2011 Annual Review 2 by Gillian McKee

Supported by

Northern Ireland Annual Review 2011

and

What’s Inside 3. Chairman’s Message 4. A Year in Review 6. People 9. Case Studies 12. Planet 14. Case Studies 17. Place 19. Case Studies 21. Our Finance 22. Our Members 23. Our Board LOOKING AHEAD TO 2012 – KEY DIARY DATES (for further information visit www.bitcni.org.uk) AWARDS UK Awards for Excellence (Big Ticks) Regional Impact Awards NI Gala Awards Dinner Opening Doors events – featuring 2011 Award winners Allstate NI, NI Responsible Company of the Year Showcase of three Regional Award Winners – Boots, firmus energy and McLaughlin & Harvey

Closing date: 5 March Launch: w/c 23 Jan – Closing date: 30 March 31 May, Titanic Belfast

26 January, Allstate, Belfast 8 February, BT, Belfast

WORKPLACE EXCELLENCE SERIES Social Networks and Innovation Values Matter

9 February, Invest NI, Belfast 21 June, location TBC

CARES ACTION DAYS D for Donate Day Be a Saint – Volunteer! Silver Surfers’ Day

16 January 16 March 18 May

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONFERENCE The Future for Good Business

17 October, Titanic Belfast

14th ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENCHMARKING SURVEY

Launch: w/c 14 May Deadline for submissions: 29 June Report launch: 27 November, Belfast

FRONT COVER: Kellie-Ann Hoey and Arthur Richmond from SHS Group with De La Salle pupils David and Aidan. SHS Group and De La Salle are partnered under the Business Class initiative.

Chairman’s Message The final days of 2011 have done little to dispel the gloom in global financial markets and fears that recovery in the eurozone, US and UK economies may remain elusive well into 2012. Indeed, the most recent OECD forecast is particularly downbeat, warning that European double-dip recession may become a reality. With UK economic recovery largely dictated by external factors, Government’s options are limited, particularly in the devolved regions. Nevertheless, while recovery remains elusive, the Chancellor’s autumn statement offered Northern Ireland a modest windfall over the next three years. And, while rising costs may significantly erode its value, it is nonetheless welcome in a period of stringent public sector austerity. The public sector is facing immense challenges, but neither has the private sector escaped unscathed. However, there are still examples of dynamic private sector organisations that have seen opportunities amidst the gloom and have refocused their business models to grasp opportunities that a more responsible approach to doing business can bring. And so, despite that gloom, we ended 2011 with our highest ever membership – 253 companies – 29 of which joined in 2011. And new members tells us that, although business is tough, they also recognise that sustainable business models have long-term goals that include a responsible approach to doing business. Those 253 members are key to the continued roll-out of Business in the Community’s strategy and the engagement to date has been positive and encouraging. In October, we saw the launch of a new Workplace 20:20 campaign, intended to help employers focus on employee engagement and wellbeing. This now replaces the previous Business Action on Health and Opportunity Now campaigns.

In the current climate, employee engagement is vital to business success and Workplace 20:20 will be a key contributor to helping employers manage engagement and get the best from their people. Looking to 2012, in October we plan a significant forum for the exchange of ideas, best practice and knowledge. Our first Responsible Business Conference, in partnership with BT, will be held at Titanic Belfast and is aimed at both practitioners and leaders in business. We will explore what the future looks like for a responsible business and provide tools and advice on preparing businesses for that future. Watch out for more information on our 2012 Responsible Business Conference – you need to be there. As the rest of the UK prepares for the 2012 Olympics, we will be helping local companies to become fit and healthy and to compete in today’s fast-changing global marketplace. We look forward to working with you in the coming year and thank you sincerely for your continued support and commitment to doing GOOD business. Paul Rooney Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers

A Year in Review Membership

Trailblazing for Social Enterprise in the North West In June, we opened the new BEAM (Business Excellence at Maydown) Social Enterprise Centre in L’Derry. Located at INVISTA Textiles (UK) Ltd Maydown site on land donated by Pat Carroll, Director of Operations at Invista, BEAM provides a multi-functional workspace, events and support centre – a hub – for the social economy in the North West as well as office space for Business in the Community. Thanks to Pat’s vision and a lot of hard work and commitment from various people to making the project a reality, we now have a totally unique facility in the North West. BEAM marries Business in the Community’s access to practical pro bono advice and support from companies with high quality workspace. A conference facility, meeting rooms and car parking all help BEAM work uniquely to engender creativity and the sharing of ideas between social enterprises.

We ended 2011 with 253 members – an outstanding figure and our highest ever membership. This is a strong signal that, in the midst of recession, successful companies understand more clearly than ever the imperative for doing business responsibly. We welcomed the following companies into membership in 2011: 3fivetwo Group; Aepona; Allen & Overy; ETT-NI; Fane Valley; Forward Emphasis; Greiner Packaging; H&J Martin; Henry Brothers Ltd; Homecare Independent Living; Hutchinson Homes; Irwin Electrical Services; ISL Waste Management Ltd; John Sisk & Son; Knauf Insulation; Legal-Island; McLaughlin & Harvey; Moore MacDonald; Morgan Document Security; Mount Charles Catering; NuPrint; Portview Fit-Out Limited; PPG Architectural Coatings Ltd; RFD Beaufort; Rutledge Group; Sysco Software Systems; The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland; Triplicate Design and Wastebeater Recycling.

