Case Studies

These case studies explore various benefits of social impact for corporations and nonprofits. Here you'll read about the correlation between strategic social impact and positive ROI for organizations and how social responsibility impacts communities. This page is regularly updated with insights and success stories that highlight the power of social responsibility.

Case Study Spotlight: Talent Retention Study

Benevity’s 2022 Talent Retention Study examined 10.6 million users across more than 400 companies, finding a strong connection between employee participation in social impact programs and lower turnover.

There is a link between an employee’s participation in a corporate purpose program and how long they stay at a company — particularly during their first 2.5 years.
30% lower turnover overall among employees participating in giving, volunteering, and other purpose initiatives.
An opportunity to engage early: employees with less than one year of tenure participated at just 6%, compared with 20% among those with more than two years.
Purpose program impact various by industry, with Retail, Business Services, Real Estate, and Finance finding the highest benefit.

Business takeaway: Integrating meaningful social impact opportunities into onboarding and ongoing employee engagement may support retention and reduce hiring and training costs.

Source: Benevity’s Talent Retention Study, November 2022.

Case Study Spotlight: PayPal’s Investment in Employee Financial Wellness

PayPal launched its Employee Financial Wellness Initiative in 2019 to strengthen employees’ financial security while supporting a more stable, engaged workforce.

Targeted support: Raised wages where needed, reduced health insurance costs, provided employee equity, and offered financial education.
Lower turnover: Global customer service turnover fell from 19.4% in 2019 to 7.3% in 2020.
Stronger engagement: Overall employee engagement increased four points to 84, alongside improvements in productivity and customer loyalty.
Potential cost savings: PayPal estimated each one-percentage-point reduction in attrition could save $500,000 annually through reduced recruiting and training costs and higher productivity.

Business takeaway: Addressing employees’ financial needs can create social value while supporting retention, customer service, and operational performance.

These results occurred alongside pandemic-related changes; the case does not isolate the initiative’s contribution or establish its net financial ROI.

Source: MIT Sloan, “PayPal and the Financial Wellness Initiative,” August 2022.

Case Study Spotlight: Burt’s Bees Creates Community Impact Through Partnership

Burt’s Bees in Durham partnered with Life Experiences, a Cary nonprofit employing adults with disabilities, to improve waste management while supporting meaningful employment.

Strategic partnership: Workers separated unsellable products from their packaging so the materials could be composted or recycled.
Measurable results: Of 30,000 pounds processed, 20,000 pounds were composted and 7,000 pounds recycled.
Operational improvement: Waste-to-energy processing decreased 90% for those materials, helping advance the company’s sustainability goals.
Community benefit: The partnership supported paid, meaningful work for adults with disabilities.

Business takeaway: Aligning a business challenge with a nonprofit’s capabilities can create measurable operational benefits while supporting community needs.

Source: The Clorox Company, “How We’re Reducing Waste and Creating Jobs in Durham,” April 2017.

Case Study Spotlight: nCino Connects Employees with Community Impact

Wilmington-based nCino supports community involvement through nVolve, its employee-led volunteer program, combining employee benefits with ongoing nonprofit partnerships.

Support for participation: Employees receive two paid volunteer days annually and up to $100 in donation matching.
Measurable engagement: Its FY2025 ESG report recorded 451 employees volunteering globally—approximately one in four employees.
Community investment: nCino reported $2.5 million in direct charitable giving worldwide across fiscal years 2022–2025.
Local partnerships: Wilmington activities include beach cleanups, community gardening, food bank service, and support for the Young Scientist Academy.

Business takeaway: Integrating social impact into employee benefits creates opportunities for team connection and community involvement, with participation data providing a foundation for measuring progress.

Source: nCino’s FY2025 ESG Report and nVolve Community Program.