How can you make your company’s volunteering programme relevant to your business? How best can you assess and communicate its value? And how can you attract companies to support your cause?

Community affairs and Employer Supported Volunteering (ESV) managers from the voluntary, business and public sectors will find solutions to these issues at a unique symposium on employer volunteering run by Volunteering England and supported by the Ashridge Centre for Business and Society, part of Ashridge Business School. The symposium is being held at the Barbican Conference Centre in London on 13 February.

In the morning session, delegates will have the opportunity to work through their most vexing issues and challenge an expert panel to come up with solutions. In the afternoon, a series of masterclasses will be held by leading ESV practitioners including Yorkshire Water, Lehman Brothers, Zurich Community Trust and BAE Systems. Three volunteer Centres will also reveal their models for successful ESV brokerage.

Cathy McBain, head of ESV at Volunteering England, said: "A successful ESV programme is fast becoming the differentiator between companies that really live their CSR promises and those just paying lip-service to the concept. Anyone who has a genuine interest in making a difference to their community as well as engaging and developing their staff will benefit from attending this stimulating and informative event."