Awards for Excellence/Big Ticks The Big Tick standard was achieved in 2011 by the following companies as part of our rigorous UK Awards for Excellence process: Adelaide Insurance Services Carillion Energy Services Firstsource Phoenix Natural Gas Pritchitts Translink

“For us, corporate responsibility is an investment rather than an expense and like any investment, we need to measure our return. This year, the return has been huge, thanks to achieving the Big Tick standard and winning a significant piece of business on the back of that. Responsible companies want to do business with like-minded organisations and that has helped our business grow at a time when many others are struggling.” Sam Geddis, Director, Adelaide Insurance Services Ltd

A Year in Review

Mark Pollock

Allstate NI, NI Responsible Company of the Year

2011 Awards Recognising and rewarding responsible business is important to us and to our members and our annual Awards do that very effectively. 2011 was a year of firsts for the Awards, as two companies were dual winners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; picking up the titles in two categories apiece. Our Ambassador Bro McFerran was also a double winner, as his company, Allstate NI, was named our NI Responsible Company of the Year. Our keynote speaker Mark Pollock was so inspirational that our Chair was moved to announce a new award for 2012 in his honour. The Mark Pollock Award for Hope will be one of nine categories available in our 2012 Regional Impact Awards which will be launched in January.

2011 Regional Impact Awards

Sponsored by Northern Bank

People The Current Workforce Our aim is to build a better society in Northern Ireland by creating a healthy, engaged and inclusive workforce of world-class calibre. The Big Issues Investing in the current and future workforce through: • Employee wellbeing, engagement and inclusion • Tackling employability • Developing skills through volunteering

The Headlines We brought together those engaged in the Business Action on Health and Opportunity Now campaigns under the banner of a new Workplace 20:20 campaign launched in October and chaired by Cathy McCorry of Grafton Employment Group.

Through our Workplace Excellence series and Opening Doors events, we were able to share the best practice of organisations such as Asda, AV Browne BT and Chesapeake with over 150 employers. Almost 2,500 employees from 60+ companies were engaged in volunteering challenges for local schools and community organisations, providing almost 22,000 hours of invaluable

The Engage to Innovate Workplace Conference featured Grafton Employment Group as sponsor, Irish News as media partner and Joe Ffrench from Microsoft Ireland (centre) as key speaker.

assistance and developing employees in the process. Over £25k was raised for Marie Curie Cancer Care through a unique Apprentice-style Shops’ Challenge featuring eight employers. We also started a new programme of volunteering support for a range of disability charities called Connect-Ability.

Our Learning Networks enabled businesses to deliver impactful wellbeing initiatives. By bringing together 10 businesses per network every six weeks with a business structure and guest speakers, companies such as Care Circle, Chesapeake, IKEA, Southern Regional College and Translink have delivered successful wellbeing initiatives.

“Through the new Workplace 20:20 campaign, employee engagement and wellbeing are at the core of the work Business in the Community will be doing in the next few years. Our vision is to build a better society in Northern Ireland by creating a healthy, engaged and inclusive workforce of world-class calibre and Workplace 20:20 will provide employers with the tools to make that happen.” Cathy McCorry, Managing Director, Grafton Employment Group (Chair, Workplace 20:20 campaign)

People The Current Workforce Who’s Leading The Way? Natural gas supplier, firmus energy employs over 75 people and this year was the winner in the Employer of Choice and Workplace Health and Wellbeing categories at our 2011 Awards. firmus energy strives to create a safe and healthy working environment in which staff can develop and reach their full potential. It has introduced a number of key initiatives designed to help employees increase their knowledge of health matters and encourage staff to take responsibility for their own and their family’s health and wellbeing. As a result, annual absence is < 2.5 days per employee and staff turnover is < 1.5% per year and it has zero workplace accidents or injuries resulting in time off work.

BT’s support for Business in the Community’s Building on Talent programme is providing a number of employers with a unique and innovative employee development opportunity to channel the skills and expertise of their people with partnered community and voluntary organisations.

Case Study: Go Healthy – Translink’s healthy journey In 2011, Translink rolled out its internal health and wellbeing strategy ‘Go Healthy – fit for work, fit for life’. ‘Go Healthy’ addresses the physical, social and mental wellbeing of employees and forms a key strand of the company’s Corporate Responsibility Strategy for 2011-2016. As a ‘People Smart’ employer with over 4,000 people at 82 locations, Translink wanted to create a strong identity for ‘Go Healthy’ – something which employees would recognise, support and engage with. One of its initiatives included a ‘quit smoking’ roadshow which toured stations and depots across Northern Ireland. Bi-monthly health and wellbeing bulletins, staff briefings, a corporate magazine, weekly group email messages, health information points, tool box talks and the intranet are all used to make sure health permeates all divisions of its business and is a key item on the boardroom agenda.

Representatives of the future workforce gave the audience at the Engage to Innovate Workplace Conference food for thought.

People The Future Workforce “Employment is a vital cornerstone of society and gives people a sense of purpose and value. We are delighted to be able to support Business in the Community’s efforts to help people who have been unemployed for some time get back into work through the Employers’ Forum and would encourage other employers to widen the net when they’re recruiting and look beyond their traditional pipelines.” Mark Lowry, Chief Executive, Northstone (NI) Ltd

The Headlines Over 1,100 formerly long-term unemployed people have been moved into work through our West Belfast/Greater Shankill Employers’ Forum, changing their lives and the lives of families and communities in the area. In the North West, through the Strive 2 Work Programme, we are working to help those who are unemployed gain the confidence and skills needed to get back into the world of work. All 15 of the first cohort of participants have found employment following the programme and cohort two is now underway.

