Raising
support and income from companies is often a new and untried task for voluntary
organisations or community groups. Many small and large organisations do
successfully work with companies, and the number of companies who promote their
links with charities is increasing.
This varies according to the company. There
is a genuine wish by most companies to contribute to charitable and community
activity on an international, national or local basis. With some companies this
is organised and structured, sometimes with foundations independently set up
disbursing a proportion of their profits through formal and accountable
application procedures. At the other end of the scale it may be left to a
marketing department or a whimsical process, dependent on furthering their
company profile or the personal interest or inclination of board members. This
does not mean that it is not worth pursuing contact with this sort of company.
They may be able to be far more flexible in their giving and be very generous.
You may be ideally placed to give a presentation to a board member or make an
appointment with a local company manager or to have an informal chat with an
employee that could lead to the funding or other help you seek. If there is no formal plan for giving or
precedence you can be more inventive in your approach. You have little to lose.
Most like to fund things of local interest.
Most companies don't have published donation
policies. Mostly they cover a wide range
of good causes, or attempt to deal with each appeal on its own merits.
A personal contact can help. Find out about the company and what they
offer either through looking at their website or by phone. Applications are usually made in writing. Use
a personal letter. Find out who you need to write to by name.
Companies
vary considerably in the amount they will give. Some provide core funding of
hundreds of thousands of pounds to national high profile charities. Others only
give small donations to projects in the communities they where they have a
presence. It is useful to know their giving patterns so you avoid asking for an
inappropriate amount. If it is not clear
ask.
Pros:
|
Cons:
|
|
Little bureaucracy |
May depend on personal contacts |
|
Can often respond quite quickly |
Usually small amounts |
|
Secondees salaries can be used as match funding |
Some causes more popular than others, e.g.
children's toy appeals do better than work with offenders |
|
Minimal monitoring required |
Some companies may not fit with the aims and
ethos of your organisation due to various ethical issues |
Company
giving is just part of what they now term ‘Corporate Responsibility’. This also
covers their impact on the environment and on the communities where they
operate, their terms and conditions for suppliers and the working conditions
for their workers.
The give
for a variety of reasons:
·
philanthropy
·
to
generate goodwill in the communities where they have a presence
·
to
develop a particular image for the company – association with helping schools
or hospitals, funding sport and activity, sponsoring opera or theatre
·
conscience
– banks supporting debt advice services, tobacco companies supporting medical
research, petrol companies supporting environment projects
·
to
help market their services – computers for schools tokens, low price or free
software for charities, 2p for sport when you buy a chocolate bar
·
to
support their staff and develop their relationship with them – time off for
charity activity, encouraging their collections for charity
·
to
satisfy legal requirements - ameliorating the impact of a mining, compensating
for landfill operations through environmental project support, helping with
retraining when they downsize or close operations
·
to
take advantage of tax concessions – payroll giving, matching employee donations
·
to
pass on unsold goods or recycle - supermarkets donating perishable foods to
those working with the poor or homeless, passing replaced office equipment to
charities
Many
companies are becoming pro-active in their support for good causes - setting
their priorities well in advance and pro-actively choosing the causes they will
support, rather than simply responding to requests.
Some
companies choose to build a close relationship with a charity working within
the sector appropriate to their activity. Pharmaceutical companies support
health charities. Building developers may give help to housing associations and
tenant groups.
As you see
companies do not just give money, they give support in a variety of other ways.
They also support their employees and their community interests.
Apart from
organised funding, companies may offer help such as:
·
Donations
·
Regular
giving from staff salary
·
Gifts
in kind - Do-it-Yourself stores may give materials for repairing a community
centre.
·
Support
for volunteers – community clean up events, painting the village hall
·
Staff
involvement - paid time for staff to give to voluntary work/projects
·
Secondment
of skilled staff offering skills and company expertise – accountancy, lawyers
time, fundraising
·
Publicity
– local radio giving exposure or appeals, help with promotion materials from
advertising companies
·
Sponsorship
of local events
·
Providing
premises, grounds for events
·
Giving
surplus stock
Corporate
image is very important. Companies do
not like to court controversy. They like
to be associated with causes that are simple to understand and universally
popular. Sport for children is more likely to be supported than drug
rehabilitation. They will probably avoid giving to animal rights organisations
or for political ends. It is worth considering where you fit in the popularity
stakes before you start. Unpopular causes may be better placed when applying to
trusts and foundations.
