Despite the difficult economic circumstances, City Action’s business clients have continued to be a great source of support to our City-fringe community partners - we have seen a healthy 18% increase in skills-based volunteering over the past year.  Businesses new to employee volunteering are continuing to launch community involvement programmes with the help of City Action - we have seen a 40% increase in the number of programmes launched this year compared to 2007 which is extremely encouraging.

Over a third of City Action’s community partners have benefitted from the very generous donations of resources from City businesses, ranging from meeting room space to new computers - all of which are extremely valuable to local organisations with very limited capacity.

City Action has also seen a significant increase in the number of community organisations seeking our support in 2008 - as our new community partners recognise the huge benefits of involving businesses in helping to deliver or improve their services to the local community.

Developing cross-sectoral networking, knowledge sharing and increased understanding is a key part of City Action’s service.  Over 70 City businesses and 50 community organisations attended City Action events in 2008 which have included three ‘Community Tours’ of the London Boroughs Islington, Camden and Tower Hamlets, a Partnerships workshop and a ‘Celebration of 10 years of City Action’ Networking Event.

I thought I would round this posting off with a few memorable quotes from City Action’s volunteering activity feedback forms this year, as we look forward to an even better 2009!

Employee Volunteers:

‘An overwhelming sense of achievement at helping such a wonderful charity’ 

‘I really feel like I am helping people develop whilst at the same time I am enjoying the happiness it gives to the children, young people, families, volunteers and staff!’

Community Organisations:

‘I just want to say how positive we feel it has been working with City Action - we feel that a real momentum is building with our corporate volunteering.’

‘Many of the children won’t get much adult interaction and if they do its often not positive…..the volunteers are great at interacting with the kids in a fun, friendly and supportive way, which is fantastic.’

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at City Action! The blog will return in January 2009…..

City Action and the IBLF recently collaborated to deliver ‘Joining Forces: a practical workshop to build valuable corporate and community Partnerships’ for 30 attendees from both the corporate and charitable sectors.  The aim of the event was to introduce the concept of ‘Partnering’ and to highlight some of the practical tools that are available to develop sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships between two (or more) organisations.  The workshop was a great success and encouragingly, attendees from both sectors were in agreement that a successful Partnership must be a two-way process. 

At the end of the workshop, many attendees had also developed a greater understanding that each Partner may bring something different to the relationship but that does not make their contribution any less valuable.  For example, the common theme between corporate and charitable partnerships is often cited as funding.  As a result of this funding element, the charity may feel or be treated like an unequal Partner, however, the charity could be bringing many other elements to the Partnership including: the opportunity for employee involvement in their local community, skilled practitioners in their area of work e.g. youth counselling or training and the ability to measure real outcomes or impact of the funding they received. 

City Action now has a member of their team who has accredited Partnership broker status and we are able to offer help, support and resources to our members who are interested in developing a Partnership.  In early 2009, City Action will be launching an area of our website containing free resources and tools for developing a Partnership.

In the meantime, it would be fantastic to hear your thoughts Partnering and some examples of successful Partnerships your organisation has undertaken or are in the process of developing.

“It was a real pleasure to attend the recent Dragon Awards to meet with people engaged in and leading CSR programmes which are making a real difference to communities, business and employees. 

Lakehouse were lucky enough to win an award in the Education category.  Our community involvement program is based on three key themes: Health & Safety; Environmental and Careers. These themes are important to our business and clients and the program is not just an ‘add on’ to our business as it is a core part of our processes.

In collaboration with education business partnerships we developed workshops to offer to primary and secondary schools as well as supporting existing school programs.  We have offered mentoring, work experience and jobs to young people excluded from school.  Feedback from the schools we work with is always positive and support is well received.  Many schools and educational business partnerships find it difficult to engage employers and particularly hard to place young people in work experience.

One of our recent recruits was excluded from school.  He joined us on extended work experience and is now training to become a Contracts Manager.  He has taken a lead on a number of workshops and his transformation is truly inspirational.  I am sure there are many more young people like him who need a chance. 

Additionally, our work with schools has been incorporated into best practice process on construction projects and employees are encouraged to participate via their personal development plans. 

The program has become a key part of the training and personal development of our staff.  Preparation for workshops ensures employees are aware of health & safety, communities or the environment.  Despite initial apprehension with some of our staff, all enjoy working with schools and it is clear the program benefits their confidence and motivation.

As a business, we can offer our staff and clients something different.  We gain a deeper understanding of the communities we work with and the program has been good for our profile and as a business development tool.

British companies lag behind our European counterparts with regard to educational engagement.  We have gained a lot from our work and would like to see more of our partners and competitors involved in a joint effort to support the next generation. “

Whilst grappling with the task of how to evidence that I can effectively communicate and influence, plan and organise, work in a team etc, it struck me how useful my volunteering really is. As an employee at the City of London, my volunteering can be linked into my appraisal process. All employees are encouraged to think of volunteering as an alternative learning and development tool. I, however, hadn’t really thought about this on a personal level. 