Henderson Group with four previously unemployed people they recruited through involvement in the Employers’ Forum employability initiative.

Through our Graduate Acceleration Programme (GAP), over 300 graduates have received 26 week

placements with employers across Northern Ireland, with 50% securing employment at the end of the process.

Who’s Leading The Way? ? u know se o Did yo th of

20% Almost loyed in unemp eing y tl n re cur 25. B under the NI are before d e y lo sk p unem s the ri 4 make 2 h c f u o m e ag ent mploym out a of une h throug . higher king life r o w ’s person

A number of employers have been providing valuable work experience for graduates under the Graduate Acceleration Programme (GAP). Particularly notable among them for providing excellent support and mentoring along with outstanding placement opportunities are Care Circle, Ilex, The Henderson Group and UTV. Two founding members of the Employers’ Forum this year became programme sponsors. Northstone NI and Lagan Construction Group, both leaders in the construction industry, joined Bombardier Aerospace to help sustain the Forums’ efforts to tackle worklessness. Sainsbury’s is leading the way in terms of employability in the North West. In 2011, Sainsbury’s recruited 24 unemployed people and offered placements to five participants through the Strive 2 Work programme.

Case Study BT’s unique approach to digital inclusion As BT invests heavily in the next generation access networks in Northern Ireland it is paramount that as a responsible company we help ensure that no one is excluded or disadvantaged in any way from benefitting from these technological advancements. We all know social exclusion comes in many forms and a lack of access to IT resources and training is now up there as a key reason why disadvantaged communities are being left behind. The BT Connected Communities initiative, an all island strategy, aims to get those communities most at risk of exclusion across the country online. This unique approach will play a central role in BT’s global Get IT Together campaign for the future. To date the BT Connected Communities programme involves six community groups from across the island, including The Ashton Centre in the Newlodge area of North Belfast, The Greater Shankill Partnership and The Gasyard Centre in Derry city. The remaining three are based in Dublin and Limerick. Each community organisation benefits from ICT equipment, access to a wealth of bespoke training resources, aimed at each community’s individual needs. These are designed by BT’s Training Solutions

BT Chief Executive Colm O’Neill (right) and Consumer Director Peter Morris (left) pictured at the Gasyard during a visit to one of BT’s Connected Communities with the Mayor, Alderman Maurice Devenney and Gasyard representatives.

experts and delivered by BT Volunteers, who have been trained as ‘digital champions’. The initiative amounts to the equivalent of approximately £600,000 in financial and in-kind support over the next three years. In 2012 we will scale-up the programme considerably to include six rural areas in Northern Ireland as well as further concentrating our support in the exisiting communities by involving social enterprises and SMEs. BT’s Connected Communities strategy goes right to the core of our responsible business ethos and strengthens our volunteer programme. 84% of our people this year said they are more proud to work for BT because of our Corporate Responsibility activities. BT employees in

Ireland contributed over 1,500 volunteer days valued at more than £400,000. We will also continue to lead on the Building on Talent programme with BITC which not only meets a business need for local charities but develops the skills of our people and those of other businesses participating in the programme. Several of our people graduated this year with their certificates from the Institute of Leadership and Management who endorse the programme. At BT we’re passionate about the role we can play in helping others to live and work more sustainably through our technology and the skills and expertise of our people. For further information, contact carmel.oconnor@bt.com

Case Studies Belfast Harbour reaches out through the arts Central to Belfast Harbour’s ethos and value system is the organisation’s commitment to the four dimensions of its Corporate Responsibility Strategy: Education, Environment, Community and the Arts. Annually, Belfast Harbour attempts to support initiatives and projects that reflect one or more of these dimensions. In 2011, Belfast Harbour supported multiple projects and events including The Belfast Harbour Green Teacher of the Year Awards in conjunction with Action Renewables focused on primary schools across Northern Ireland; the second year of the successful Webster’s Waterworks with the Ulster Orchestra, the Lyric Theatre’s Summer Outreach Project and the Opera House’s Summer Outreach Project – ‘Bugsy Malone’. Alongside numerous local charitable donations, support was also given to Féile Belfast, The MAC, MT4Uth, Dance NI, Creative Exchange and Sailortown’s Annual Community Festival. One of the undoubted highlights of 2011 was the hosting for nine evenings of actor/director Dan Gordon’s play – ‘The Boat Factory’ within

A scene from The Boat Factory, which was staged at the Harbour Commissioners’ office in October.

the Harbour Office. The play, which was part of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s brings to life the vibrant history of the east Belfast shipyard as seen through the eyes of yardman, Davy Gordon and his fellow worker, Geordie Kilpatrick, as they recount the glory days of the yard. For further information, contact t.oconnor@ belfast-harbour.co.uk.

Local engagement at the heart of the airport George Best Belfast City Airport (GBBCA) is a regional airport based in East Belfast and employs 1,500 people across its site. Being a smaller regional airport, we have the ability to focus on the core issues that our customers really want; safety, efficiency and consistent service. In addition to this, our strategic vision is to reduce the environmental impact of our operations and where possible, support and encourage the local community.

We recognise the importance of being a good neighbour and engage directly with local community groups to identify projects that can benefit from our Community Fund. Since its inception in 2009, GBBCA’s Community Fund has supported up to 25 local projects and has contributed over £75,000 in funding. For further information, contact stephen.patton@ belfastcityairport.com.

