Traditional employee engagement programs often drive participation but not always connection, ownership, or lasting impact. As companies double down on employee engagement as a key part in corporate philanthropy, CSR leaders are being pushed to rethink how engagement actually shows up inside their organizations.

This session explores a model that’s gaining momentum quickly: Giving Circles at work.

Emily Rasmussen, Founder and CEO of Grapevine, will introduce how Giving Circles are being used as a form of collective philanthropy, where employees don’t just participate, but help shape decisions, direct funding, and engage more deeply with causes that matter to them.

You’ll hear from practitioners, including Sophie Rifkin, Senior Director of Impact Partnerships at Chobani, on why their companies are adopting this approach, how it fits alongside existing CSR and employee engagement strategies, and what they’ve learned along the way: what worked, what didn’t, and what surprised them.

This won’t just be a conversation. You’ll experience the model firsthand through a values-alignment activity that reflects what employees actually engage in: reflection, dialogue, and collective decision-making.

What You’ll Walk Away With:

• A clear understanding of how Giving Circles differ from traditional employee engagement models and when they work best
• Honest insight from practitioners on what it actually takes to implement this approach
• A framework for assessing fit and piloting Giving Circles within your existing strategy
• Firsthand experience of the kind of engagement this model is designed to create
• Practical next steps to move from interest to implementation