The PerCent
Club was first established in 1986 and launched by HRH the Prince of Wales. It
uses as its benchmark the Per Cent Standard - that is, those companies that
invest 1% or more of their pre-tax profit (or the equivalent) in corporate
community investment become members of the club. In 2005 there were 116
companies in the
There are
links to the websites of the Footsie 100 companies below. You can also use the
Per Cent Club listings to find other generous companies. There are no links
provided in these listings but a search with ‘Google’ will find their corporate
websites (see below).
There is a
list of companies containing the 100 financially biggest public companies
listed on the UK Stock Exchange. They vary considerably in what they do and
where and how they operate. It is up to you to decide whether one company is
worth pursuing rather than another. There is some indication as to what they
do, what their interests might be and what approaches they have to charitable
activity.
This
listing is brief and only intended to give a general indication of a companies
approach to charitable giving and community involvement. Look at their website
and contact them for accurate and further information before making any
application for funding.
Apart from
100 largest
You can
look for companies that are not listed below using ‘Google’ . Make the Search
as simple as possible. Use only the company name or part of it. Otherwise you
may only get references to them in the news or to their latest products.
In general
the sort of information you are looking for will be listed under subject
headings like: ‘About Us’, ‘Corporate Information’, ‘Social Responsibility’,
‘Community Involvement’, ‘Company Giving’. These often appear in menus at the
head or foot of the page away from the main thrust of sales and customer
service that often dominates commercial websites. Corporate information may
even be on a separate website.
When you
find the information, they may not list contacts or how to go about applying to
them for funding or help. Use their general contact information. Phone their
helpline or head office contact number and ask for those dealing with
charitable or community programmes. You may be given a series of numbers to
ring before you get through to someone who can help. The harder it is for you
to contact the right person, the harder it will be for others and the less
competition there may be for any funds that are available.
A brief
chat about yourselves with those responsible for funding will help in deciding
whether it is worth pursuing an application and save you time and effort
avoiding inappropriate applications. Those who have sought guidance before
making applications will often be remembered and if you follow their guidance
and advice, it is likely your application will be more seriously considered
than applications that arrive unsolicited. Ensure you know the name of your
contact. Address correspondence to them reminding them of your telephone
conversations or any other contact you have had with them.
If their
approach appears to be made on a local basis, contact their local operation,
factory, branch or store. Apart from structured programmes there are often
small budgets and local means for helping the community that are left to the
discretion of the local manager. Tell them what you are trying to do. Ask them
what help they can give. They may prove much more helpful to you than just
giving you a donation.
Information
supplied by www.fit4funding.org.uk
from The Charities Information Bureau. Further help and information about
funding is available on the www.fit4funding.org.uk
website.
Key:
·
% Members of the
·
I International interest particularly in areas
they operate
·
S
Sponsorship, Arts, Sport, Events, etc
·
N Supporting
and/or sponsoring a national charity(ies)
·
P Supporting staff participation, community
interests and/or matching donations, payroll giving
·
L
Supporting local charities in the communities they operate – ask at local
branch, outlet, factory, etc.
