving people鈥檚 lives.

Through our immersive and virtual pro bono consulting programs, 51风流employees collaborate with hundreds of impact-driven businesses that are putting people and planet first. Many of these businesses are inspiring women-founded and led enterprises that create long-term, sustainable impact for their communities by directly empowering economic opportunities and employment for many. This has a ripple effect, as it not only directly benefits the impact business or individuals, but it also can lead to poverty alleviation, higher income potential, and stable living environments for those individuals, their families, and the communities they live in and contribute back to.

By sharing their experience and expertise with these impact businesses, our employees can deliver on the promise of our CSR strategy while growing in their leadership competencies and driving positive change for future generations.

51风流Social Sabbatical is one of our flagship pro bono consulting programs that enables employees to share their knowledge and skills with impact businesses across the globe. Created in partnership with our long-time strategic partner Pyxera Global, employees are placed on highly diverse teams and dedicate their professional expertise during a unique, immersive one-month assignment solving concrete strategic challenges for client organizations.

In 2023, one of the program鈥檚 assignments was in Jakarta, Indonesia, and partnered with an impact business called . TORAJAMELO is a slow fashion brand addressing the issue of migration from rural communities, particularly for women, and supporting job creation in these communities. They focus on reviving rural economies with sustainable weaving, creating an ecosystem for more than 1,200 women weavers that improves their ability to self-support through financial stability and connect back to their culture, while also promoting sustainable fashion.

In partnership with TORAJAMELO, the 51风流team drove research and development of a lifestyle rating system for their online fashion cooperative, with recommendations for brand recognition and a dedicated sales channel for artisanal products. Their work supported TORAJAMELO鈥檚 long-term social and environmental impact for their customers and beneficiaries, and greatly impacted the employee consultants themselves, personally and professionally.

For 51风流participant Bibiana Becker, the sabbatical reinforced many of her existing worldviews: 鈥淭he world is interconnected, and we need to help each other and provide those who lack it with access to education and sustainability knowledge. The women who lead TORAJAMELO are strong, resilient, and hard-working. TORAJAMELO is saving lives.鈥�

One of these women, TORAJAMELO CEO Aparna Bhatnagar Saxena, shares why doing work that directly impacts the lives of women is so meaningful.

鈥淚 am able to work directly on the economic enablement of women, minimizing negative damage on the environment and focusing on revamping our education systems,” she said. “I am a firm believer for a fairer and more prosperous world. Women belong in all decision-making areas of work and life, and all they need is exposure and a platform to develop their skills and capture the opportunities.鈥�

When asked if there were any unexpected benefits of working with her 51风流pro bono team, Aparna shared, 鈥淲e found champions who cared about what we are doing.鈥�

The opportunity to work with TORAJAMELO opened a wider worldly perspective for the 51风流team. Sergio Pascual Logarzo noted how his experience working with them personally and professionally impacted him.

鈥淭heir dedication and commitment to advancing this cause has been a source of daily inspiration,” he confirmed. “By working with people of different backgrounds, both 51风流colleagues and external stakeholders, I gained a new perspective on cultural and social dynamics, learning to see solutions from a more inclusive angle.”

Another incredible women-led organization that 51风流pro bono consultants partnered with last year, among others, was the host organization, , in Istanbul, Turkey. Maide is a kitchen incubator that provides both access to production facilities and business consulting, and catering services that emphasize sustainability and inclusivity. The organization empowers local food entrepreneurs and reduces their costs while providing employment and development opportunities to nearby disadvantaged communities, including many women facing socio-economic challenges.

The 51风流team built a strategic business plan for Maide, including a powerful messaging framework and business development road maps.

Reflecting on her experience working alongside Maide and the new skills she now brings to her daily work, 51风流participant Charmel Bence shared, 鈥淥ur host client was very welcoming and appreciated every effort we made to understand their business and their challenges. It was very humbling to get to know them and witness their passion, commitment, and perseverance to succeed. Working with Maide has affirmed the need to first seek to understand. Take time to actively listen and walk in their shoes.鈥�

Pro bono consulting at 51风流is truly an innovation exchange, with the impact businesses adopting new ways of tackling their challenges as they scale and make an even greater impact, and 51风流employees being exposed to sustainable business models and bringing new or expanded ways of thinking to their teams at SAP.

