A year of impact and ambition

Pilotlight, the organisation dedicated to connecting business expertise with charity ambition, has today launched its 2025 Impact Report. The report highlights a landmark year, revealing that 1,259 business experts contributed their skills to 162 charity projects, ultimately benefiting over 11 million people.

This marks a record-breaking period for the engagement of business professionals who participate in Pilotlight's bespoke programmes. These initiatives are designed to bring together leaders from various sectors to tackle strategic challenges faced by charities, ranging from leadership and governance to operational delivery.

The model is designed for mutual benefit. Charities receive access to valuable skills and insights they might not otherwise have, while business participants gain real-world learning and a sense of purpose from contributing to social causes. Pilotlight terms this unique exchange "learning by doing good".

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Alison Forrestal, Chair of Pilotlight, stated, "This report sets out our impact over the last year, one in which we have engaged and benefited more people than ever. Thank you to everyone who has taken part".

Key findings from the 2025 Impact Report include:

• Record Engagement: 1,259 business participants worked on 162 projects with 142 unique charities in 2024.
• High Satisfaction: Satisfaction rates exceeded targets, with charity participants scoring an average of 4.8 and business participants 4.6, against a target of 4.2.
• Enhanced Skills: A significant number of business participants reported increased confidence in key areas, with 73% feeling more adept at breaking down ambiguous problems and 71% at translating vision into actionable steps.
• Return on Investment: Research from PBE (Pro Bono Economics) included in the report indicates that workplace volunteering schemes like those run by Pilotlight can generate a return to the business of up £3.60 for every £1 spent.
• Proven Impact: Case studies within the report demonstrate the transformative effect of the programmes. Youth Leads UK implemented a new, more efficient operating model after participating in the Pilotlight 360 programme , while Just Psychology developed a sustainable growth strategy through the Inclusive Leadership programme.