·
D Donations
for community groups
·
F Foundation
or trust requiring formal application
·
V Provide
expertise, paid volunteers from staff, or secondment
·
K Gifts in
kind
·
A Awards and
prizes, sponsorship or funding through partner voluntary organisations
Anglo
American – international, mining
Works
with communities and for local economic development in the areas that they have
mining interests, principally
Website: http://www.angloamerican.co.uk/cr/socialresponsibilty/
Key: I,L,D
Associated
British Foods – international, food,
ingredients and retail
IGeneral
Supports communities where they operate and through The Garfield Weston
Foundation
Website: http://www.abf.co.uk/csr/stakeholders.asp
Key: I,L,D,F
Alliance
& Leicester - banking
Key: http://www.alliance-leicester-group.co.uk/html/csr/community_relations.asp
Interests:
education, those with
financial difficulties, business and community links. P,L,D,V
Allied Domecq – wines & spirits –
Beefeater’s, Teachers
Interests:
varied
Key: %, I,L,D,K,V
Website: http://www.allianceboots.com/main.asp?pid=1474
Interests:
community health and
wellbeing
Key: L,D,V
Aviva –
international, insurance
Website: http://www.aviva.com/index.asp?pageid=356
Interests:
crime reduction; community
safety; welfare - youth education, health and well being, elderly
Key: I,D,S,N,L
AMVESCAP –
investment management
Website: http://www.invesco.com/about/community.html
Interests:
general; children
Key: I,D,P,L
ASTRAZENECA
– international pharmaceutical
Website: http://www.astrazeneca.com/article/511593.aspx
Interests:
health, science,
particularly related to education
Key: I,D,A
BAE
SYSTEMS – military equipment, technology
Website: http://www.baesystems.com//CorporateResponsibility/
Interests:
youth, medical, military,
education
Key: I,D,P,V,K
BAA –
airport management
Website:
http://www.baa.com/portal/site/default/menuitem.a875fc32913746f398a5e186c02865a0/
Interests: environment,
education, vocational skills
Key: %,P,L,V,D
Barclays –
banking
Website: http://www.barclays.co.uk/corporateresponsibility/community/index.htm
Interests:
general, sport
Key: %,A,P,V
British
American Tobacco – tobacco, cigarettes
Website:
http://www.bat.com/group/sites/uk__3mnfen.nsf/vwPagesWebLive/DO52FLGE?opendocument&SKN=1&TMP=1
Interests: Youth smoking prevention,
tertiary education, environment, primary health care, culture, emergency relief
Key: I,D
British
Airways – air travel
Website: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/comrelmain/public/en_gb
Interests:
Education and Youth
Development, Sustainable Tourism, Environment,
Heritage
Key: %,P,L,D
Bradford
& Bingley – banking
Website: http://www.bbg.co.uk/bbg/csr/community/csrpolicy/
Interests:
homelessness
Key: P,L,D,V
BG Group –
gas exploration, extraction, supply
Website: http://www.bg-group.com/cr/cr_society.htm
Interests:
skills transfer, vocational
development
Key: P,L,D,V
British
Land Company – land and property management
Website: http://www.britishland.com/sponsorships.htm
Interests:
education, sport, culture
Key: %,S,A
BHP
Billiton – minerals, metals, mining, petroleum, production
Website:
http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/sustainableDevelopment/socialResponsibility.jsp
Interests: sustainable,
social fabric
Key: %,I,N,L,F
BUNZL –
hotel, food, retail, healthcare
Website: http://www.bunzl.com/csr/community.shtml
Interests: healthcare, education,
disability, children and the arts
Key: L
BOC Group
– compressed air, gases
Website: http://www.boc.com/foundation/funding.asp
Interests:
environment through BOC
Foundation
Key: %,F
Boots
Group – pharmaceutical, healthcare
Website: http://www.boots-csr.com/
Interests: health
through Boots Charitable Trust
Key: P,L,F,V
BP –
petroleum, energy
Website:
http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9002650&contentId=7005298
Interests:
education, sustainability,
science, museums, arts, culture
Key: I,S,P,A
BSkyB –
communications, television