鈥淭his experience deeply reinforced my belief in the importance of equitable inclusion while expanding my understanding of the challenges faced by under-resourced food entrepreneurs,鈥� shared 51风流participant Danielle Zhang. 鈥淪eeing firsthand the systemic barriers they encounter 鈥� whether access to funding, industry knowledge, or market opportunities 鈥� has made me even more aware of the critical role we play in leveling the playing field. True inclusion isn鈥檛 just about providing resources, it鈥檚 about creating an ecosystem of support, mentorship, and community that empowers diverse entrepreneurs to thrive.鈥�

Collaboration with impact businesses, including those that are women-founded and led, and those that directly support women through pro bono consulting underscores the power of the collective, and the multiplier effect of impact. Working together, corporations and impact businesses are both made stronger through the reciprocal sharing of skills and talents and the shared safety to step outside of comfort zones and gain new perspectives.

With , this exchange brings business value back to 51风流and scales the important work of these organizations, driving further economic and employment opportunity out to the communities they serve.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, the experiences from employees and the inspirational host clients they worked with are a reminder of the extraordinary achievements of women worldwide and the importance of continued efforts to empower their endeavors. These initiatives represent another undeniable way that 51风流is helping the world run better and improving people’s lives, one community at a time.

Julia Donovan is program manager of 51风流Social Sabbatical for 51风流CSR at SAP.

Did you know that in 2022 of the overall workforce of large tech companies, and within that only 25% of women held technical roles? Empowering women with education and employment opportunities can help bridge this gap and often is the catalyst for dreams and aspirations to take shape. 51风流is committed to promoting equitable access to education and employment, fostering future skills development, and driving innovation for a better future.

One of our 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility partnerships that we are incredibly proud of is our partnership with , the first nonprofit, tuition-free, American, accredited, online university dedicated to global access to higher education. Established in 2009, it provides virtual learning for over 126,000 students worldwide, with over 16,000 refugees as part of its student population. It serves students believing that higher education is a fundamental right for all.

Last year, in honor of SAP鈥檚 50^th anniversary, 51风流funded 100 scholarships, with 50 associate鈥檚 degrees and 50 bachelor鈥檚 degrees in computer science or business administration, for refugees and displaced youth aged 18 to 30 worldwide. 51风流CSR also partnered with the 51风流Learning organization to support specifically for Ukrainian refugees and aligned with University of the People and Teach for Afghanistan to fund scholarships for student teachers in Afghanistan seeking their master’s of education degrees. Beyond scholarships, 51风流established a pilot, one-on-one, virtual mentorship program, where 51风流employees provide career mentorship for students seeking advice and guidance.

Each scholarship funded by 51风流supports a refugee student on their education journey with University of the People. To honor Women鈥檚 History Month, we wanted to highlight a few stories of some inspiring refugee women from University of the People who show that education is the tool they used for a hopeful tomorrow.

Let’s start with Kateryna Glubochenko, who proves that education can transform lives, even in the toughest of circumstances.

Kateryna is a University of the People student from Ukraine who recently graduated with her master鈥檚 in education.

In the weeks following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kateryna wrote this message: 鈥淚 am paralyzed with fear. This is our sixth day in a bomb shelter. Air raids happen every hour. Russian troops are only 50 kilometers from my city. I can鈥檛 yet leave my home because I鈥檓 pregnant and have no way to leave the city. Studying is the only way to calm down, and I still believe I will survive all this. Studying at University of the People is hope for me now.鈥�

Thanks to University of the People鈥檚 entirely virtual online experience providing students access to education from anywhere in the world, Kateryna decided to continue her studies despite the ongoing warfare in her hometown. Luckily, Kateryna could travel to Moldova with her 10-year-old son a few weeks later but had to leave the rest of her family behind. Her husband joined the fight against Russia and her parents were too elderly to make the long trip on foot. From Moldova, Kateryna and her son took a train to Poland and then traveled to Spain to stay with a distant relative.