Case Study JTI’s support for older people and local communities Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which acquired Gallaher Limited in 2007, is committed to contributing to the communities in which it operates and has a long history of corporate philanthropy in NI. Currently, almost a quarter of older people live in poverty here and nearly half feel socially isolated from their communities. That is why JTI chose Age NI as one of its long-term national charitable partners in 2009. Age NI works to alleviate poverty amongst older people and empower them to remain independent for as long as possible. With JTI’s support, 32,000 vulnerable older people have received help through Age NI’s Advice and Information Helpline, one-to-one Advocacy service and the First Connect service which provides help and support to those living in poverty or social isolation. JTI’s support for the Arts… We believe that the arts play a special role in our society and that’s why we support one of the cornerstones of cultural life in Northern Ireland, the Ulster Orchestra. The Orchestra is Northern Ireland’s only professional symphony orchestra and employs 63 full-time musicians. JTI’s support enabled the

JTI and the Ulster Orchestra hosted a tea party which older people in the local Ballymena area attended.

Orchestra to launch the extremely popular Lunchtime Concerts in the Ulster Hall in 2009 and to take Christmas concerts into the heart of local communities. We are also very proud to support Move to the Music – a free ticket and doorto-door transport scheme, targeted at older people who would not otherwise venture out alone or who may need help to attend an Ulster Orchestra concert. Members of the scheme recently attended an interactive music workshop performed by the Orchestra and hosted by JTI employees in the JTI factory. JTI addresses the specific needs of the community close to our factory… JTI’s factory in Ballymena employs over 900 people and its employee-led committee identifies and supports local charities which address

the specific needs of the community in NI. Charities include: Women’s Aid ABCL&N which JTI supports to provide training and activities for domestic violence survivors to move forward in their lives. With JTI’s help, Harryville Partnership Initiative supports disadvantaged people in the local community in the form of IT literacy classes and clean ups of communal areas. Alternative Angles is a Triangle Housing Association initiative. JTI assists the group to provide long-term work placements, through their Progression to Employment Service, to people with a learning disability who want to improve their confidence and employability. For further information, contact karen.orchin@jti.com.

Planet Our aim is for every business to recognise and reduce its overall impact on the environment and for its operations and behaviours to be sustainable. Through our ARENA Network campaign, which represents all the leading business organisations – CBI, IoD, NI Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Business and the Chartered Management Institute – we help companies reduce their impact and save money at the same time.

The Big Issues • • • •

Climate Change and energy costs Reducing environmental impact and increasing efficiencies Biodiversity Helping businesses and communities be more sustainable

The Headlines We secured a three year strategic partnership agreement with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to deliver increased business engagement on sustainability and environmental compliance. 60 environmental and biodiversity audits were carried out for a range of companies and advice given on improving efficiency. 128 organisations took part in the 13th NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey, which was made more robust and included the additional impact area of water assessed by all companies. 10 companies attained Platinum status, scoring over 90%, demonstrating the Survey’s effectiveness in encouraging businesses to measure, manage and report their environmental impact. Our new Sustainability Meets Efficiency programme was launched to help 40 small businesses. Sponsored by DOE’s Rethink Waste campaign, the programme

By investing £85,000 in a new heat recovery system, Moy Park has been able to use ‘free’ energy and has already saved £150k in oil use and £20k in carbon emissions levy.

provided practical support for SMEs on energy, waste and cost savings. 310 companies were engaged through seminars and workshops to learn about compliance and encourage them to adopt best environmental practice. Topics covered included biodiversity, managing carbon in the supply chain and sustainable water management.

? u know Did yo , 25-30% of an e tricity averag

On elec ation’s g. organis e from lightin m g o n c ti h ts cos nt lig -efficie to p u y Energy b t costs cing can cu e redu il h w d nt and ri a thir tp on foo rb g a c r workin you ing the improv onment. envir t n Trus Carbo

Planet “Following our performance in the Environmental Benchmarking Survey in 2010, Business in the Community gave us an in-depth report on areas for improvement and we’ve been using this to structure our approach to environmental management and performance. It has been really useful, providing structure and support and helping us be the most improved participant in the 2011 Survey.” Charlene Millen, Sustainability Manager, H&J Martin

Who’s Leading The Way?

IKEA was one of ten Platinum level companies in the 13th Environmental Benchmarking Survey and its Environmental Manager Nigel McGarry also won the George Dawson Award for his outstanding work to cut the company’s waste and energy costs and make the Belfast store the top performer on recycling in the UK.

Case Study: Kilwaughter Chemical Co Ltd makes environmental investment Given the nature of its business, limestone quarry and manufacturing company Kilwaughter Chemical Co has high energy demands, which it aimed to reduce by 10% in a year. An incentivised employee suggestion scheme encouraged staff to provide ideas to reduce energy usage within their jobs. Working groups determined key factors for energy savings in all areas of the organisation. It also undertook external projects, such as commissioning a larger, more efficient new mill and collaborating with Queen’s University on more effective drying of minerals and reducing fuel requirements. A reduction of 10.1% was achieved.

Belfast Harbour topped this year’s Environmental Benchmarking Survey, which assesses companies on their environmental management, performance and assurance. Bombardier Aerospace; BT; Dale Farm Ltd; Farrans; IKEA Belfast; John Graham (Dromore) Ltd; Pritchitts; Royal Mail and Seagate Technology (Ireland) Ltd all scored over 90%. The most improved company was H&J Martin, moving from quintile 4 (20-39%) quintile 2 (60-69%). Musgrave Retail Partners has introduced ‘double-decker’ trailers into its delivery fleet. These increased vehicle capacity by 58%, reducing the number of journeys required and contributing to a drop in vehicle emissions of 5,469 tonnes of CO2 in three years. McLaughlin & Harvey won Business in the Community’s Regional Climate Change and Environmental Improvement Awards in 2011 for its dedicated approach to sustainability and for continuing to push the boundaries by researching and addressing the environmental issues facing us now and in the future.

