What is Pro Bono?

“Pro bono” is a Latin phrase which stands for the acceptance of professional work voluntarily and for free or at a discounted price as a form of public service especially for those who are unable to afford it. This is a common practice in many countries around the world especially in the field of law. In South Korea, lawyers are required to render at least 20 to 30 hours of pro bono work. In the U.S., the American Bar Association recommends lawyers to do at least 50 hours of pro bono work, especially for the poor and underserved.

Outside the field of law, pro bono work is also required in many companies as a part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). Most of the work involves helping nonprofit organizations or nonprofits, startup companies or startups, and local businesses.

There are many forms of assistance provided by firms and companies. One of them is loaning employees. This means professionals are sent to nonprofits to provide their expertise, skills, and knowledge. Another is coaching and mentoring where employees form a partnership with nonprofit peers and work with them to achieve effective business models that could improve the capacity of the nonprofit. This form of pro bono work is usually used by companies that sell commodities or services to cultivate a market, help the local economy, and train service-based companies.

One more type of service provided is called service marathon. It is often an organized event where professionals gather to complete pro bono work for long hours. Another form is standardized team projects where people are assigned in respective teams that have different responsibilities. They work with nonprofit partners to complete a specific task. The next form is open-ended outsourcing where services of professionals are provided as needed, especially when the nonprofit cannot afford to hire a professional to do the work.

One type of pro bono work, the sector-wide solution, usually provides software or other types of services or products that are either for free or at a discounted price. These types of products or services are usually distributed to all types of nonprofits. Probably the most social-oriented of all is called the signature issue approach where companies use pro bono work and corporate assets to address social problems. This type of approach is not only an act of altruism, but also an act of corporate branding that promotes a company’s name.

All these types of pro bono work benefit the recipients in many ways. However, they are also beneficial to service providers because pro bono is an opportunity for them to have growth and creativity.