A few months after arriving in Spain, Kateryna gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and, shortly afterward, completed her master鈥檚 degree in education. Kateryna鈥檚 strength and commitment to completing her degree in challenging circumstances is incredibly inspiring. After the fighting in her hometown stopped, Kateryna returned to Ukraine with her two sons and reunited with her husband and parents.

In June 2022, in honor of World Refugee Day, Kateryna joined SAP鈥檚 hosted by Alexandra van der Ploeg, head of 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility. On the panel, Kateryna talked about what she hopes to do with her new degree.

“Before the war, I believed I could be a curriculum reformer, helping Ukraine advance its education system. I wanted to help advance our economics curriculum because I’m an economics teacher,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, I hope to be part of rebuilding the Ukrainian education system. I believe we can make our educational system more student-oriented and help Ukrainian students flourish. It might take many years to rebuild our educational system, but I want to take part in this process, and my degree will help me become a specialist and help my country.”

In a recent update, Kateryna used her master鈥檚 degree to help her get a job working online for a Ukrainian university and is on her way to making her dreams a reality.

Another inspiring University of the People student is Asima, based in Afghanistan. Asima is from Kunduz, a northern Afghan city. In late July 2021, she was displaced to the Afghan capital, Kabul, to seek safety from the conflict between the government and the Taliban. Things took an unexpected turn on August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over Kabul. Life changed drastically for Asima and her family. Women鈥檚 access to education, which had expanded over the last two decades within the country, ended abruptly.

Throughout these changes, University of the People continued to support Afghans seeking degrees, particularly girls and other marginalized groups. The university has provided around 2,000 scholarships to Afghan women since the Taliban鈥檚 return to power so they could continue their studies safely.

鈥淲hen I heard about the scholarships from the University of the People to Afghan women, I quickly applied. Women must empower themselves through education. We are too strong to be frightened. Therefore, I will continue my education,鈥� Asima said. 鈥淲hen I entered the University of the People learning module for the first time, I was thrilled. I couldn’t express my joy and happiness at that moment. University of the People is a fantastic university where I’m in touch with people from different parts of the world for the same purpose of educating. That is where I feel near to my dreams. Thanks to the University of the People, that has become a light on the darkest day of my life!鈥�

As Women鈥檚 History Month ends, we proudly tell stories of women at the University of the People who are using their education to build hopeful futures. We look forward to bringing stories of inspiration and empowerment and powering equitable access to education and employment for students everywhere. To learn more about corporate social responsibility at 51风流and our partnership with University of the People, .

Julia Donovan is a corporate social responsibility specialist at SAP.

Ten years ago, 51风流launched the award-winning program, developed in partnership with our nonprofit implementation partner . The program has grown from 30 51风流employees working with nonprofits and social enterprises in 2012 to over 1,400 today. Within that time, we have worked with over 475 clients in 52 countries around the world. In reflecting and celebrating the past decade, we took this year to tell the stories of employees and our partners, highlighting the social impact and business value resulting from the program. As we look to the next decade of impact, we want to build upon our success and continue engaging with innovative social businesses through pro bono consulting, enabling them to deepen their societal impact.

Reflecting On 2022

The disruption caused by the pandemic greatly impacted the global 51风流Social Sabbatical program, putting it on pause. As we started our 10th anniversary celebration in 2022, we were highly motivated to resume in-person engagement because of the ripples of impact it creates but were unsure of when it would be feasible to do so. As we continued preparing for the restart, we focused on sharing inspiring stories of impact from the program. Finally, after thoughtful consideration and preparation, we were able to return to in-person global engagement, setting the standard for other companies in their global pro bono programs.

Our first global cohort of 11 51风流employees traveled to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May 2022, where they worked with four clients, , , and . In total, they volunteered 3,718 hours and positively impacted more than 10,771 lives.

