Employee Programs

Our more than 3,000 employees — the majority located in our home office in Portland, Oregon — are a major part of our culture of caring. Not surprisingly, our employees place a high value on giving back, partnering with the company to find ways to make a difference and support our communities.

Here are just a few of the ways we partner with our employees to create opportunities and deliver results:

Employee Giving Campaign

Our company wide giving event matches employee contributions, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000 per person, to any eligible 501(c)(3) or academic organization. There are also picnics, games, bake sales and even an online auction to help raise funds, build awareness about the campaign and celebrate our culture of giving.

Paid Time Off for Volunteering

The Standard provides employees with paid time off annually to volunteer. Many employees use those hours, and more, to support community partners such as schools, Meals on Wheels, literacy programs and many other worthy groups. That time adds up to tens of thousands of hours supporting their favorite nonprofit organizations.

Day of Caring Events

The company hosts Day of Caring volunteer events to focus even more support on community partners such as Forest Park Conservancy, Trillium Family Services, Oregon Food Bank and other organizations working to strengthen our communities.

Jeans Days Program

The Jeans Days program allows employees to wear jeans on Thursdays and Fridays in exchange for a $100 donation to one of several nonprofit partner organizations. It's a fun — and effective — way to raise money. Dressing down never did so much good!

Dollars for Doers

The Standard supports employees who volunteer their time to community nonprofits by offering up to 20 corporate contributions of $1,000 each to the organizations where employees volunteer. Established in 1985, the annual Dollars for Doers program encourages employees who volunteer at least 20 hours a year at an eligible nonprofit to become grantmakers by supporting their engagement with additional philanthropic support from The Standard.

Nonprofit Board Training

The Standard expects officers of the company to serve on at least one school, civic or nonprofit board of directors. We also offer board training for all interested employees. This training prepares leaders for the unique challenges and opportunities of serving on a nonprofit board. Sometimes volunteering business expertise is the most valuable donation a community partner can receive.

Volunteer Expos

Each September, The Standard hosts Volunteer Expos in Portland (Oregon's largest volunteer expo) and in Cincinnati, Ohio. These expos help connect employees and the public with the local volunteer opportunities that match their interests and expertise. More than 150 nonprofits participate in our expos and hundreds of employees visited and volunteered at the events, helping to connect members of the public with local nonprofits.

The Leo Award

In 2008, The Standard established the Leo Award program in honor of our founder, Leo Samuel. Each year, the company recognizes four employee volunteers — nominated by their peers and determined by popular vote — who exemplify the community spirit of Leo Samuel. Winners receive a cash award for themselves and a cash donation to their nonprofit from The Standard. The program provides increased visibility for nonprofit organizations along with well-deserved recognition for the many employee volunteers who devote countless hours and energy to these organizations.