In her current role at Target Corporation, Laysha Ward oversees domestic and international grantmaking, community sponsorships, cause marketing initiatives, volunteerism, and other civic activities.

She received a BA in Journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington and a Master's Degree in Social Service Administration, with an emphasis in nonprofit management and public policy, from the University of Chicago. She started her career with the Target Corporation in 1991.

Laysha serves on the boards of the Executive Leadership Council, a national membership organization for African-American executives; the Tiger Woods Learning Center, an education facility located in Southern California; and is a member of The Links, an international women's service organization. She was also recently appointed to the Corporation for National and Community Service board.

How are pro bono service and skills-based volunteerism different than other forms of volunteerism?
At Target, giving to the community is part of our corporate DNA. Since 1946, we've given five percent of our income -- which today equals more than $3 million every week -- and millions of volunteer hours to strengthen the communities we serve. For years we've worked hard to innovate to ensure our corporate giving goes beyond writing a check to include not only the time of our workforce, but also their talents and our expertise as a retail business.

We believe pro bono gives us an opportunity to take our wide range of business skills -- from marketing and construction to technology and distribution -- and share them with the public and independent sectors to help solve social issues. Pro bono service allows us to build and enhance our partners' capacity. We help build expertise within their organization and help them to operate differently, and by doing so we make an impact that resonates long after we leave. That's one of the great and lasting benefits of pro bono service.

But be clear. All forms of service are good and necessary, whether it's hands-on volunteerism, pro bono work, or board service. We want to offer a range of ways to engage our team members.

What's in it for you? What's the benefit of pro bono service to a major corporation?
To put it into business terms, the value proposition is clear. Pro bono service enhances our reputation and brand, helps us recruit and retain top talent, creates measurable social impact, and aligns with our corporate giving objectives to support our business, community, and team. And we hope our leadership in this arena inspires others to get involved, as well.

We're also learning from our experiences and from leaders in the nonprofit sector who have much to offer. Many of our nonprofit partners provide insights that we apply to our own business challenges. In the end, there are benefits for everyone. It's a win for our communities, a win for our business, and a win for our team.

Deloitte's 2008 Volunteer IMPACT survey reveals that the majority of human resource professionals see a value in pro bono work, but only a small number of companies offer skills-based volunteering programs. What do you see as the reason for this disparity?
Much of our pro bono work at Target has been happening organically throughout the organization for a number of years. It's only recently that we and other companies have begun looking for manageable, scalable ways -- at a grassroots level -- to plan, provide for, and measure pro bono work going forward.

The key is finding the intersection where "top down" executive support meets the "fire in the belly" passion of your workforce. Once you've found that sweet spot, you can begin creating a program that's right for your company, your team, and your nonprofit partners. And whether you're launching a new product marketing campaign or a pro bono strategy, you have many considerations:

• What are your objectives, strategy, and timeline?
• Who's your core audience, stakeholder, or guest segment?
• Do you have the right people, tools, and resources?
• What are the roles and responsibilities for you, nonprofits, and agency partners around workflow, approvals, and decision making process?
• Do you and your community partners share values while appreciating your respective cultures and work styles?
• What's the potential impact on your business, the community, and your team?
• How will you measure success?
• How do you make it sustainable?

But there's no free lunch. There are expenses to absorb as part of a commitment to pro bono. Developing the right financial model is key.

How do you see skills-based volunteerism changing the way we work and what it means to work? What about how we think about philanthropy?
Corporate giving in the traditional sense is no longer just a nice thing to do. The issues facing our companies and communities are complex and changing rapidly, and we know that many corporations are looking for ways to create authentic bonds or relationships with the community. We believe pro bono service is a meaningful way to deepen that connection.

Critical to the success of any pro bono service program is staying focused on impact. And as with anything worth doing, it's not always easy, but it's incredibly fun, rewarding, and inspiring. Each company or professional services organization must assess the best strategy and approach for their company and then innovate, lead, inspire, and move from good to great. Dollars and time are just the price of admission when it comes to philanthropy. But creating measurable and sustainable social impact requires the talents of your workforce and expertise of your business.

Is there a way that technology can or is playing a role in the success of pro bono service?
Many companies make a huge investment in technology tools, training, and personnel, and there are so many opportunities to apply them to nonprofit partners. As an example, a few years ago Target leveraged the telecommunications skills of our technology services team to help the National Domestic Violence Hotline expand its services to accommodate deaf and hearing-impaired callers. It was a case of knowing and understanding the needs of our nonprofit partner and the audience it serves, and filling that need by providing a technology that not only builds capacity but creates measurable and sustainable impact.

Technology is just one of many tools in a company's toolbox that can be used to create a successful pro bono service program.