Managing companywide volunteer waivers

Companywide waivers give you centralized control over the language used in waivers and help reduce risk by standardizing the waiver experience for all volunteer opportunities. The waiver, once enabled, automatically applies to all existing and future opportunities, including those created through bulk import. This streamlines compliance and supports global consistency for volunteers.

Note: Once the waiver has been enabled, anyone who signs up to an existing or future activity must sign it. However, anyone who has already signed up to an opportunity will not be prompted to sign the waiver.

Permissions

Anyone with the role manager or site settings manager user roles can manage companywide waivers.

Enabling a mandatory waiver across all opportunities

You can configure a single, mandatory waiver that automatically applies to every opportunity created in Benevity Volunteer. This waiver cannot be edited or removed by opportunity creators, ensuring consistent waiver language across your entire program.

To set up a mandatory companywide waiver:

1. Select Manage in the top right, followed by Site Settings > Volunteer Settings.
2. Locate the Waivers section and select Enabled under Companywide waiver.
3. Add your waiver link and add optional custom checkbox text in all languages your program requires.
4. Save your changes.

Tip: Notify your opportunity creators about this change so they understand how the new waiver differs from the optional, event-specific waiver they can still add.

Allowing event-specific waivers for unique needs

While the companywide waiver is required for all opportunities if enabled, opportunity creators can still include a secondary, event-specific waiver. This gives them flexibility to address risks or considerations unique to a particular activity.

To add an event-specific waiver:

1. Go to the Volunteers tab, when creating or editing a volunteering opportunity.
2. Add your event-specific waiver link under the Waiver section and specify whether it is mandatory or optional for volunteers to complete.
   Note: Most waivers should be marked as mandatory. However, if your waiver covers something like permission to take photographs, it may be appropriate to make it optional.
3. Save the opportunity.

Both waivers appear during the volunteer sign-up process. Volunteers only need to select one checkbox to accept all applicable waivers.

Controlling proxy sign-ups for waivers

You can configure whether opportunity creators are allowed to sign up volunteers on their behalf. Disabling this option ensures that each volunteer signs themselves up and accepts the waiver directly, providing clear and explicit consent.

This setting gives your organization added control over how legal agreements are accepted and helps reduce risk by ensuring each individual acknowledges the waiver terms.

Customizing waiver acceptance language

You can tailor the waiver acceptance language to ensure volunteers clearly understand what they are agreeing to.

To customize waiver acceptance text:

1. Go to Manage, followed by Settings > Volunteer Settings.
2. In the Mandatory Waiver section, enter the waiver confirmation text you want for each language in your program.
3. Save your changes.

This text supports translations, helping you provide a localized experience for your global teams.