Interpretation and practical framework of pro bono, as a professional volunteerism
Márta Nárai
Abstract
Pro bono, or professional or expertise-based volunteering, is a form of social responsibility/commitment that provides significant added social and economic value. Over the past 10-15 years, it has started to gain ground in Hungary as well. Many companies incorporate it into their CSR or ESG activities, but individuals outside of corporate frameworks also provide free expertise-based services to disadvantaged individuals or typically civil/nonprofit organizations, who cannot afford the market price for these services, or provide organizations with knowledge that is absent from their operations. There is a lot of discussion about pro bono nowadays, sometimes to the extent that we believe we know exactly what it means and in what framework the term can be interpreted. This study aims to address this deficiency by examining frameworks for interpreting pro bono beyond its most general and well-known conceptual definition. It provides a detailed presentation of its theoretical embedding (e.g., corporate social responsibility, social capital, social participation/role engagement, voluntarism, motivational approaches), discusses the range and possibilities of its practical applications. Additionally, it touches on international norms and standards related mainly to legal pro bono services. In the future, the demand for pro bono services provided in various fields is expected to grow; however, it is important to emphasize that those offering pro bono services primarily rely on market-priced services. They may be socially sensitive and committed to pro bono as much as possible, but their capability to do so is economically constrained. This also sets limits on the possibility and spread of pro bono.
Keywords: pro bono, professional volunteering, expertise, civil/nonprofit organizations, corporate social responsibility, social value