Recent research shows that skills-based volunteering is one of the most effective tools companies can utilize to engage employees, and the SAP Social Sabbatical serves as a prime example of how focusing on employee engagement can lead to incredible longevity for CSR programming.
In the SAP Social Sabbatical 2025 Annual Report, the program continues to demonstrate its value as a powerful employee engagement tool.
- 93% of participants reported increased interest in searching for ways to engage in their communities because of the Social Sabbatical.
- 86% shared the program gave them ideas that could benefit SAP.
- 83% reported they feel energized by their job.
Pyxera Global’s Client Manager and Program Design Lead, Nicholas Gioioso, shared the following about the SAP Social Sabbatical’s benefits:
“The numbers are compelling: two out of ten core professional competencies showed statistically significant improvement among participants, with Cultural Awareness & Agility leading the way as the program’s standout outcome. Skills like Business Acumen, Adaptability & Resilience, and Empathy also showed strong, measurable gains, which provides evidence that immersive, purpose-driven experiences develop the capabilities that today’s global workforce demands.”
Managers notice the changes in their employees as well.
“The enthusiasm that Divya had for the program and for the people she worked with and supported was palpable. The program gave her a different perspective in how to approach customer challenges,” shared Paul Sanders, the supervisor of Social Sabbatical participant Divya Mohan. “As engineers, we often find ourselves too far removed from the customer and their challenges and opportunities. The Social Sabbatical program puts people like Divya right in the heart of the issue.”
The organizations that the SAP employees collaborate with also experience the benefits of participating in the Social Sabbatical program.
- 92% of partner organizations were satisfied or highly satisfied with the quality and feasibility of the deliverables produced.
- 30% increase in partner organizations’ reported capacity to diversify their revenue and financing.
- 100% of partner organizations were happy with the relationship with their Social Sabbatical team.
Viktorija Nausėdė, CEO of Looptex, a Lithuanian partner organization, shared that “for a small team with limited resources, this was both an audit and a roadmap for growth, helping us prioritize daily processes and prepare for rapid scaling in Lithuania and beyond. As the founder, I must add that the SAP team’s presence validated our direction, tested our readiness, and strengthened our motivation. After the first week, the outcome had exceeded expectations, and four weeks later, we had the best feedback, the best results.”
The SAP Social Sabbatical continues to prove it is an effective and adaptable way to promote employee satisfaction while enabling partner organizations to further their missions through empowering collaboration with the SAP team. This is impact that matters.