I volunteer giving fundraising advice to a partnership for older people in Hackney. The work that I do for them is quite ad hoc, but usually last minute so as to fit the potential funders’ guidelines. This means that I do sometimes have to juggle things around - maybe take a long lunchbreak in which to do the volunteering work and then prioritise my afternoon activities differently (planning and organising). I often end up giving feedback on written applications that have been prepared by the charity’s staff (communications and influence). Giving constructive feedback to other people is something that I sometimes find hard to do at work, so this is a great way to get practise. The volunteering is also useful in terms of practicing writing in a clear and succinct way and keeping up my knowledge of the voluntary sector. 

On top of all these skills, as I work in the Corporate Responsibility team, my volunteering is actually related to my role as I get the experience of being a corporate volunteer. This means that I can talk at a personal level when trying to encourage others to volunteer.  

I know the expression is often thrown around in relation to volunteering - but it does seem to be a win, win situation!

The lecture, entitled ‘Corporate Responsibility: thrive, die or be sidelined through the quest for profit’ could not have been better timed in terms of the current economic climate. The key points looked at how CSR started, where we are today, the effect of the current economic climate and where Gerry sees its future.

To me, the main question that the lecture raised was that of responsibility. Gerry cited three stages of Corporate Responsibility (CR) that companies worked through in their development: 1. Philanthropy - be it in cash, in-kind support or volunteers’ time. 2. Risk Management - including the management of reputation and the avoidance of ‘own goals’. 3. The whole-hearted embedding of CR into a business - operating with trust and transparency, and ultimately reaping business advantages in the process. This reminded me of another talk I had been too which discussed similar stages, except there were four - a new and much more basic stage 1, that of a business acting in a responsible way - paying taxes, making returns to shareholders etc.

Hold that thought, while I introduce you to another interesting insight of Gerry’s. He talked about how many companies currently look at CR in a ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ fashion. In other words, that from some angles they will look very passionate about CR and in others shy away from it completely. One example he used was Starbucks, who have done fantastic work in championing transparency and openness in their supply chains, a good example of a strong CR policy. On the other hand, they continue to open stores in small towns and villages, what is often too detrimental effect to local business.

Thinking about the pick ‘n’ mix attitude, and the various stage of CR, it occurred to me that recently we have seen this in striking terms in the banking sector. Many (if not all) the large banks, it can be claimed have acted in a way that is completely irresponsible. They could not claim to even pass the first stage in CR. However, a number of them have exceptional corporate community involvement schemes that are leading the way in this field. This to me, seems like the ultimate pick ‘n’ mix.

Dwelling on this further, I also realised that as a CR professional it can be hard. Although many banks employ a Head of CR or CR Manager, none of these roles cover the responsible commercial actions of a business. I am sure no CR manager would have dreamed it within their remit to suggest, for example, an end to short selling of shares by their employer. Yet, without this sort of responsibility, surely we are all failing at the first stage?

I know that there is always a lot of debate about the language of CR. Pretty much every talk I have ever been to on the subject starts by looking at the many different terms that can be used. Maybe the time has come for businesses to look at the term ‘responsibility’ seriously.

The GS announcement is only insensitive if we believe other institutions will be significantly scaling back their CR activity.  Let’s be honest.  There will need to be efficiency savings in CR budgets - and possible resource cuts, but this will also be true across other departments.  Let’s not forget there is a strong business case for CR activities.  Consequently, CR activities should not experience any more pressure than other departments.  If we don’t stick by that business case when it matters, what is the point of promoting it in the first place?

Those who aren’t convinced by the business case for CR will be looking to make substantial cost savings from cutting CR budgets (if not teams) during this economic decline.  This is a mistake.  We are now operating in a climate of accountability and responsibility.  Severely cutting back on CR programmes now will not only expose all businesses to a threat of future regulation, it will also continue to damage your reputation even once we are through these difficult times.

Take for example Bank of America and HSBC, who have stuck by their business case.  Both are retail banks (and therefore consumer-facing) and recognise the importance of maintaining a global brand value by developing strong CR identities.  And they continue to weather this economic storm quite well.  Let’s hope their colleagues and competitors follow suit.

For more assistance on developing the business case for Corporate Responsibility, please visit:

http://www.city-action.org/resources/index.html

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2A38DB92-7B74-4CA5-9C79-46364B7FC2FA/0/business_case_SMEfinal1.pdf

http://www.responsiblepractice.com/english/issues/wbcsd-business/

http://www.bitc.org.uk/resources/publications/cr_business_case.html

‘Following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, who were due to co-run a course with my charity, the Sunday papers conjured up a quote saying: “My job is to get support from companies and it’s difficult enough at the best of times. This week has been awful.”

Thankfully, as I’ve been assuring friends and family, you can’t believe everything you read and I actually had quite a nice week. It was remarkable to see the way in which individuals, firms and other agencies have tried to step in to fill the gaps left in the project and even the guys at Lehman’s have made the effort to keep in contact during a week which must have been awful for them.

