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Corporate social responsibility (“CSR”) is the acknowledgement by businesses that they should be accountable not only for their financial performance but for the impact of their activities on society and/or the environment.
CSR can also positively influence the competitiveness of business in a number of ways including higher motivation and loyalty of employees, better publicity, better position in the labour market and better networking with business partners and authorities.
As part of George Green LLP’s CSR activities targeted at the local community we will be working with the Black Country Foodbank for the next two years.
The Foodbank is a newly formed charity which helps vulnerable individuals and families in crisis through the provision of three days emergency food supplies while a longer-term solution is developed. In the first half of 2010 they have already helped 2,633 people locally and for the whole of 2009 they helped 2,327 people. Approximately a third of those benefiting are children. At present they operate throughout Dudley and Walsall. They distribute vouchers to various agencies and the recipients of the vouchers can then collect food parcels at eight distribution centres in Halesowen, Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, Netherton, Dudley Central, Lower Gornal, Pensnett and Walsall. Their head office and central depot is based in Halesowen.
A Committee made up of staff numbers has been set up and is chaired by newly-qualified solicitor Louise Taylor. The Committee will be responsible for maximising fundraising across the firm through dress down days, raffles and auctions and family fun days and organising volunteering opportunities for staff members.
Tim Lang, Partner and Head of the George Green Employment Team, who was instrumental in setting up the firm’s CSR policy said “I’m really pleased that we will be supporting Black Country Foodbank. We have always done our bit for charity, but I believe this more focussed approach will benefit both the chosen charity and the George Green staff. The Black Country Foodbank is a fairly new charity, so I hope we can have a real impact in terms of fundraising and volunteering and its good that we are helping people in need in our local community”.
Wendy Fryatt from Black Country Foodbank commented “In the current climate, fundraising has been difficult, so I was over the moon to hear that George Green LLP had chosen to support and help us. We’re all looking forward to working with them in as many ways as possible”.