Website: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=104016&p=irol-csrcommunitytwo#top1
Interests:
media, communication, youth
Key: N,A
BT Group –
communications
Website:
http://www.btplc.com/Societyandenvironment/index.CFM
Interests:
communications, ICT, digital
inclusion, arts, culture
Key: %,S,N,P
Cadbury
Schweppes – soft drinks, confectionary
Website:
http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/EN/EnvironmentSociety/Community/Commitments/Themes/
Interests:
education, enterprise,
health, welfare, environment
Key: %,N,A
Cable
& Wireless – communications
Website:
http://www.cw.com/about_us/company_profile/corporate_responsibility/community/investment/
Interests:
social inclusion,
employability, international
Key: I,L,D
Centrica –
power supply
Website: http://www.centrica.co.uk/files/reports/2006cr/index.asp?pageid=12
Interests: education,
skills and employability
Key: N,P,A,K
Compass
group – food, hospitality
Website: http://www.compass-group.com/SCR/inTheCommunity.htm
Interests:
children
Key: %,I,N
Diageo – spirits – Johnny Walker, Smirnoff,
Guinness
Website: http://www.diageo.com/en-row/CorporateCitizenship/
Interests:
skills, water, community,
disadvantage, emergency relief, through Diageo Foundation
Key: %,F
Daily Mail
and General Trust - media
Website: http://www.dmgt.co.uk/corporateresponsibility/thecommunity/
Interests:
media, community support
Key: P,D,V
DSG
International – electrical goods, computers, retail – Dixons, Currys, PC World,
The Link
Website:
Interests:
youth through DSG
international Foundation
Key: N,D,K,F
Emap –
communications, media, magazines
Website: http://legacy.planetemap.com/storage/report2004_pdfs/CSR_Review.pdf
Interests:
using its media, local radio to help charities fundraise
L,D,V
Exel –
logistics, freight – DCL
Website:
Interests:
children, through The
Exel Foundation
Key: N,P,D,F,V
Friends
Provident – financial services
Interests: financial systems, poverty,
sport, arts, through Friends Provident Foundation
Key: P,L,F,V
Foreign
& Colonial Investment Trust – investment services
Website: http://www.fandc.com/new/aboutus/?id=75964
Interests:
social, environment
Key: P,D,V
GKN –
technology, engineering
Website: http://www.gknplc.com/SocialResponsibility/Review.asp?Page=2
Interests:
education, environment,
social
Key: %,I,L,D
GlaxoSmithKline
– healthcare, pharmaceutical
Website: http://www.gsk.com/community/community_partnerships.htm
Interests:
youth, healthcare,
homelessness
Key: %,I,N,A
HAYS –
recruitment, human resources
Website: http://www.haysplc.com/responsibility.aspx
Interests: Larger
Charities
Key: N
HBOS (
Website: http://www.hbosplc.com/community/community_home.asp
Interests:
community through
foundation, social banking, sponsorship, arts
Key: S,N,P,T,L,F,V
Hilton
Group – hotels, hospitality, Hilton, Ladbrokes
Website:
http://hiltonworldwide1.hilton.com/en_US/ww/business/citizenship.do#contribute
Interests:
regeneration, sport, local
trusts through Hilton in the Community Foundation and Ladbrokes in the
Community
Key: P,L,F,V
Hanson –
building materials
Website: http://www.hansonplc.com/index.asp?pageid=275
Interests:
environment – landfill
credits through Hanson Environment Fund
Key: L,F
HSBC –
banking
Website: http://www.hsbc.com/hsbc/csr/community
Interests:
youth,
education, disadvantage, environment, disaster relief
Key: I,P,L,V
Intercontinental
– hotels, hospitality, Holiday Inn
Website: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/6c/1/en/c/2/content/dec/6c/1/en/sr.html
Interests:
international charities,
children, diversity, education, environment,
well-being
Key: I,L,N,V
Imperial
Tobacco – tobacco, cigarettes
Website: http://www.imperial-tobacco.com/index.asp?pageid=456
Interests:
community
Key: I,L,V
ITV –
broadcasting, television
Website: http://www.itvplc.com/itv/responsibility/
Interests:
use of media, promotion,
news
Key: %,P,L,D,V,K
Johnson
Matthey - precious metals
Website: http://www.matthey.com/cr/charity/charity.htm