Case Studies People at the heart of firmus’ success 2011 has been a great year for firmus energy, the local dual-fuel energy company, based in Antrim, supplying natural gas to thousands of homes and natural gas and electricity to businesses right across Northern Ireland. In June, firmus energy won the Employer of Choice and Workplace Health & Wellbeing categories at Business in the Community’s Regional Awards and was shortlisted for Responsible Company of the Year. In addition, firmus energy was placed in the Top 20 UK Best

Small Workplaces by Great Place to Work UK for the second year running. Acting General Manager, Michael Scott said: “Being a good employer is hugely important to us at firmus energy. Without great employees who are motivated, enthusiastic and who feel good about what they do, we would not have achieved the success we have to date. People are at the very heart of our success and investing in their wellbeing and engagement is a vital aspect of our business strategy.”

It’s just responsible business for GRAHAM At GRAHAM we realise that our success as a business depends not just upon the ongoing successful delivery of profitable projects, but also on our ability to honour our wider contribution to society as a whole. Some call this good corporate responsibility, we

just call it responsible business, and no different to the way we have always operated. GRAHAM get involved in many activities across the regions in which we operate. One such example is our involvement with Tor Bank School in Belfast – a D+B Contract awarded to GRAHAM Construction and its Partners. Taking our lead from the dedicated team of professionals at Tor Bank, our site team continually embraces the opportunity to communicate on a visual and sensory level to suit the specialist educational needs of the pupils. From the sod cutting ceremony at the outset of the contract, to the switching-on of the lights on the site Christmas tree, our people take every opportunity to engage – listening and responding to the needs of our client to ultimately deliver a project that is fit for purpose, and owned by the school community long before they actually move in. For further information, contact emer.murnaghan@graham.co.uk

Case Studies During 2011, working closely with Business in the Community, firmus energy launched their ‘Get Fit, Live Well, Be Happy’ health and wellbeing strategy, aimed at helping staff maintain a healthy lifestyle and promote work/life balance. In August this year, firmus energy was delighted to be awarded Investors in People Silver Standard, and will continue to ensure that staff wellbeing and engagement remains a key item on the boardroom agenda. For further information, contact srobinson@firmusenergy.co.uk

Staff nominated by colleagues in their ‘Going Further’ employee lead recognition programme. (L-R): Andrew Sands, Michael Scott (Acting General Manager), Emma Kilpatrick and Holly de Winne.

Michelin takes road safety to children Michelin Tyre PLC is to distribute 2,000 cycle helmets to primary school age children as part of a road safety drive. The move comes after the Michelin Group secured a grant from the European Commission’s Road Safety for Young People in Europe (ROSYPE). The project, designed to create awareness of road safety among young children while providing help and support with bike safety, is also linked to mobility, one of three key areas of the company’s CSR programme. Michelin Ballymena has worked closely with local primary schools, targeting those who have been participating in the Department of Environment cycling proficiency scheme and, to date, over 200 children have received their free cycle helmet. The response to the initiative from both the schools and the children has been fantastic. In January 2012, a road safety ‘Design a poster’ competition for primary school age children will also be launched by Michelin Ballymena where

the two best entries in each age category will receive a new bicycle. All entries will receive a new cycle helmet. The aim is to have all the helmets and bicycles distributed before June 2012. For further information, contact sharon.mullan@ uk.michelin.com

Place Young People and Education Our aim is to encourage and engage every business to impact positively within its community. The Big Issues • Raising the aspirations and achievements of young people in schools • Regenerating deprived communities • Supporting the growth and development of small firms

The Headlines We launched Business Class – a strategic education partnership programme with five postprimary schools and five businesses forming the initial Belfast cluster to build long-term collaborative business engagement rooted in the needs of the schools. In the North West, we engaged 79 businesses in partnership activities with post-primary schools, impacting on almost 1,200 pupils and matched nine primary schools and companies to work together on a project to help children understand the world of work. Through Charter Work Inspiration, we arranged 4,320 placement opportunities for young people and 44 Work Inspiration events to give young people a taster of the career opportunities open to them. Our STEM Interactive Careers Event for all the Special Schools in the Belfast Area promoted STEM as a career option and broadened the pupils’ horizons. 440 volunteers from 93 companies helped children in 108 primary schools with literacy through our Time to Read programme.

A pupil of Mitchell House special school learns what a career in construction might involve at our STEM Careers event for special schools.

Who’s Leading The Way? Belfast H&SS Trust; Chesapeake; Invest NI; Northgate Managed Services and SHS Group are the first five businesses matched on our Business Class programme, building strong, strategic partnerships with local secondary schools. In the North West, City of Culture; Derry City Council; Firstsource; Ilex and Seagate are just a few of the employers actively working with us to develop strong business education links.

