Celebrating Impact Business Charity Awards

B.U.G.S House, London Zoo

17 April 2013

In April 2013, we held an event to celebrate the achievements of charity partnerships ahead of the 2013 Business Charity Awards.

We asked guests to let us ‘step into their shoes’ by completing a postcard for our washing line made from shoe laces to highlight the impact they were there to celebrate.

Find out what they had to say....

“Our project raised awareness on the diversity of daily life all over the world to a global audience. Taking 100,000 photos submitted on one day in May 2012, we used this content to create the world's largest digital photographic exhibition. The exhibition ran for one day in October, starting in Australia, finishing in America. In total we reached 46 million people.”

Aegis plc and Aday.org

“Through the QEII Fields Challenge we have been able to ensure the green heart of hundreds of communities across the UK is now protected forever. Future generations will always be able to enjoy their own slice of legacy from the big events of 2012 - Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic and Paralympics Games.”

ASDA and Fields in Trust

“Working together for Better Homes for Britain. By working together we are:1. Improving standards in the private rental sector by: funding research and implementing findings; joint advocacy around national minimum standards for landlords and tenants awareness of their rights; improving safety.2. Funding tenants who are financially vulnerable and at risk of losing their home: providing debt and fuel efficiency advice.3. Helping Shelter build capacity - retail stock generation programmes / skills transfer / digital support / creation of volunteering framework.”

British Gas and Shelter

“Together we are working to tackle youth unemployment in the local area. Although the 'Watford Works' project is still in its infancy we have a winning combination. Together we aim to support and inspire many young adults to a better future. 'Playing Our Part in the Local Community‘”

Camelot and Watford FC's Community Sports and Education Trust

“We launched a joint 3 month fundraising campaign in October 2012, aimed at raising £50,000 for CLIC Sargent. The partnership was a huge success, not only helping to raise awareness of the charity's work to Dobbies’ millions of customers, but also doubling our target to raise £100,000 - helping to fund over 4,300 hours of care for children and young people with cancer across the UK. The Santa's arrival event, where children with cancer were able to ride into Dobbie's stores on Santa's sleigh provided magical memories to children and their families across the UK during a very difficult time.”

Dobbies Garden Centres and CLIC Sargent

“We have been working with Christian Aid for 3 years. We have a fully integrated, mutually beneficial partnership. We provide pragmatic and financial support to Christian Aid and are continually expanding our involvement.”

Good Little Company and Christian Aid

“Through our partnership we have supported the PRF to offer grants to over 36 breast cancer charities and hospices. As a smaller charity they have been able to act to support causes often overlooked.”

Hastings Direct and Pink Ribbon Company

“Founding partner in Arrival's 4 year talent development programme - markedly changing the lives of young people with challenging backgrounds. Equipping them with the necessary skill set to achieve a balanced, successful life (and it actually works!).”

Investec Bank plc and Arrival Education

“We have partnered for 2 years (2012 - 14) and we are only 6 months in. Over the 2 years we will raise over £1million (helping 2,600 families find and keep a home and 10,000 young people have sufficient literacy provision); provide expertise and skills via pro bono and skilled volunteering, and help leverage our lobbying support.”

KPMG and Shelter and Action for Literacy

“Our partnership transformed Save the Children's FAST (Families and Schools Together) programme from a small pilot to a national, award-winning project, benefitting local children in the UK communities Lloyds Banking Group serve. We are both very proud.”

Lloyds Banking Group and Save the Children

“Since we launched Shwopping in 2012, nearly 4million garments have been returned to M&S stores and Oxfam shops, raising £2.3million for Oxfam.”

Marks & Spencers and Oxfam

“The Wacky Races has increased in awareness for the charity amongst the business community, plus of course raised funds which go directly to pay for care of end of life patients.”

Method Creative and Arthur Rank Hospice Charity

19% improvement in employee engagement through direct involvement in the Trust's programmes. 9% improvement in employee retention where staff have participated in joint activities. 40% of all new sales in the last 2 years declared as a direct / indirect result of the partnership. Significantly more young people gaining from work ready skills and moving into employment. Ongoing and invaluable expertise now a direct contributor to the Trust's rapid growth as an organisation. Key operational infrastructure built through this partnership to support the Trust's ambitious expansion plans. Although not intended from the outset we have created a partnership interdependency which will be enduring.

Morgan Hunt and Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust

“Since April 2011, Morrisons and Save the Children have worked in partnership to raise over £5million to support disadvantaged children in the UK, through our early intervention programmes 'Families and Schools Together (FAST)' and 'Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play!' reaching over 14,900 children to date.”

