Careers Blog: Making an impact through volunteering

In November 2022, Preqin teams came together for our inaugural Community Impact Month, where we partnered with non-profits around the globe to support our local communities. With a focus on people, planet, and education, it was a fantastic opportunity for us to contribute towards a more sustainable future.

One of the prevailing values that connects us all at Preqin is the desire to drive positive change. Whether we achieve this at the office or in our personal lives, we encourage each other to champion the collaboration, optimism, and innovation that we hope to see in the world.

Preqin’s Community Impact Month represents our shared commitment to this goal. Throughout November, over 250 team members from our international offices gave their time to help their local communities and provide support to the people and places that need it most.

We are incredibly proud of the commitment our colleagues have made to 15 incredible non-profit organizations. But don’t just take our word for it, here’s what some of our volunteers had to say…

Quinlan Abel (VP, Private Capital Research, Chicago):

“The Chicago office volunteered at Nourishing Hope, one of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries. Around 1 in 8 people in Cook County struggle with poverty and food insecurity, so the opportunity to provide some relief was very important to me and my colleagues.”

“Working with so many of my fellow Preqin team members to prepare food boxes for those in need was an extremely valuable experience. It was also great for colleagues who don’t typically work together to make new connections and friends as volunteers.”

“Even a single morning of volunteering can have a huge impact and help so many. By working towards a common goal, we were all able to build a better understanding of our community so that we can continue to advocate for those in need.”

Shaun Chng (Senior Data Operations Analyst, Singapore):

“We had two different initiatives in the Singapore office: urban farming and river cleaning. I chose the latter, working with a charity whose goal is to keep our waterways clean. Some of us got on kayaks and paddled down a river while picking up rubbish along the way, while others opted to do the same on a motorised boat. All in all, we cleaned up roughly 2kg of rubbish per person!”

“It was a great experience for all of us, getting out of our comfort zones a little to focus on something that we tend to take for granted – the environment. It was definitely great for team building, although as you might imagine, the kayakers were pretty tired by the end of the day!”

“I feel like people tend to expect too much from their attempts at volunteering or overthink it before they even get started. While we might feel like we’re only making a slight difference, that’s still a great achievement. Even the smallest contributions done right add up in the end.”

Reuben Lai (VP, Private Capital Research, Hong Kong):

“Volunteers from Preqin’s Hong Kong office went to Waterfall Bay to the south of the city. Our activities were split into two parts: a tour guide explaining to us the unique environment of the bay, followed by cleaning and surveying of the local area.”

“Hong Kong is a peninsula surrounded by hundreds of small islands and maintaining its coastline is crucial to the city’s sustainability efforts and its beauty. Ocean garbage is constantly being pushed to the shore by waves created by cruise and cargo ships – so it’s incredibly important to protect our fragile environment!”

“All in all, I enjoyed volunteering very much, as it was a great opportunity to make a difference and represent Preqin in the community. For anyone considering volunteering I would say – just do it! Your actions can make a huge difference to the world around you.”

Lauren Mason (AVP, Company Intelligence, RIDA – RDO, London):

“For my volunteering, I chose to a day of gardening and landscaping in Myatt’s Fields Park. My group was tasked with planting a dozen large cherry laurel shrubs and putting up fencing around a garden that grows food for the local community.”

“The shrubs were very large and heavy, so digging the holes for them was surprisingly hard work! When we finished it felt like a huge accomplishment, and an amazing opportunity for team building. There were colleagues I’d never actually met before, so it was great to get to know them in such a different setting!”

“I would definitely encourage anyone considering volunteering to do it without hesitation. It was incredibly rewarding and it’s so important we all give back to our communities.”

Community Impact Month has received fantastic feedback from all of our volunteers and partner organizations. Through our global efforts, we hope to have made a difference to some incredibly important causes, and plan to continue our tradition for many years to come.

Want to know more about our approach to corporate responsibility? Learn more here.

To find out more about our company and culture, go back to the main Careers page.