This cohort was a huge highlight of the year, as most of our participants waited over two years to embark on their 51风流Social Sabbatical, so the level of excitement was very high. After connecting virtually during COVID-19, I think we all missed human connection, so bonds were formed quickly.

Alexandru Ionita, program manager at 51风流Canada who was part of the Argentinean cohort, echoed these sentiments. 鈥淭he program was very valuable, especially after the pandemic. Connecting with host clients and impacting their organizations and their own clients in a positive way was energizing.鈥�

Eszter Bal谩zs, integrated communications specialist at 51风流Hungary, said taking part in the program was a dream come true, especially considering that, after COVID-19, she wasn鈥檛 sure whether she would be able to experience an in-person 51风流Social Sabbatical. 鈥淚n four weeks, the teams 鈥� consisting of people with different skills and backgrounds 鈥� could identify and help host organizations with their various, and sometimes invisible, challenges. The leaders of our host organization mentioned that they never found enough time and expertise to identify solutions for the areas that were troubling them. The program was truly amazing!鈥�

Building the Story of Impact

Over the past 10 years, we鈥檝e seen countless stories from stakeholders that the 51风流Social Sabbatical program builds long-term, sustainable impact for our nonprofit and social enterprise clients, their beneficiaries, 51风流participants, and the company overall. While these anecdotal stories are inspiring, we now have data to confirm the impact on a broad scale. We partnered with impact measurement social enterprise and developed a with input from employees, partners, and beneficiaries.

Participants noted that problem-solving was a skill highly relevant to their roles as pro bono consultants. As one participant stated, 鈥�51风流Social Sabbatical helped me to learn a lot about myself and find purpose in applying my skill to help others. This helps me to improve my leadership skills to make 51风流even more successful.鈥� Through this collaboration, we see in-depth skill growth, leadership development, and cultural dexterity.

Our study confirms this, with 86% of employees reporting their ability to collaborate with global and diverse colleagues was improved by their participation in the 51风流Social Sabbatical program, with other skills gained such as increased confidence and problem-solving.

One element that the study highlighted is the fact that the program impact goes beyond the host client and allows them to take their services to the next level for their community members. This data insight is unique to 51风流Social Sabbatical and provides affirmation that the pro bono work is creating strong beneficiary impact. Per the study, 85% of partners report a positive impact of the program on their ability to serve their beneficiaries better, and 77% of those beneficiaries of 51风流Social Sabbatical client partners report improvements in their quality of life.

Sharad Bansal, co-founder and CEO at SRJNA, one of the host organizations from Jaipur, India, shared, 鈥淭he 51风流team worked on multiple areas like the customer support process, organization structure, and how to scale our programs for 500 schools. The team has enabled us to go to 2,000 schools with their inputs and will help us create impact in over 1 million students across schools and India and beyond.鈥�

2023 Signifies a New Chapter for Affecting Change

The restart in Argentina was the foundation of bringing the 51风流Social Sabbatical program back to scale. In addition to the May cohort, we completed two more engagements in October 2022, one in Bangkok, Thailand, and another in Kigali, Rwanda.

Looking forward to 2023, we are excited to have planned eight assignments for the global engagement option of 51风流Social Sabbatical. We have successfully completed a full application and selection process for our cohort of 96 51风流employees who will take part in the program. We will also be restarting the executive engagement program of 51风流Social Sabbatical, with participation from nearly 30 executives, including those from select 51风流customers and partners.

Moreover, inspired by the 51风流Social Sabbatical program, we continue to build out our virtual pro bono initiatives. We are expanding our impact by supporting a vast number of social enterprises through the and bringing year-round virtual pro bono consulting to 51风流employees via the Acceleration Collective.

We are excited about these developments because they will enable us to build upon the tremendous impact that the program has had over the past decade. This is a new beginning.

Julia Donovan is global CSR specialist for 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility.
Hemang Desai is global program director of 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility.