Morrisons and Save the Children

“We have been awarded Platinum for our BITC submission this year and this also brought us 'best new brand' with BITC. We are especially proud of our education programme as part of this we have brought our employee engagement percentage from 6% to 25% in the past 12 months.”

Nationwide Building Society and Business in the Community

“We have been able to donate c. £10million of free advertising space since July 2012. In that time of the 122 people shown on the digital billboards, 54 have been located. Using modern technology we have also been able to regionalise our appeal.”

Outdoor Media Centre and Missing People

“PMW introduced a fundraising initiative that raised a substantial amount of money, but more importantly raised the profile of the charity in our community and introduced a number of businesses to the charity. This initiative has funded a senior role in the school and provided a bursary for one of our children with cerebral palsy. The legacy continues with a number of Horsham 100 events now implemented as regular events in our fundraising calendar.”

PMW Communications and Dame Vera Lynn Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy

“Planning for Later Life has had a life changing impact on over 2,570 older people going through a significant life event. This helps them to cope with challenging times as well as seeing financial gain through benefits checks. A true strategic partnership!”

Prudential and Age UK

“Through our partnership, a successful joint proposition has been established, allowing Barnardos to offer a will scheme to supporters and to reach a new audience; Quality Solicitors clients. Quality Solicitors can promote this unique service to clients and encourage staff to engage with Barnardos and promote their work. An estimated £4million+ has been raised so far.”

Quality Solicitors and Barnardos

“Embedding a culture of giving back at RBS through tomorrow's leaders at the start of their professional journey. Helping 16 local charities to implement sustainable, measurable solutions vital to their growth. Building long-term relationships between RBS and the community.”

RBS and Pilotlight

“The Fuel Management Programme, co-owned by Macmillan and npower has unlocked over £1million since launching in 2008. Over 1500 npower customers diagnosed with cancer have received arrears support, a discounted payment plan and energy efficiency advice to take them out of fuel poverty.”

RWE npower and Macmillan Cancer Support

“Our project has raised awareness of a little known health issue by engaging 150,000 people on Facebook and enabling us to fund a medical research project to explore the issue further.”

Simply Health and Heart Research UK

“Inspiring UK consumers on the amazing Amazon rainforest in order to raise awareness and funds for WWF's vital work to tackle deforestation. A long term partnership which has enabled us to maximise the impact.”

Sky and WWF UK

“Societe Generale are supporting Alzheimer's Society with the 'Care for Today, Cure for Tomorrow' campaign. The campaign funds vital 121 support for people with dementia and a research project to revolutionise our understanding of the disease. As well as staff fundraising, the partnership will take great strides into volunteering and staff engagement for services across the UK.”

Societe Generale and Alzheimer’s Society

“Over four years Sthree has raised over £300,000 for SOS Children in Gastein Zambia where 1/6 children are orphans. The children growing up in the Sthree house have a loving home, a family for life and a chance to grow up with love, respect and security - which they couldn't have hoped for otherwise.”

Sthree and SOS Children

“Three months into our partnership and already over £1million has been raised to transform the lives of young adult carers. Not only have co-operative staff, customers and members raised a phenomenal amount of money for the charity, the level of awareness for the charity and caring as an issue is quite extraordinary. We have had a wealth of carers come to us offering to share their stories and support the partnership simply because they have seen materials in store. This partnership is helping to put caring on the map, not just for now but for years to come.”

The Co-operative and Carers Trust

“The partnership is focussed on addressing satisfaction, promise and education in Togo. The Co-operative Pharmacy business is the specific partner and has decided to extend the partnership beyond the original plan. Over 170,000 individuals will benefit with over 700 villages receiving latrines.”

The Co-operative Group and UNICEF

“Over 100 projects completed to date, since the partnership began in 2007. The project helps to train young sports mentors (aged 16-25) who subsequently involve young people in the community in sport. The top 20% of the most deprived areas in the UK have all had Street Games projects to date. The partnership is part of the Co-operatives commitment to inspiring young people.”

The Co-operative Group and Street Games Young Volunteers

“We brought together a diverse team to help support a project with a lasting impact. This was a first for us; as a small team (albeit in a huge, global organisation) we surpassed our expectations and helped bring the stories of homelessness to a wide audience.” – Thomson Reuters Elite

“A multi-media project that is shining a spotlight on the specific needs of women who sleep rough on the streets through homelessness. The project involved homeless women in its production and raised the issue in local and national media, to local and central government and to the general public.” – St Mungos

Thomson Reuters Elite and St Mungos

“219 high tariff offenders into work!”

Wates Group and Changing Paths Charitable Trust

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