Social responsibility through the promotion of employee ambassadorship

In the last decade, in Lithuania and other countries, we can hear the words ‘ambassadorship’ and/or ‘ambassador’ more and more often in various contexts. We can call ambassadorship the representation, promotion or advocacy of a certain entity, cause or organization. We usually see ambassadors as representatives who communicate information and values and promote certain types of initiatives to different audiences.

More frequently, the term ‘ambassadorship’ is encountered not in isolation but within the framework of corporate contexts, commonly referred to as employee ambassadorship. This form of ambassadorship empowers employees within an organization to serve as advocates and supporters of the company’s mission, values, and objectives. Such individuals create significant value by representing the organization internally amongst peers and externally to clients, the broader community, and other stakeholders.

While one of the primary contexts in which employee ambassadorship emerged is its role in enhancing the company’s branding strategy, the increasing recognition of social responsibility within organizations has broadened the scope of employee ambassadorship. Today, employee-ambassadors not only contribute to strategic marketing goals, but also strengthen and help ensure the implementation of social responsibility commitments, thus creating significant value both for the organization and for themselves personally.

Employee ambassador program in Integre Trans

Recognizing the mutual benefits of ambassadorship and the enthusiasm among our employees, we initiated an employee ambassadorship program within the Integre Trans group of companies. Gabrielė Eidukevičiūtė, the program manager, provides further insights into this initiative.

Values of ambassadorship for the company and employees

A year has passed since the start of the Integre Trans ambassadorship program, during which we’ve observed numerous benefits it continues to yield for both the company and its employees.

Foremost among these advantages is the cultivation of the organization’s image within the public sphere, particularly from an employer standpoint. The authentic content created by employees in the public space, revealing the company’s internal culture and its activities, holds far greater credibility than similar content disseminated through official company channels. Such employee-driven information not only gains broader visibility but also reaches larger audiences who trust the experiences, impressions, and expertise shared by employees. Consequently, this helps in shaping the company’s reputation positively.

Greater visibility and a more sincere presentation of the company through the prism of employees helps to be noticed and establish relationships with potential employees, thus ambassadors significantly contribute to the search and attraction of new talents.

At the same time, in order to retain existing employees, we see that ambassadorship promotes employee loyalty, motivation and also the involvement of both the ambassadors themselves and the employees of their environment.

While the ambassador program offers numerous benefits to the company, it’s crucial for employees to feel valued for successful engagement. In reality, employees gain a lot from participating in the program—such as new experiences, stepping out of their comfort zones, growth opportunities, and making valuable connections. Ramunė Sribikė, one of the program’s most active participants, shares the benefits she’s received and what being a company ambassador means to her.

The contribution of the ambassador program to the promotion and formation of social responsibility

A successfully developed ambassador program can help not only to form a positive company reputation and increase awareness, but also to play an extremely significant role in shaping and ensuring the implementation of social responsibility, creating a sustainable organizational culture and enabling positive impacts in the wider community.

Active engagement. One of the vital components of ambassadorship is the proactive involvement of employees in the company’s activities. Ambassadors’ engagement in various initiatives, spanning from social endeavors to representing the company externally, ensures the successful implementation of such projects. Additionally, the initiative demonstrated by ambassadors themselves is crucial. Thanks to these proactive employees, the organization develops valuable new programs and promotes sustainable business growth.

Leading through example. Ambassadors’ active participation in diverse sustainability initiatives—ranging from tree planting to engaging in company-sponsored volunteer activities—serves as inspiration, fostering a positive domino effect to promote inclusivity and solidify sound social responsibility practices among employees.

Promoting a culture of awareness. Ambassadors, being curious and open-minded, often lead the way in understanding and embracing the company’s stance on various sustainability matters. They actively contribute to shaping these values and fostering a culture of awareness, disseminating it both internally and externally in the company’s communication channels and in their environment.

External representation. Ambassadors are able and willing to represent the organization in external projects, including community events, university collaborations, conferences, and partnership projects. This fosters stronger ties with diverse stakeholders of the company and promotes the creation of added value.

Providing feedback. Ambassadors often act as a bridge between employees and the organization’s social responsibility efforts. Their personal and peer feedback – comments, suggestions, concerns – helps to develop and improve initiatives and direction related to the promotion of social responsibility, ensuring their continued relevance and effectiveness.

Continuous learning and development. The ambassadorship program encourages and provides opportunities for personal and professional growth through training, seminars, participation in different projects and expanding the circle of contacts. Opportunities to develop new skills and strengthen existing ones, in turn, increase employee loyalty and job satisfaction.

Although ensuring the successful implementation of the ambassador program creates certain challenges, we can say that it also acts as a strong catalyst that promotes and significantly strengthens social responsibility in the organization’s culture, thus contributing to sustainable business success and the cultivation of overall environmental well-being.