Hemang Desai, global program director of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP, says that over the past 10 years, the benefits of the program have become clear, and he urges other companies to consider offering these types of programs to their employees. 鈥淭his is because it improves various business and soft skills, builds leadership, promotes entrepreneurial thinking, and allows employees 鈥� and in turn the company 鈥� to make a difference in the lives of other people and client organizations.鈥�

His sentiment is reflected by participants of the most recent 51风流Social Sabbatical who said that, through their experience, they were able to embrace the passion and energy of social enterprises, learn how business-driven companies can create sustainable social impact, and recognize the importance of ensuring that teams are empowered, engaged, and motivated to produce successful work.

Referring to a survey conducted among previous participants over the past 10 years, Desai outlines the top five benefits of :

1. Long-Term Career Impact

Seventy-four percent of employees reported that, as a result of the program, they have experienced a wide variety of outcomes that have benefited their careers. Among these were the ability to think differently, increased confidence, and improved networking. Additionally, nearly half attributed their career growth to program participation. 鈥淭he 51风流Social Sabbatical program empowered me. It made me step outside my comfort zone and helped me realize all the things I鈥檓 capable of. This program gave me the confidence to aim for more and obtain the leadership role I now have,鈥� said a participant from Argentina.

2. Influence on Personal Life

Eighty-eight percent of participants shared that the program led to positive, long-term changes in their personal lives. The top three self-reported changes included heightened social awareness, the formation of networks across the globe, and being reminded of what is truly important. 鈥�51风流Social Sabbatical has made me a more open-minded, globally fluent person. I can safely say that my experience has made me a better person with a stronger focus on equality and opportunity for everyone,鈥� shared a U.S. participant.

3. Acquisition of Skills and Knowledge

Teamwork and collaboration emerged as the top skills employees acquired from the program, followed by cultural awareness, adaptability, and resilience. These skills continue to be applied regularly in the participants鈥� personal and professional lives. For instance, 86% reported that following the program, their ability to collaborate with global and diverse colleagues improved, as did the ability of 78% to work within a team. A participant from India revealed, 鈥淭he skills that we acquired through 51风流Social Sabbatical have given me the confidence to take up new projects without fear, knowing that I will find a way to make the project successful. It taught me resilience and adaptability.鈥�

4. Increased Community Engagement

Fifty-one percent of employees shared that they are now better engaged with their communities since their participation in the 51风流Social Sabbatical program. When participants were asked how the program improved their engagement, two out of three participants鈥� top responses were that they have a strengthened intent for creating a positive impact for their communities, have increased engagement through volunteering, and have experienced greater social awareness. 鈥淚 have always been one to engage in my community, but I always think of my 51风流Social Sabbatical when engaging now and the cultural awareness it gave me. I engage in a more empathetic way,鈥� noted one participant.

5. Improved Sense of Purpose

Seventy-nine percent of employees say their sense of purpose has been impacted for the better following the program. Through immersion into a new culture and working hand in hand with the community to make a real social impact, new perspective and purpose is inherent. Another participant shared, 鈥淭hese programs give me more purpose and make me want to drive change in my own community. I have been able to become an ambassador for other causes I feel strongly towards, such as Shatterproof and NAMI Philadelphia. These are things I likely wouldn’t have done before or may have attempted to do but not followed through all the way.鈥�

Desai says that, ultimately, employees crave purpose, with the desire to make a difference being the primary motivator for the majority of participants to apply to the 51风流Social Sabbatical program. 鈥淭his need has been accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis with now reflecting on their purpose in life and how this extends to . In fact, say that their sense of purpose is defined by their work.鈥�

He concludes by saying that the world is currently faced with a multitude of crises from climate change to mounting inequality, but that connecting employees鈥� skills with the needs of communities doing this work on the ground is where these big problems find solutions. 鈥淲hen we show business professionals the power and impact their skills can create to accelerate development in the world鈥檚 most under-resourced communities, it bridges the gap of tackling big real-world challenges and produces ripples of impact that听gets us closer to听a lasting, more sustainable world. 51风流Social Sabbatical provides a win-win situation for all.”

