EDITORIAL: Merits of pro bono work

The term "pro bono" is gaining wider currency in business circles these days. It is derived from the Latin, "pro bono publico" (for the public good). The expression refers to activities of professionals volunteering their expertise to assist, for instance, nonprofit organizations.

The American Bar Association actively took on pro bono work. And in Japan also, the Daini Tokyo Bar Association requires that its members volunteer their services as a way of making a meaningful contribution to society.

The practice has now spread from the legal profession to the private sector. People are offering their skills in areas ranging from information technology and public relations to sales and market analysis and design to assist the management of NPOs. The NPOs benefit greatly, but it is also good for those who offer their expertise for free. It helps motivate them and make them more creative. There is also merit for employers in having such people on their staff. It can only make the companies more competitive. This may well be a case of killing three birds with one stone.

In the United States and Europe, pro bono work by businesses is considered part of their social responsibility. We want this notion to take root in Japan, too.

The rise of pro bono work is supported by a specialized organization that connects working people with NPOs. Service Grant began offering the service in 2005 in Tokyo by introducing pro bono activities in the United States to Japan. More than 500 people who have signed up have assisted 46 groups. Service Grant helps NPOs to set up their websites and prepare pamphlets to introduce their activities as well as presentation materials. It also provides tips on how to operate.

Another group in Tokyo, called Nimaime no Meishi (A second business card), is seeking to become an NPO. This group comprises finance professionals and accountants who met while studying in Britain. Their goal is to support NPO operations, primarily through accounting, financial management and market research. They are expanding their network.

People get involved in pro bono work for all manner of reasons. Some are interested in making a social contribution. Some hope to do things that are appreciated by others. Some seek to broaden their horizons and gain more experience.

Japan has more than 40,000 NPOs. Many have problems in the areas of management and finances, leaving plenty of room for pro bono work. The participation of employees in pro bono activities can also be of immense benefit to their companies. This is because, in the long run, pro bono work serves to enhance employee creativity. That leads to a more positive attitude. The more knowledge is used, the more sophisticated it becomes.

If employees are given an opportunity to apply their professional abilities for the public good in a totally unrelated field, then the breadth of their ideas and innovation will certainly increase. Pro bono work is a short-cut for personnel training, and should be encouraged, even to the point of providing preferential funds and vacations. It should be management's mission to create a rewarding and creative work environment by making use of those employees who take on pro bono work, learning from their work attitude and lifestyles.

Currently, groups that help connect people who want to do pro bono work with organizations who need help are concentrated in Tokyo. Probonet is a Tokyo-based group of 100 members, mostly consultants, who are working to standardize pro bono contracts and work. The aim is to make it easier to start up similar intermediary groups in regional cities. We hope that the fledgling pro bono movement in Japan will create a positive circle of workers, society and businesses, spreading it across the country.

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 26