“Strong links and understanding between education and business are crucial to both social and economic success in the future. Through our Business Class partnership, we are gaining a better understanding of how schools work and they are learning what we as employers need from the next generation. It’s a winning approach for all involved – not least the pupils who are our employees and leaders of the future.” Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director, Northgate Managed Services

Place Deprived Communities The Headlines We have supported the development and sustainability of more than 60 Community and Voluntary sector organisations through the brokering of over 1,000 hours of professional pro bono support. Through a network of Business Leadership Networks across Northern Ireland, we mobilised 100+ business leaders to work together in addressing local issues and support local schools and community organisations. A signature conference for private and voluntary and community sectors was delivered to develop new ‘smarter’ ways of partnership working to improve service delivery. Our Building Brighter Futures Programme worked to achieve sustained peace and recognise diversity, promote cross-community working and cultural understanding. Nine groups were engaged from the Limavady, Coleraine, Moyle and Ballymoney Council areas and a range of practical projects completed, including reimaging of sectarian murals. Phase Two commences in January 2012.

know? Did you ity and m om un

The C ill see sector w ry ta n lu Vo uction illion red a £1.2 b e next g over th in fundin iness rs – bus four yea ppor t u s e and s ti r e p x e more er been has nev or tant. and imp valued

Representatives from the private and voluntary sectors promoting the Working Smarter Together conference along with TV and radio presenter Seamus McKee.

Case Study: McGrigors supports the third sector on tendering In response to the challenging funding climate and increased competition to bid successfully for contract work, McGrigors LLP worked in partnership with Business in the Community to design and deliver a series of ‘Readiness to Tender’ events for social economy organisations and voluntary and community groups. Attendance at the events was high and information was provided on both public and private sector opportunities as well as sharing best practice. Speakers from the Central Procurement Directorate, local councils, successful social enterprises and McGrigors themselves, helped to ensure informative and pitch perfect workshops. The private sector involvement was somewhat unique – it represents a target market that has been relatively untapped to date by social enterprises in Northern Ireland and also has an important role to play in sharing lessons to maximise success and considering partnership working with social enterprises.

Place Supporting Small Firms

“It so obviously made sense for us to introduce Allstate’s X the Txt campaign in Northern Ireland. We have a young workforce who understand the issues around texting and driving and are enthusiastic about what we’re doing to raise awareness of the dangers. Their enthusiasm is brought back into work and they’re proud to be Allstate employees, so everyone wins.” Bro McFerran, Managing Director, Allstate NI (Business in the Community NI’s Responsible Company of the Year)

The Headlines Through our Connections small business programme, sponsored by Electric Ireland, we delivered 18 best practice seminars to a total of 582 SME participants on topics ranging from Building Green = Competitive Advantage to Successful Tendering. A further 44 SMEs were matched with business mentors to help address specific business development issues this year – support worth around £20k.

Who’s Leading The Way? Over 45 Business in the Community members are engaged in supporting small firms through providing mentoring support or speaking at workshops. Henderson Group and the streat have been particularly engaged in supporting small firms through hosting and speaking at a number of seminars as well as providing mentoring support to a small retailer.

Michael McQuillan of the streat (right) shares secrets of customer service success with retailers in Larne.

Case Study: PwC helps baker’s profits rise Sara Jane’s Cakes is a speciality and novelty cake making business which caters for birthdays, weddings and special occasions, located on the outskirts of Enniskillen. With customers increasingly price sensitive and margins constantly being eroded, Sara Jane identified a need for help with pricing, analysing margins on key products and advice on more rigorous financial management and reporting systems. Through the Connections programme, a mentor from PwC’s Omagh office worked with Sara Jane and her staff over several months to address these issues. Thanks to PwC, the small firm now has improved bookkeeping and record keeping systems, revised pricing and purchasing policies and reduced phone and internet costs and is looking forward to substantial improved profit margins.

Case Studies Progressive Community Awards Scheme Progressive Building Society is Northern Ireland’s largest locally-owned lender and provides mortgage and savings services through 12 branches and 50 agencies.

percentage of Progressive’s staff also donate monthly to charities of their choice via payroll giving and many of them also assist with voluntary groups in their own areas.

As part of its CSR strategy the Society operates a Community Awards Scheme through which its members can nominate voluntary organisations for monetary awards. Each year Progressive’s Community Awards Panel grants up to 20 awards varying from £200 to £2,000. A large

During 2011 many of the Society’s staff attended blood donation sessions and were happy to add their names to the donor list. For further information, contact hamillc@ theprogressive.com

Electric Ireland stimulates responsible business Electric Ireland is committed to doing business responsibly and encourages other companies to do the same through its sponsorship of Business in the Community’s Annual Awards which recognise and celebrate responsible business practice. This commitment extends to the small firms sector through its support for the Connections Programme, which entered its third year in 2011. Thanks to Electric Ireland’s support, over 130 small firms have received valuable mentoring support through Business in the Community since 2009. A further 1,000 have attended bestpractice workshops and seminars on a range of business topics. Following their involvement in Connections, 52% of small firms have reported increased sales and 45% increased profit margins – no mean feat in the current economic climate. Electric Ireland is also committed to work with the education sector to support STEM initiatives and help position them as a central focus of the economy in the coming years. In Northern Ireland this involves a scholarship

Liam Molloy of Electric Ireland speaking at BITC’s 2011 Awards.

in partnership with Queen’s University, Belfast which provides a tailored financial and support package for students from the MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering programme. This includes practical experience gained through summer and corporate placements. Electric Ireland has been supplying tailored energy solutions to the Industrial & Commercial market and a high proportion of Northern Ireland’s 80,000 small and medium enterprises since 2000, formerly operating under the brand name ESB Independent Energy. For further information, contact john.conlon@ esbie.ie