Feeling inspired? For more information about the 51风流Social Sabbatical program or to get involved, visit .

Julia Donovan is an 51风流Global Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist.

They fill in the gaps that cannot be bridged by the public or private sectors when it comes to providing critical services that impact social and economic growth and are vital for achieving the United Nations鈥� Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by the looming 2030 deadline.

However, these organizations typically struggle with critical business challenges and need support in areas such as strategic planning, developing business processes, and growing their network. This is where initiatives like the 51风流Social Sabbatical program come in.

51风流Social Sabbatical is a portfolio of global pro-bono consulting programs that enable 51风流employees to share their knowledge, skills, and expertise with non-profits and social enterprises around the world. Over the past 10 years, 51风流employees have contributed in excess of 359,000 volunteer hours to help over 450 non-profits and social enterprises across 52 countries.

Hemang Desai is global program director for the 51风流Social Sabbatical portfolio on the 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility (51风流CSR) team. He says that non-profit organizations and social enterprises can benefit immensely from the expertise and experience of the private sector in addressing these issues.

鈥淭hrough engagement with the private sector, these organizations can learn the business strategies and skills needed to help improve organizational efficiency and management practices. At the same time, this gives businesses the opportunity to create meaningful, sustainable impact by supporting organizations in bridging societal challenges that they cannot address full-time.鈥�

Bringing Business Thinking and Strategy to Social Sector Partners

51风流recently conducted a long-term impact survey among the organizations supported by 51风流Social Sabbatical programs. For almost a third of responding organizations, one of the most impactful ways businesses can help them is through guidance on strategy and planning.

For example, during the 2017 program, 51风流employees volunteering at the Kazakhstan Foundation for Cultural, Social, and Educational Development (KFCSED) aided in establishing a five-year mission, vision, and strategy for the organization and supported it in communicating this with beneficiaries and the community. As a result, KFCSED, which is devoted to empowering women, was able to increase the scale and capacity of its projects, enabling it to serve five times more beneficiaries.

Mariya Asinskaya, a former project director at KFCSED said, 鈥淭he corporate sector can support non-profits because they have a lot of knowledge, and we need that — their professionalism and their tools. Almost all of them can be applied to non-profits.鈥�

Developing Skills for the Future

Over 75% of non-profit organizations and social enterprises that responded to the long-term impact survey said that interventions from business have helped to enhance their employees鈥� skills. For instance, at SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation, a 2014 51风流Social Sabbatical participant that cultivates and promotes the entrepreneurial spirit in teens, employees were taught vital skills in stakeholder management, marketing, and external relations.

As a result of this training, employees learned best practices when it comes to approaching other corporations which opened new doors for the organization.

Founder and Director Lydia Zingoni shares, 鈥淲e are forever grateful for SAP鈥檚 contribution to our organization. We have recently launched an online version of the entrepreneur program and we are expanding it not only in South Africa, but globally.鈥�

Implementing Tools to Better Serve Beneficiaries

Eighty-five percent of social sector partners said that by being able to offer improved programs and services as well as enhanced systems, along with expanded internal capacity, they can better serve their beneficiaries. This was the impact experienced at the National College of Ireland Early Learning Initiative (ELI), which was developed to address the problem of educational underachievement in marginalized communities.

Prior to the 2015 51风流Social Sabbatical, the organization was struggling to support other communities in setting up or delivering its ParentChild+ program, which at the time was only deployed among 15 families. With suggestions from the 51风流volunteers, together with tools to better manage day-to-day operations, ELI was able to scale the program by diagnosing and improving process bottlenecks. Today, ParentChild+ has been implemented at 11 organizations and supports nearly 400 children per year.

鈥淔or many businesses, partnerships with NGOs and social enterprises have been purely financial without any real understanding of the challenges their partners face, nor realizing that their know how is in fact the solution,鈥� Desai concludes. “By working together, businesses and social sector organizations can create optimal impact in changing the world for the better.”