Interests:
medical research, education,
care for the disabled and young people, community
Key: P,L,N,D,V
Land Securities – commercial property management
Website: http://www.landsecurities.co.uk/ls03.asp?PageID=202
Interests:
wide, community
Key: L
Legal & General – financial management
Website: http://www.legalandgeneralgroup.com/csr/
Interests: social,
youth, education, community
Key: N,L,D,V
Lloyds TSB
– banking
Website: http://www.lloydstsbfoundations.org.uk/
Interests:
community, general,
substantial help through Lloyds TSB Foundations, regional & national
Key: %,F,N,L
Man Group
– investment management
Website: http://www.mangroupplc.com/about/about_overview.cfm
Interests:
arts
Key: S,A
Marks
& Spencer – retail
Website:
http://www.marksandspencer.com/gp/node/n/43475031?ie=UTF8&mnSBrand=core
Interests:
youth, unemployed, homeless,
disadvantaged
Key: %,P,L,V
Morrisons
– supermarket
Website: http://www.morrisons.co.uk/Corporate/About-Morrisons/
Interests:
community
Key: N,L,V
Northern
Rock - , banking, financial services
Website: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/
Interests: community in NE region through
Northern Rock Foundation
Key: %,L,F,V
Next –
retail
Website: http://www.next.co.uk/pdfs/CSRR.pdf
Interests:
health, youth, fashion
Key: L,N,V,K
Old Mutual
– international, financial services
Website: http://www.oldmutual.com/vpage.jsp?page_id=2210
Interests: international, education
Key: I,N
O2 –
telecommunications
Website: http://crreport.o2.com/cr/report2005/report_124.asp
Interests: communication, youth
Key: L,V,K
Prudential
– financial services, insurance M&G, Egg
Website: http://www.prudential.co.uk/prudential-plc/cr/communityprogrammes/uk/
Interests:
personal finance, debt,
schools, education, crime, community safety
Key: L,N,V,A
Reckitt
Benckiser – cleaning materials, health protection
Website: http://www.reckitt.com/documentlib/normal/communityinvolvement-policy.pdf
Interests:
relate to core business and
staff interest
Key: P,L,V
Reed
Elsevier – publishing, paper, electronic
Website: http://www.reed-elsevier.com/media/pdf/t/p/Community.pdf
Interests:
publishing, web, graphic
design, staff interest, education for disadvantaged young people
Key: P,L,D,V
Rentokil-Initial
– cleaning, services, pest control
Website: http://www.rentokil-initial.com/csr/d/communityinvolvement.pdf
Interests:
staff interest
Key: P,L,V
Reuters –
news services
Website: http://about.reuters.com/csr/community/
Interests:
community, organised
Community Events Week
Key: I,P,L,V
Rexam –
packaging, bottles, cans
Website: http://www.rexam.com/index.asp?pageid=822
Interests:
community
Key: I,P,L,D,V
Royal Bank
of
Website:
http://www.rbs.com/corporate02.asp?id=CORPORATE_RESPONSIBILITY/COMMUNITY_INVESTMENT
Interests:
education,
employment and enterprise
Key: N,P,L,D,V
Royal Dutch
Shell – petrochemical
Website: http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?siteId=uk-en
Interests:
environment, social impact,
entrepreneurship
Key: N,S, A
Royal Sun
Website: http://www.royalsunalliance.com/royalsun/aboutus/corprep.jsp?link=3&sub=48
Interests:
youth, emotional health,
social housing
Key: N
SABMILLER
– brewers
Website: http://www.sabmiller.com/sabmiller.com/en_gb/Our+responsibility/
Interests: international,
health
Key: I,L,D
Sage Group
– software
Website: http://www.sage.com/corporate/csr_community.php
Interests:
international, development, emergency relief
Key: I,L,D
Sainsbury
– retail
Website:
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/aboutus/good_causes/goodcauses.htm?WT.svl=1&WT.seg_1=nav_primary
Interests:
health, education, Comic
Relief partner
Key: %,N,S,N,L,A
Scottish
and Southern Energy – energy suppliers
Interests: community,
safety
Key: S,P,L,V
Scottish
& Newcastle – brewers
Website: http://www.scottish-newcastle.com/snplc/rsp/cr_community/involvement/
Interests:
through Scottish &
Newcastle and Kronenburg Foundations
Key: I,D,K
Shire –
pharmaceutical
Website:
