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vanshika_sanghi
Associate
Associate
256
The SAP Social Sabbatical Program, or SoSa, is a CSR initiative hosted by SAP that collaborates with and consults non-profit organisations and social enterprises through pro bono consulting. In 2022, I had the amazing opportunity to participate as a consultant from SAP, working with Hasiru Dala Innovations (HDI), a total waste management company that supports the waste pickers gig economy, headquartered in Bangalore. As an alum, this year, I had the wonderful chance to mentor a group of talented SAP professionals and guide them through the experience of working with a non-profit.

The weeks leading up to SoSa are filled with excitement! There are team introductions, engaging activities, and orientation calls that help us get to know our teams, set expectations, and understand project requirements. We also get virtually introduced to the respective host organisations (in our case, it was Cheshire Disability Trust, CDT) to understand their pain points. The early weeks build up to the scoping workshop where all participants in the engagement meet in person, including the host organisations, to finalise project scopes. You can sense the wonderful energy in the room, with everyone having valuable, intentional, and important conversations. Everyone is there to work towards a cause, and you can see the determination in their eyes!

 


 

As a mentor this year, I was ecstatic to learn that my team of three, Nilanjana, Ravi and Jitesh (SAP Employees) will be working as pro bono consultants with Cheshire Disability Trust (CDT). CDT is an organisation committed to empowering People with Disabilities (PWDs) through comprehensive skills training and job placement. They operate numerous geographically dispersed training centers, which presented a unique challenge in maintaining consistency in coaching and mentoring quality, adhering to funders' requirements, and impacting monitoring and evaluation.

The project had to focus on developing a comprehensive framework for their reporting and monitoring system, creating templates for standardised reports, and ensuring overall consistency. The problem statement posed a real challenge in CDT's operations, and our team had to find a solution within a two-week timeframe. As a mentor, my goal was unique. I aimed to assist the SAP team to the best of my abilities, based on my experiences working with non-profits, to enable them to work with the host organisations as seamlessly as possible. This made me reflect on how I could utilise my skills and expertise to help my team fulfil their objectives.

During the scoping workshop, we used the diamond approach, expanding ideas and problems widely but then arriving at a conclusive point to highlight an exact project scope to CDT with a definitive timeline. The team's brimming enthusiasm made the conversation even more insightful and engaging, as we discussed many ideas and problem areas. It was inspiring to see everyone speak with such intention, using their professional skills with a genuine desire to drive change!



 

 

Throughout the course of the engagement, we experienced a wide range of emotions. From the anticipation of exploring the scope to dealing with intimidating and tight timelines, our team transformed into a mini-startup! As consultants, we had to harness all our existing skills used in our day-to-day jobs while also being open to learning new ones. Thanks to SoSa, we ended up exploring new tools, learning on the job, and employing quick problem-solving techniques to deliver the best solutions to our organisations. It was all worth it in the end because we saw our solutions driving social impact and making a tangible difference. Witnessing the satisfaction of our host organisations during the final presentations and closing workshops made us even more delighted!

Local Social Sabbatical not only provides us with a platform to work with host organisations but also equips us with skills and knowledge that we can apply back at SAP and integrate into our daily professional work. As a User Experience Designer, I had several takeaways from my SoSa experience that made me reflect further.

I've highlighted some below -


 

All in all, this is undoubtedly a must-do CSR engagement if you're an employee at SAP! Through this experience, I witnessed firsthand the profound difference that can be made when we combine our professional skills with a genuine desire to drive change. Collaborating with non-profits opens one's eyes to better understand the pressing social issues faced by the community. Having this kind of exposure at SAP and using our time and expertise to address social issues makes me truly believe that we're here to help businesses run better and make a positive impact! The SAP Social Sabbatical Program truly provided me with a unique way to engage with my community in a participatory manner, learn on the job, and utilise my professional skills in a meaningful way. It has been a transformative experience, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. Here's to many more!


SAP Local Social Sabbatical India (Bangalore 2023 Cohort)