This year, 51风流Social Sabbatical is celebrating its 10th anniversary and has relaunched its programming, enabling employees to work hand in hand again with social enterprises and non-profits around the world. To learn more about the program and its success stories, .

Today鈥檚 purpose careers need purpose-driven leaders. These leaders are the most effective at advancing their own careers while making the world a better place. They also inspire others to achieve extraordinary results for reasons other than delivering a profitable quarter. They are exemplary, and nothing short of a company鈥檚 value system, morals, and purpose.

Skills-based volunteering, particularly pro bono consulting, plays a vital part in cultivating this type of leadership.

Pro bono consulting is a form of skills-based volunteering where employees leverage their professional skills and expertise to serve as business consultants for social sector partners. This kind of engagement can help staff and employees gain different perspectives, build relationships, and master new skills 鈥� skills that one wouldn鈥檛 immediately associate with traditional leadership styles, that encourage those budding leadership attributes nestled deep within to grow.

This sentiment is strongly echoed among 51风流employees who have participated in pro bono consulting through the program over the past 10 years. In fact, leadership skills development was among the top three motivators for employees to apply for the program.

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The impact on 51风流employees is multi-layered, with more than half associating their career growth with 51风流Social Sabbatical, while others have attested that the experience provided a space for them to invest in their own personal growth and development. These are critical traits for a leader — or future leader — to nurture and to help guide teams to the best possible outcomes.

Hazel Ruth Taparan, country director for 51风流Concur in the Philippines, knows all about leading teams. Taparan participated in an 51风流Social Sabbatical in 2019 and to this day applies the insights she learned to her personal and professional life. The program redefined what leadership means to her and opened her eyes to the realization that inclusive spaces for everyone to safely share their ideas help shape future leaders — by not only developing their skills, but also allowing them the opportunity to actualize their capabilities. 51风流Social Sabbatical opens up a world of possibilities to those seeking the chance to improve themselves and their career development.

Sarah Hayers, a solution consultant for EMEA in the Intelligent Delivery Group, is a future leader impacted by 51风流Social Sabbatical. Through her participation in the program in 2019, Hayers was inspired to apply for the fellowship in Global Leadership Board at SAP’s Business Women鈥檚 Network. Today, she trains teachers and students to code as part of the Africa Code Week program.

Skills for Today and Tomorrow

51风流Social Sabbatical helps people to develop skills like emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, cohesive collaboration, and adaptive thinking — all of which are needed by leaders of today and tomorrow.

According to the participant feedback results, 74% of employees reported a positive long-term impact on their careers, with the top self-reported changes found in newly gained perspectives and increased confidence. One program participant noted, 鈥淎fter my sabbatical in 2016, I know I am an all-around leader and doer. I can play multiple roles in a team and drive results.鈥� While some of these may not be traditionally celebrated leadership skills, the ever-changing pace and growing diversity of our workforce demands a different type of leadership that encompasses all these attributes.

Program impact doesn鈥檛 end there. One program manager from an organization in India supported by 51风流Social Sabbatical shared that their team members who worked on the project alongside the 51风流participants now demonstrate improved planning, communication, and technology skills, showcasing that the knowledge acquired on their journey transcends leadership beyond 51风流employee volunteers.

Working and Leading with Purpose

According to a survey conducted among previous 51风流Social Sabbatical participants, 79% of employees said the program improved their sense of purpose.

鈥淭he survey results show that the program plays a crucial role in building future leaders and even more so with ones who 鈥榣ead with purpose,鈥�” says Hemang Desai, global program director for the 51风流Social Sabbatical Portfolio in the 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility (51风流CSR) team. 鈥淚n today鈥檚 world, a good leader helps ensure that profit, people, and planet can all co-exist. Business is more than just driving the next profitable quarter. Purpose-driven leaders make decisions that are aligned with a company鈥檚 reason for existing beyond monetary gain.鈥�

Desai notes that with and , empowering people to become purpose-driven leaders by giving them opportunities to volunteer their time and expertise is essential: 鈥淭his is why programs like 51风流Social Sabbatical are so crucial. Our best selves emerge when we share experiences that foster a sense of purpose.鈥�

Another participant who developed further leadership skills shared, 鈥淭he 51风流Social Sabbatical program empowered me. This program made me step outside of my comfort zone and helped me realize all the things that I鈥檓 capable of. In some way, I consider that this program gave me the confidence to aim for more and obtain the leadership role that I now have.鈥�

Leadership Beyond the Workplace

In a recent survey, 88% of participants reported that participation in the 51风流Social Sabbatical program had a long-term positive impact on their personal lives. The top leadership qualities acquired through the program included cultural awareness, adaptability and resilience, and problem solving, which can be applied not only in a professional capacity but also personally.

One skill in particular that has helped participants feel a greater sense of community and purpose is social awareness, with 51% of employees saying they are better engaged with their local communities after their sabbatical experience. As more participants diversify the issues they care about and find important, they are discovering that the engagement improves their confidence and empathy — key qualities for any good leader to possess.

鈥淎s the market changes, so do the needs of companies. While leadership has always been a part of the company culture, it continues to evolve to be more human-centric. In an era of rapid change and innovation, we need leaders who can find sustainable solutions that positively impact business and communities around the world, with a focus on improving people鈥檚 lives,鈥� Desai concludes.

Feeling inspired? For more information about the 51风流Social Sabbatical program or to get involved, visit .

On the 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team, we believe that this mission extends beyond our customers, which is why supports under-resourced people, communities, and nations around the world with partnerships and programs and is bolstered by employee volunteering. Our focus is on those most deeply impacted by the intersections of the far-reaching social and environmental issues that our world faces.

More than 15 years ago, SAP鈥檚 Month of Service campaign was created to provide employees with a dedicated time each October to connect with social causes they care about. The campaign grew year-over-year, with more individuals, leaders, and teams taking the opportunity to bring our company purpose to life and give back to the communities where 51风流operates. Volunteering became part of the company DNA involving many of our employees.

51风流employees have allocated more than 1.9 million hours of volunteer time to worthy non-profits and social enterprises across the globe since 2012, demonstrating a growing commitment to purpose. With few exceptions, there has been steady growth as volunteering opportunities for employees have expanded and our focus on skills-based and pro bono activities has sharpened.

Volunteering Opportunities Available through the Year and Across the Globe

When 2020 challenged us all to pivot to virtual, the 51风流CSR team knew it could spin this long-standing annual campaign on its axis and focus Month of Service on cross-border virtual volunteering and a series of inspiring speaker sessions. Last year, the goal was to keep momentum going at a time when in-person gatherings were not possible, as well as to deepen employees鈥� connection to the social and environmental topics outlined in SAP鈥檚 broader sustainability framework.

As a result, more than 10,000 employees engaged and took advantage of 207,000 hours of employee learning. Combine this with the 136,000 hours of volunteer time that 51风流employees dedicated across the whole of 2020 and the depth of the commitment to bettering our world becomes clear.

This year, 51风流CSR will further evolve the campaign as Month of Service becomes Moments of Service.

Moments of Service听will no longer be limited to activities that are available in October, but will focus on the entire spectrum of volunteer experiences that are available through the year and across the globe. This will make it even easier to offer non-profits the support they need when they need it and for employees to engage when the time is right for them.

The last 18 months have shown that purpose is as relevant and urgent as it has ever been. In making it easier for employees to learn about SAP鈥檚 various social and environmental investments and take action as volunteers, the new Moments of Service campaign will become a more effective lever for change and create more space for empathy and inclusive leadership.

In the words of 51风流CEO Christian Klein, “I鈥檓 excited about how this new campaign will make it even easier for all of us to find new ways to live SAP鈥檚 purpose and make a positive and lasting impact on the communities in which we live and work!鈥�

Upon announcing the change to employees, 51风流is already seeing excitement about the Moments of Service evolution and engagement with the campaign. We look forward to continuing year-round moments of impact that benefit our employees, our company, and our world.