The enthusiasm and passion with which they picked up City Gateway’s new Women’s Project had made my job easy: we identified the needs of our project, they identified what they hoped to get out of a partnership and when this clicked away we went. In the few short weeks that we did work together, a number of their staff had already volunteered at the centre and dozens more were queuing up to get involved.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, and yes our course has been caught rather short of volunteers, office visits and placements, but if building this partnership has taught me anything it’s that more City firms than ever are ready to embrace the third sector.  We need to tie into this in a way which can benefit both parties and will lead to lasting engagement.

City Gateway was set up 10 years ago in Tower Hamlets, a Borough defined by dramatic inequality between big business and the surrounding community. We work with some of the hardest to reach NEET young people and low skilled women across the Borough and seek to engage them, train them and ultimately progress them.

Partnering with large firms has never been an option or an added extra for us.  Corporate engagement through volunteering, hosting tours and placements are a core focus of our work - only then can the real barriers be broken down and individuals given the chances they deserve to succeed.

The crunch has tightened belts and cut CSR spending but perhaps it will unlock some of the other skills and resources firms have to offer.’

Despite the negative press attention that is currently surrounding the City, employee volunteering has gained some very positive press.  City Action gained a feature in last week’s Sunday Times which showcased a 40% increase in individual volunteering activity compared to last year and a 50% increase in new businesses recruited. This article along with another that recently featured in the Mail on Sunday (31st August 2008), also shed light on the incredibly positive impact that voluntering can have on City employees during this uncertain period.

The Sunday Times article was supported by four City-based advocates that were interviewed for the feature, with Rachael Hewson, associate director at Mason Blake, a financial recruitment firm, making the point that ‘CSR is here to stay…It’s not something that companies can just dip out of once they have dipped in. They are often in long-term partnerships with the local community.’

We at City Action of course understand the worries and constraints that many City-based companies are facing, and are able to provide varied volunteering opportunities that can suit all levels of involvement.  Let’s ensure that current economic circumstances don’t hinder the fantastic difference that employee volunteers make to our neighbouring communities.   

If you are a volunteer for a local organisation, an individual who benefits from attending one or a member of their staff team please read on - this information may be of great interest to you!

The Office of the Third Sector is calling on small local voluntary and community groups to come forward and get their hands on essential funding.  The programme offers grants of between £250 and £5,000 to support activities that lie right at the heart of our local communities.

The types of group or organisation that are eligible to apply are:   

- A not-for-profit, third sector voluntary or community group, active in their local community for not less than 12 months prior to 31 December 2007. You do not need to be a registered charity.

- Have an evidenced income of less than £20,000 per annum, taken as an average turnover for the last three financial years (or over the life of the group if it is less than three years old), and net of any grants received through the Grassroots Grants programme

- Be volunteer led (i.e. with largely volunteer based input)

- Be connected with and/or meeting the needs of the local community

- Have a governing document that has as a minimum the name, aim/purpose, objects, a dissolution clause for the organisation, a list of Trustees/Committee members, the Trustees /Committee member signatures.

To apply for funding, each group must contact their local organisation which is responsible for distributing the grants. You can see a full list of the organisations on the Community Development Foundation website. 

If you are from within the City or a fringe borough please see below for a link to your organisation: Camden, City of London, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark, and Westminster. 

I hope that this information is useful and would love to hear from any group that is successful in their application!

I was introduced to the programme in early Spring and was immediately keen to take part.  After submitting my CV, I was invited for an interview and then offered an internship at the City of London’s Economic Development Office.  Having an ardent interest in politics and economic regeneration, the placement appealed to me and I began on 7th July.

The first few weeks of my placement were spent with City Action and the Corporate Responsibility Team. Having never worked in the world of ‘CSR’ I was quite apprehensive.  I was immediately thrown in at the deep end creating questionnaires for the charities that City Action helps as well as assisting Corinne with her projects. I even had the opportunity to co-edit the City Action Summer newsletter which I enjoyed thoroughly. 

Networking events I attended such as the City Comm. event and the City Action Community Tour of Islington were fantastic as I got to meet people from both charities and businesses - that are entirely different ends of the spectrum.  The Community Tour was particularly impressive as we were shown the inspirational work of the charities in Islington - which is in fact one of the most deprived boroughs in the country - and how a little help can go to great lengths.   

Throughout my time at City Action I recognised the importance of CSR not only to the charities that are always in need of volunteers but also to the businesses.  The benefits that a CSR programme can bring to a business are remarkable - such as improving staff morale, raising brand profile and increasing staff recruitment and retention. 

My three weeks with City Action taught me a number of things, one of them being the importance of community involvement. As well as valuable experience, this placement has provided me with friends and colleagues who are very supportive and encouraging. 

As I go to university to study Politics and East European Studies in September, I will always remember my time as a CBT and how fascinating working in CSR is.  Thank you to everyone at City Action for making my placement so enjoyable.