When you think about your career, what comes to mind?

More often than not, the conversations we have, articles written, and even top search results about career growth tend to focus on professional goals such as gaining workplace skills training, joining higher-visibility project teams, or being promoted.

While these opportunities for progress are valuable to our professional development, at Cause Strategy Partners, we view a career as a journey of achievement, learning, and growth in both workforce and service capacities. We believe that building a service career alongside a professional career is critical to the well-being of employees, employers, and our society.

On the surface, that might seem an overwhelming expectation, especially when many employees who want to integrate doing social good into their daily lives have demands on their time and energy outside of the regular workday that prevent them from doing so.

Causies care about giving back.

Whether volunteering at a local food bank, collecting funding or supplies for emergency relief organizations, or committing to board service, CSP team members are Causies at heart. The causes we are passionate about differ from one person to the next, and might change over time, but we believe that service is a fulfilling, worthwhile, and enjoyable use of our time and talents.

More importantly, we recognize that this passion for giving back goes beyond our organization. Many people want to contribute their knowledge and skills to connect with a cause they care about.

We also know — from research, surveys, and our own anecdotal experience — that employees are placing greater emphasis on joining workplaces with a people-first culture and that have programs and infrastructure in place in support of service work.

This is where CSP comes in. Our team members are fortunate enough to have the causes we care about inherently linked to our professional skills and areas of expertise. However, a career that combines day-to-day work experience with growth in a cause area is not only achievable outside of the social good sector; it is the type of career CSP has already enabled for countless professionals working in a range of industries.

Employees and employers benefit from sustainable, meaningful skills growth through service.

CSP knows from experience that meaningfully integrating service into one’s career requires employer support. Our primary mission is to help organizations provide this support through employee board service training and placement opportunities.

Employees already possess skills and knowledge that are valuable in their workplaces. Applying those capabilities in a board leadership role further develops qualities that benefit any professional setting. Board service exposes employees to new settings and different industries, expands their contact networks, and provides an avenue for skills growth that feeds back into the workplace, establishing a strong ROI case for employer investment in CSP’s board service opportunities.

CSP connects executives and employees at leading global companies and professional services firms with opportunities to serve on nonprofit boards. Our BoardLead online platform provides curated board matching and placement services and our Concierge Board Placement service connects senior executives at top companies with Board of Director opportunities at high-profile nonprofits.

When employers create or extend opportunities for everyone to engage in service through their workplace, building a service career moves beyond a desire to possibility.