Case Studies Vodafone makes a World of Difference in Northern Ireland The Vodafone World of Difference programme is delivered by the Vodafone Foundation and aims to change the lives of 500 people each year by paying them to work for a charity of their choice. Gok Wan, ambassador for the programme said, “Vodafone World of Difference really does make a difference to the winners and charities involved. I’ve seen it expand the horizons and confidence of people taking part, whilst helping

TV star Gok Wan launched the Vodafone World of Difference 2011 programme along with Clare Dunnion of Vodafone (right) and Mary O’Hara from Clubs for Young People.

so many charities. I’m proud to make it my mission to let as many people and charities know about this once in a lifetime opportunity.” Pauline Quigley, Head of Vodafone Northern Ireland said, “This is the third year of the World of Difference programme which offers people the opportunity to really impact on the lives of others in Northern Ireland. Each charity involved benefits from having the additional support of another person and the individual also develops new skills from working with the charity.” The Vodafone Foundation will pay £2,500 to each charity participating in the World of Difference programme, which covers salary costs, once tax and National Insurance have been paid. Charities also receive £250 towards expenses associated with enrolling and employing the winner. For more information visit vodafone.co.uk/ worldofdifference.

Wrightbus... naturally – we’re already there... As an award-winning innovator and one of the most progressive companies in the European bus industry, Wrightbus offers vehicle solutions in all key bus segments. Hybrid technology has been at the core of the company’s product development programme for the best part of a decade now and hybrid electric powered Wrightbus single and double deck buses have been in operation in London since 2006. More recently, a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) version of StreetCar® has joined the model line up, proving its ability with

50 units of these model now making the daily commute in North America. Underpinning the future of hybrid technology, Wrightbus secured the prestigious New Bus for London contract to make the eco-friendly replacement for the iconic London Route master bus and a prototype fleet of eight vehicles will be delivered to Transport for London by next spring. For further information, contact info@wright-bus.com

Our Finance SOURCES (£000’s) Total £2,072 (2010 £1,936) MEMBERSHIP NI £656 (2010 £656) (29%) SPONSORSHIP £404 (2010 £527) (33%) EU & IFI £168 (2010 £310) (16%) CONTRACTS WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES £825 (2010 £443) (22%)

APPLICATIONS (£000’s) Total £2,072 (2010 £1,936) Membership Services £521 (2010 £479) (25%) Communications £109 (2010 £96) (5%) PROGRAMME SUPPORT People £635 (2010 £377) (31%) Planet £196 (2010 £221) (9%) Place £534 (2010 £638) (26%) Reserves £77 (2010 £125) (4%)

The Financial Income above does not include Capital Income received for the BEAM Centre for Social Economy, Maydown. The total project value is estimated at £635k, Business in the Community would like to thank Invista, DSD and IFI for their kind contributions to the BEAM Centre. This information has been extracted from our Annual Accounts. Full financial statements, Director’s Report and Audit Report are available online at www.bitcni.org.uk.

Our Members

(Magenta denotes companies joined since January 2011)

3fivetwo Group A&L Goodbody Adelaide Insurance Services Ltd Aepona AES Alburn Investments Allen & Overy Alliance Boots Allianz Northern Ireland Allstate Northern Ireland Almac Group Ltd Amey Business Services Andor Technology Arthur Cox Solicitors Arts & Business Asda Asidua Aurion Autoline Insurance Group AV Browne B9 Energy Services Bank of England Bank of Ireland BBC BDO Belfast City Council Belfast Harbour Commissioners Belfast Health & Social Care Trust Belfast Metropolitan College B/E Aerospace Blackbourne M&E Bombardier Aerospace Botanic Inns BP McKeefry Ltd BP Oil UK Ltd BT Carecall Care Circle Carillion Energy Services Carson McDowell Solicitors Castlecourt Shopping Centre Chesapeake – Field Boxmore Circe Ltd Citi Clanmil Housing Association Clarendon Executive Coca-Cola HBC Northern Ireland Compass Group Connswater Shopping Centre Connswater Homes Consarc Copelands Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) Crane Stockman Valve DCC Energy (NI) Ltd Deloitte Delta Packaging Dennison Commercials Ltd Diageo Northern Ireland Dillon Bass Ltd Driver & Vehicle Licensing Dunbia DuPont UK Ltd Eircom Electric Ireland Employers for Childcare Enterprise Rent-A-Car ETT-NI Evron Foods Ltd Equiniti ICS Fane Valley FG Wilson (Engineering) Ltd Finlay Communications Finnebrogue firmus energy First Trust Bank Firstsource Fold Housing Association Forward Emphasis Foyle Food Group FPM Accountants LLP Fujitsu Services Funeral Services NI Ltd Futures (NI) GEDA Construction Genesis Breads George Best Belfast City Airport Gilbert-Ash Grafton Recruitment Greiner Packaging H&J Martin Habinteg Housing Association Haldane Fisher Harland & Wolff Harlequin (formerly Clarehill Plastics) Hays Recruitment HCL BPO Services (NI) Ltd Henderson Group Henry Brothers Ltd Homecare Independent Living Hutchinson Homes IBM UK Ltd Identity & Passport Service IKEA INVEST NI INVISTA Textiles (UK) Ltd Ipsos MORI Irish News Ltd Irwin Electrical Services ILEX Urban Regeneration Co ISL Waste Management Ltd J P Corry Ltd Jackson Graham Associates JJ Kelly & Co John Graham John Sisk & Son John Thompson & Sons Johnston Campbell Ltd JTI Kilwaughter Chemical Co Ltd Knauf Insulation KPMG Lafarge Cement Lagan Holdings Ltd Larne Harbour Ltd LBM Leckpatrick Foods Legal-Island Linden Foods Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners Marks & Spencer Marsh Ltd Maydown Precision Engineering McAvoy Group McGrigors Belfast McLaughlin & Harvey McMullen Architectural Systems Ltd Medicare Michelin Tyre plc Microsoft NI Mills Selig Mivan MJM Molson Coors Montupet (UK) Ltd Moore MacDonald Morgan Document Security Morrow Contracts Mott MacDonald Group Moy Park Ltd Mount Charles Catering Musgrave Retail Partners NI NACCO Materials Handling Ltd Nationwide Building Society Newtownabbey Borough Council NHBC NI Assembly Commission NI Ambulance Service NI Co-ownership Housing Association NI Housing Executive NIjobs.com Nitec Solutions Northgate Managed Services Northern Bank Ltd Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association Northern Ireland Water North & West Housing Association Northstone (NI) Limited NuPrint O’Neill & Brady Ltd Odyssey Trust Company Parker Green Patton Group Phoenix Natural Gas Police Service of Northern Ireland Portview Fit-Out Limited Positive Futures PPG Architectural Coatings Ltd Precision Industrial Services Ltd PricewaterhouseCoopers Pritchitts Probation Board for Northern Ireland Progressive Building Society Queen’s University of Belfast RFD Beaufort Red Sky Royal & Sun Alliance Royal Mail Group plc RPS Consulting Engineers RSM McClure Waters Rutledge Group Sainsbury’s Saica Packaging UK Ltd Sangers SDC Trailers Ltd Seagate Technology (Ireland) Ltd Serco Ireland SHS Group Ltd Singularity SITA Smarts SODEXO LTD Southern Health & Social Care Trust South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust South Eastern Regional College SP McCaffrey & Co Accountants Stevenson Munn Stratagem Strategic Investment Board Sysco Software Systems Teletech UK Ltd Tesco Stores Ltd The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland The Karl Group The Orchardville Society the streat Titanic Quarter Ltd TR Logistics Group Translink Triangle Housing Association Triplicate Design Tughans Solicitors Ulster Bank Limited Ulster Stores USEL United Dairy Farmers University of Ulster UTV plc Vodafone NI Ltd W5 Wastebeater Recycling Western Health & Social Care Trust WH Stephens & Sons Whale Whitemountain Quarries Limited Wrightbus Ltd Yell

