EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERISM
FirstEnergy’s commitment to responsible business also emphasizes the importance of investing our time and resources to support the communities we serve. Our employees light the way in their communities every day, and our company encourages community engagement through company-sponsored events and our volunteer time off (VTO) program.
Through its strong relationships with outside organizations, Corporate Affairs and Community Involvement helps connect individual employees, business units and employee business resource groups to a wide range of volunteering opportunities in the communities we serve.
In 2023, FirstEnergy employees spent nearly 28,000 hours volunteering for organizations across the company’s service territory. These hours, along with robust engagement in employee-driven giving campaigns, are a testament to the commitment, compassion and ownership employees feel as vital members of our communities to make a positive impact on those around them.
Company support for employee volunteerism includes:
- Volunteer Time Off (VTO): Our VTO policy provides employees with 16 hours of additional paid time off per calendar year to volunteer within their communities.
- Community Impact Portal: This user-friendly platform automatically sends volunteer opportunities and reminders to employees based on their geographic area; provides dashboards that track employees’ volunteer hours and giving pledges; and makes it easier to find volunteer opportunities and donate to non-profit organizations of their choice.
Every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, FirstEnergy employees are encouraged to participate in the National Day of Service to honor the slain civil rights leader. Our Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG) Community Involvement Council plans a variety of volunteer events with local nonprofits. In 2023, volunteering opportunities included sorting books at children’s book bank, preparing meals at area homeless shelters, packaging food at a foodbank, assembling STEM kits for the United Way and reading to school children.
We continue to strengthen our communities by supporting charitable organizations, partnering with local schools, providing economic development leadership, and supporting projects dedicated to improving the environmental, social and educational and cultural aspects of our communities. In addition, employees at all levels of the company serve on many nonprofit boards and advisory groups.
To learn more about how FirstEnergy invests in our employees, so they can invest in the communities where they live, work and play, visit our Engaged and Empowered Employees page.