Skills sponsorship is an increasingly popular initiative, especially among senior employees for whom this approach offers a smooth transition between the professional world and retirement.

By devoting part of their working time to an association, these experienced employees can find meaning in their work by contributing to missions of general interest while remaining attached to their company.

Since its establishment in 2003, Skill sponsorship attracts a growing number of companies and employees who want to invest in projects that have a positive social impact on society.

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What does skills sponsorship at the end of career consist of?

Senior skills sponsorship allows employees at the end of their career to put their expertise at the service of associations or projects of general interest during their working time.

During the mission, the employees concerned remain employees of their company but it is the association for which they are committed that entrusts them with projects to carry out.

This system is increasingly popular with employers, as well as employees, because it makes it possible to calmly prepare for the transition to retirement.

This process can be done full-time or part-time, on an ad hoc or regular basis, according to the modalities agreed between the employer, the employee and the association. The company remains legally the employer of the employee concerned, but it is the beneficiary organization that manages the work during this period. This form of commitment can last up to three years.

End-of-career sponsorship has a double advantage: associations can benefit from the free expertise of experienced employees, who have an enriching experience and can value their professional career.

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What is the impact of senior skills sponsorship on salary and retirement?

Senior skills sponsorship generally does not affect the salary of employees. The latter continue to receive their usual remuneration from the company, which considers the time spent on missions of general interest as working time.

Regarding retirement, the employee continues to contribute normally, which does not have a negative impact on his pension rights.

Thus, skills sponsorship is a good solution for employees close to retirement who want to be socially involved without compromising their financial security.

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What are the advantages of skills sponsorship at the end of career?

For the employee at the end of their career

For senior employees, skills sponsorship offers several advantages, such as:

• Feeling useful through missions with a social impact;
• Transmit their know-how and develop new social skills;
• Continue to be paid by their employer while maintaining their usual benefits, such as paid leave and the thirteenth month.

This human experience also helps to reinforce their sense of personal and professional accomplishment.

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For the company

On the corporate side, senior skills sponsorship also offers specific advantages, in particular:

• Strengthen corporate social responsibility (CSR) and improve its brand image by demonstrating a concrete commitment to social causes;
• Facilitate the transition of senior employees to retirement while promoting their internal commitment;
• Benefit from advantageous tax deductions, as the State takes care of part of the associated costs, thus providing an additional financial advantage to the company.

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For the association

Skills sponsorship in associations makes it possible to put the expertise and experience of senior employees at the service of the needs of a particular organization.

They provide them with valuable skills and resources that they would not otherwise have been able to obtain, which improves their effectiveness and social impact.

According to a 2022 study conducted by the collective of commitment actors, 69% of associations believe that engagement missions, such as sponsorship or skills volunteering, have allowed them to better support their beneficiaries. On the other hand, 62% were able to access human resources that they lacked internally.

Experienced employees thus contribute to the implementation of complex projects and strengthen the operational capacities of associations. In addition, these employees often choose to continue their commitment on a long-term basis by volunteering with the association once they retire, thus ensuring continuity and strengthening human resources in the long term.

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How to organize senior skills sponsorship in your company?

The first step in setting up a senior skills sponsorship program is to identify the needs of partner associations and align them with the skills of senior employees. The company can then develop a formal framework for skills sponsorship, including agreements on the duration of missions, objectives and monitoring procedures.

It is also important to communicate and inform employees about skills sponsorship opportunities and to support them throughout the process. Finally, the company must provide evaluation mechanisms to measure the impact of missions on associations and the benefits for employees and the company.

Creating a dedicated senior skills sponsorship program can be a complex challenge. From the identification of associative partnerships to the implementation of the sponsorship mission, Komeet supports companies at each stage of the creation of a societal project.

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How does tax exemption for skills sponsorship at the end of career work?

Senior skills sponsorship allows companies to benefit from a corporate tax reduction by making their senior employees available free of charge for missions within organizations of general interest.

This reduction corresponds to 60% of the wage costs and employer social security contributions of the employees concerned, up to a limit of 20,000 euros or 0.5% of annual turnover excluding taxes, with a possible delay of five years.

To benefit from it, companies must provide supporting documents detailing the missions carried out and their cost.

To find out more about tax exemption, consult the article Skills sponsorship: tax exemption and legal framework

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What types of solidarity missions can we carry out with which associations?

Senior skills sponsorship offers a multitude of opportunities to put your expertise to good use while supporting important causes.

• For example, with The Solidarity Tie, employees can register as a volunteer community leader. A perfect role for those who like to energize and coordinate teams.
• The mission of the association C'Possible proposes to become a referent in a vocational high school in order to share your knowledge to help young people move towards their future careers.
• For fans of analysis, Action Against Hunger offers an organizational audit mission, ideal for those who want to help an association optimize its processes.
• THEANRH offers in particular the opportunity to become a sustainable development project manager, an excellent way to apply your skills to green and inclusive projects.

• Finally, it is possible to support a young person in their schooling with Friendly school support by providing them with the tools they need for academic success.

These missions, available on the Komeet social engagement platform, not only allow you to value your professional experience, but also to make a significant difference in projects that deserve to be supported.

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An example of a senior corporate skills sponsorship program

The Servier company has been running a skills sponsorship program since 2016 via its Mécénat Servier endowment fund, which has already made it possible to carry out more than 3500 solidarity actions.

To further increase their social impact, they launched a senior skills sponsorship program in 2023.

This program allows employees nearing retirement to get involved in associative projects for a minimum period of six months within non-profit organizations.

During this period, they continue to receive their usual remuneration and keep their salary rights. This program is open to all employees who have to work for another six months to two years before they retire at full rate and who have at least ten years of experience.

This initiative aims to enhance the skills of seniors while providing valuable support to associations.

In short, senior skills sponsorship represents a valuable opportunity for employees at the end of their career, companies and associations.

By promoting this form of commitment, companies can not only respond to social responsibility issues, but also enrich the experience of their employees while supporting causes of general interest.

Do you want to set up a skills sponsorship program for your employees at the end of their career?

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Contact the Komeet teams and discover our solutions to support you in this project!

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