Our Board

CHAIRMAN PAUL ROONEY Partner PricewaterhouseCoopers

HRH AMBASSADOR 2007 ROY ADAIR Chief Executive Belfast Harbour

HRH AMBASSADOR 2008 brian ambrose Chief Executive, George Best Belfast City Airport

chair, arena network peter dixon Group Chief Executive, Phoenix Natural Gas

chair, NORTH WEST LEADERSHIP NETWORK SEAN CANNING Managing Director, Firstsource (UK) Ltd

BUSINESS MENTORING champion NIGEL GRAY Retail Operations Director, The Henderson Group

small firms support champion susan kinane Managing Director, Electric Ireland

DR ALAN LENNON, OBE Civil Service Commissioner

CHAIR, COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP NETWORK STEPHEN MAGORRIAN Managing Director, Botanic Inns Ltd

GERRY MALLON Chief Executive, Northern Bank

chAMPION, BUSINESS BIODIVERSITY CATHERINE MASON Group Chief Executive, NI Transport Holding Company

chair, chaRter work inspiration john mcCANN Group Chief Executive, UTV Media plc

HRH AMBASSADOR 2011 WORKPLACE HEALTH CHAMPION BRO mcFERRAN, CBE Managing Director, Allstate NI

CHAIR, GAP HRH AMBASSADOR 2009 DR GERARD O’HARE, CBE Managing Director, Parker Green International

CHAIR, employers’ forum michael ryan, CBE Vice-President & General Manager, Bombardier Aerospace

HRH AMBASSADOR 2006 SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CHAMPION CIARAN SHEEHAN MD, Care Circle Group

DR MARK SWEENEY Global Operations Director, Caterpillar Electric Power Division

CHAIR, BOARDMATCH NI ALAN TAYLOR Managing Partner, Arthur Cox Solicitors

With thanks to the supporters of this annual review:

Business in the Community is a unique movement in the UK and Ireland of 850 member companies (253 of which are in Northern Ireland). Our purpose is to mobilise business as a force for good in society. Our sister organisation, Business in the Community Ireland is situated in Dublin. To find out more about their work, visit www.bitc.ie or call 00353 1 874 7232

www.bitcni.org.uk info@bitcni.org.uk

Business in the Community can be contacted in Northern Ireland at: Belfast Business in the Community Bridge House, Paulett Avenue Belfast BT5 4HD T (028) 9046 0606 F 0870 460 1731 North West Office Business in the Community BEAM Social Enterprise Centre Invista House, Maydown Works Derry/Londonderry BT47 6TH T (028) 7186 1550 F (028) 7186 1577

Registered Details 137 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7RQ. Registered Charity No: 297716. Company Limited by Guarantee No: 1619253 Designed and produced by Greer Publications Design, 5b Edgewater Business Park, Belfast Harbour Estate, Belfast BT3 9JQ This document has been printed on sources only acquired from suppliers operating sustainable forest reserves. Also, the pulp used has been bleached without the use of any chlorine chemicals, ensuring that the end user will not compromise the environment.