http://www.shire.com/shire/InvestorRelations/CSR/policy.jsp?tn=1&m1=32&m2=30&m2=14&m2=1
Interests:
community, health
Key: %,I,L
Smith’s
Group – engineering, medical, aerospace
Website: http://www.smiths-group.com/thecommunity.htm
Interests:
community, education ,arts
Key: I,N,L
Smith
& Nephew – medical equipment, engineering
Website: http://www.smith-nephew.com/sustainability2005/sr2005.pdf
Interests:
community
Key: %,I,S,N,L
Scottish
Power – energy suppliers
Website:
http://www.scottishpower.com/CorporateResponsibility.asp
Interests:
youth, employment,
education, community
Key: N,L,
Standard
Chartered – banking
Website: http://www.standardchartered.com/corporateresponsibility/communities.html
Interests:
youth, health, education
Key: I,N,P,L,V
Severn
Trent – utility, water
Website: http://www.stwater.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.5960
Interests:
community, environment,
partnership with WaterAid
Key: I,P,L,V
Tomkins –
engineering
Website: http://www.tomkins.co.uk/
Interests:
small local charities
Key: L,D
Tesco –
supermarket
Website:
http://www.tescocorporate.com/page.aspx?pointerid=A0E1C75E640440C3B3B3E6F4E945C786
Interests:
children, health, community
Key: %,N,P,L,D,V
Unilever –
food, detergent, etc, manufacturer –Birdseye, Flora, Knorr, Omo, Lux, Domestos
etc
Website: http://www.unilever.co.uk/ourvalues/environmentandsociety/default.asp
Interests:
education, development,
arts, community
Website: S,P,L,V,K
United
Utilities – water, power, Northwest
Website: http://www.unitedutilities.com/?OBH=242
Interests:
community, environment,
education, schools, music
Key: N,L,D
Vodafone –
communications
Website: http://www.vodafoneukfoundation.org/1.0.html
Interests:
youth, communications
through Vodafone Group Charitable Trust & Vodafone UK Foundation
Key: N,P,L,F,V
WPP –
communications
Website: http://www.wpp.com/WPP/About/HowWeBehave/CorporateResponsibility/
Interests:
community,
health, education, arts
Key: I,P,L,V
Whitbread
– brewers, hospitality
Website: http://www.whitbread.co.uk/corporate_responsibility.cfm?id=community_invest
Interests:
youth, emergency relief, and
through Whitbread Charitable Trust
Key: I,N,P,L,F,V,K
XSTRATA –
mining
Website: http://www.xstrata.com/sustainability/social
Interests: international, development
Key: I,L
Yell Group
– directories
Website:
http://www.yellgroup.com/english/governanceandresponsibility-yellukresponsibility-yellukcommunity
Interests:
youth, environment
Key: N,S,P,L,V,A
·
% Members of the
·
I
International interest particularly in areas they operate
·
S Sponsorship, Arts, Sport, Events, etc
·
N Supporting and/or sponsoring a national
charity(ies)
·
P
Supporting staff participation, community interests and/or matching
donations, payroll giving
·
L
Supporting local charities in the communities they operate – ask at
local branch, outlet, factory, etc.
·
D Donations for community groups
·
F Foundation or trust requiring formal
application
·
V Provide expertise, paid volunteers from
staff, or secondment
·
K Gifts in kind
·
A Awards and prizes, sponsorship or funding
through partner voluntary organisations
Other
sources of information – books include those out of current print
This
database from Directory of Social Change contains all those companies in their
publication The Guide to UK Company Giving, as well as newly discovered givers.
The
Guide to UK Company Giving John Smyth (DSC) 5th edition, 2005 ISBN 1 903991 53
6
Finding
Company Sponsors For Good Causes Chris Wells (Third Sector) 1st edition, 2000
ISBN 1 900360 37 3
Corporate
Fundraising Edited by Valerie Morton 2nd edition, 2002 ISBN 1 903991 00 5 7
The CD-ROM
Company Giving Guide Single CD-ROM, 4th edition, 2005 ISBN 1 903991 54 4
Look at the
DSC website and on line bookshop for
further information and catalogue.
Information
supplied by www.fit4funding.org.uk
from The Charities Information Bureau. Further help and information about
funding is available on the fit4funding website.