Matchable and Oxford North partner to boost Oxfordshire corporate volunteering

Matchable, the digital platform which matches companies and their teams to innovative, high impact charities, social enterprises and impact start-up volunteering projects, has partnered with Oxford North, the new innovation district in Oxford, to help boost corporate volunteering in Oxfordshire.

Oxford North has a resolute focus to ensure that the project has a far-reaching positive impact on the local economy through its ESG strategy’s ‘Shared prosperity’ pillar.

This is delivered through its Community Employment Plan which sets out how the project will maximise the opportunities created for local people and businesses during the first phase of construction. Deliverables have been agreed with Oxford City Council and OxLEP, which include 680 hours of volunteering.

Matchable, a certified B Corp that was launched in 2019, works in 15 countries with local partners to identify non-profit and impact start-up organisations to drive corporate volunteering activity. Matchable is a powerful online platform to encourage and facilitate corporate volunteering. Oxford North will be a catalyst which, for the first time, will extend Matchable’s reach and impact in Oxfordshire.

Oxford North Ventures is the joint venture company of Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and Stanhope. The phase 1 construction partners are Laing O’Rourke, Careys and The Hill Group.

Oxford North’s project team has identified approximately 30 organisations in Oxfordshire that Matchable will approach to introduce themselves and identify where they need assistance either remotely or in-person. Matchable will then work with organisations to upload their project requirements to their platform, which is free of charge.

Oxford North has committed to 75 Matchable software licences which will be allocated across its client, consultant and construction partner teams so that their range of skills set can be easily matched to where help is required. Matchable will match specific skills and interests of each individual to the skills required by the non-profit or impact start-up.

The employees and consultants will be able to maximise the value of the volunteering days allocated by their organisation based on their skill sets and interests.

Victoria Collett, development director, Thomas White Oxford said: “We are focused on maximising the opportunities created through Oxford North for local people and businesses. We recognise the value of volunteering for people working for Oxford North, as they can deliver tangible assistance to local organisations that need specific skills for their projects. With businesses allocating volunteering hours and days into employee contracts, and our Community Employment Plan encouraging local deployment of that time, Matchable’s platform makes volunteering seamless and purposeful.”

Tom Storey, social value consultant for Oxford North, Storey Consulting said: “We have worked with Matchable on other projects in London and across the UK and identified the opportunity for them to work in Oxfordshire with a catalyst project such as Oxford North. The partnership’s aim, which has been launched to coincide with National Volunteering Week, is to not only boost corporate volunteering on the project but also open opportunities for other Oxfordshire businesses to easily deliver their volunteering.”

Foong Ng, founder and chief executive officer, Matchable said: “Our unique approach reimagines volunteering by offering employees upskilling opportunities working with exciting non-profits and impact start-ups. By partnering with such a major project as Oxford North, we will work together to identity volunteering projects across Oxfordshire’s charity and third sector organisations so that they can be showcased in one place and easily matched to people and their skill sets. From landscaping to bookkeeping, marketing to sustainability, together we can enable volunteering across Oxfordshire which benefits everyone.”

For further information, please contact: 
Olivia Lane-Nott
Spacecraft Consulting For Oxford North    
olivia@spacecraftconsulting.com
07968 081 128