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Author: Philip Webb

Julia Goodman Interview with Investors In Community

Posted on by Philip Webb

“Our work supports and creates a white light of courage and truth in everything that we do” – Julia Goodman.

 

Julia was an actor, producer, and director for 27 years. She rose to fame on shows such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Those Glory Glory Days, The Brothers, The Lotus Eaters and many more. She also founded the British Actors Theatre Company with Kate O’Mara and played leading Shakespearean roles all over the world.

 

Julia stepped out of the acting world in the late 80s and discovered a new passion: helping people find their truth and their ability to project that. The idea came (as all the best ideas do) while lying in the bath, after a European tour playing Lady Macbeth, contemplating how to keep her head above water in a major recession as a divorced, single mother of two children (she was surviving on less than £90 a week social security when not acting). Julia started her company ‘Personal Presentation’ and in just three years turned over her first £1 million.

 

Julia is on the board of BAWE (British Association of Women Entrepreneurs), was on the development board of Dyslexia Action for 17 years, helping to bring it up-to-date, and co-founded the 500 Club as part of the Eve Appeal to raise awareness and money for ovarian cancer research. Throughout her career she has continuously raised money, volunteered, and helped charities promote themselves by developing their communication skill, but felt she could do more. So, Julia was delighted to be invited by Chairman Justin Urquhart Stewart and CEO Philip Webb to be a NED with IIC.

 

Her business, which is rooted in the psychology and techniques of the professional theatre, helps people to find themselves by connecting with their passions, unique perspectives, and beliefs and to become the best version of themselves, and develops their ability to communicate and perform that so that they have a strong personal brand that is recognisable wherever they go – a ‘You Brand’. She is sure to have truth and transparency at the forefront of her business and wants to ensure that everyone feels able to talk about their own truth in a healthy and constructive way. Julia and her team of coaches have helped transform the communication ability of organisations such as KPMG, BP, Cinven and the Bank of England.

 

When asked about why she was keen to join IIC, Julia said “Anything that has a pragmatic, realistic, truthful and courageous element to it, I’m attracted to, and I will bring whatever I can bring to it. IIC simply aligns with my feeling that if you don’t stand up and speak out and do things, then what are you doing?”

 

We are delighted to have Julia’s skillset and experience coming to IIC as we continue to grow our movement to unite purpose.

 

Investors In Community recently had the privilege of sitting down with Julia to discuss her career, advice, and the future of ESG.  Check out the full interview here:

 

So, Julia, how has the charitable sector changed over the years you have been involved? Are you finding more businesses and individuals getting involved now people, especially Millennials and Gen Z’s, are demanding this change?

 

Julia: Funnily enough, just this morning I was notified that the boss of a big private equity firm that we work with has said that their next offsite is going to have ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) at its heart. ESG is something that I have been on the periphery of for years in terms of how I have tried to influence people, certainly in my business work, to connect with and act on what they know to be right, to let their goodness and conscience dictate their behaviour and that of their company.

That’s why the IIC proposition is so exciting and so relevant.  Increasingly, ESG is going to demand transparency, measurement, and accountability.  That’s exactly what the IIC platform’s blockchain-based technology is offering.  So charitable giving will no longer be just a tick box on the ‘being a good business’ checklist.  It will be a piece of solid, objective data that companies can use to demonstrate their ESG credentials, something they can put on their balance sheet.  This is especially important now with investors and shareholders demanding fast, significant – sometimes massive – change in the way companies operate and the standards they set themselves.  Otherwise, they’ll invest elsewhere.  Even if charitable giving is only one small part of ESG, my feeling is that what IIC is helping bring about points the way forward for a wide range of corporate activity. It’s giving ESG more teeth.

The IIC proposition is part of a wider wake-up call to businesses in other ways as well.  Consumers, young and old alike, are becoming increasingly aware of the power that their choices can have in influencing the behaviour of the companies they buy from.  And young people won’t work for companies unless their values measure up, so ESG is becoming a decisive factor in the war for talent as well, which is a really powerful lever. Overall, then, greater ESG transparency will increasingly support the vital process of large-scale transformation that our beleaguered world and planet so badly needs.

At the end of the day, it’s all about asking these businesses “which side of history do you want to be on?”

 

Studies have shown the younger generation are likely to take a lower income as long as their company is offering opportunities for them to volunteer and give back to their community and for the company to show their good as well. Are you excited to see where this movement is headed, and do you see this becoming a long-term positive change for businesses to become more transparent and give back?

 

Julia: In my dreams, yes! Human behaviour being what it is, I can’t deny it’s going to be a rocky road, but I do think the influence of the young is going to force results; however, this is only at its early stages. I believe the biggest problem will be how much power the Next Generation feel they must make this real change and if they have the strength to say no to something they don’t believe in.

I do believe Millennials and Gen Z are working towards this goal and they are already taking more control in their careers which is going to force companies to rethink their strategies.  Just recently I was working with a company that was advertising for interns and they found overwhelmingly the younger generation would ask for things such as flexible schedules and working from home to reduce the long daily commutes. The company in question was shocked that these young people would happily take a lower salary if these needs were met. This, I believe, will translate to more companies developing their ESG initiative in the future but it will need massive and constant push.

 

Do you think IIC will impact this movement?

 

Julia: I think it will, for the reasons I outlined earlier.  But one thing I suggest as the new non-Exec is that IIC needs more of the younger generation to get involved – of course with the support of the older generation in the business.  With that powerful combination I believe this could create a very impactful movement.

IIC is already seeing success from the Next Gen Ambassadors Initiative, and we will be pushing for even more of that in the future.

 

What are your driving values in business today and how do they align with IIC’s values?

 

Julia: I have a very emotionally strong connection to doing what is right, with community being a huge passion of mine, but I also have quite a commercial side to me too; that came from my family, going back six generations, who were all creative people, artists, actors, singers, who also ran businesses.  I think that mix aligns pretty closely with IIC’s values.

Fundamentally, the values in my business are about leading a group of people to a place of truth and real quality of delivery. So, they are very mixed, but at the core of everything I do is the white light of truth, and the truth is not always easy.  So, I especially value courage and bravery.

 

Your work focuses on making people the best versions of themselves they can be, this is a difficult feat and something I’m sure our Next Gens would love to learn more about, so if you could offer one piece of advice on finding your brand, what would that be?

 

Julia: Within us there is a small voice that constantly comes up, sits on our shoulder and says; “this is what you really think”, “this is who you really are” and “this is what you really want” and when you’re young you might find avenues to express this in all sorts of ways, not all of them very good, or you might even find ways of not having to confront it at all.

Finding your voice is about listening to who you know you are and working with that first. If you had something to say, what would it be?  And how would you say it?  That’s key! That is where we come in, the whole idea of You Brand (Julia’s program) is that the first stage is developing the YOU, what you really feel, how you see things and what you want to say.  Through the process of expression and articulation you start to find that voice and once you’ve got that, you’ve got the gold dust. Then it’s time to work on how you speak your truth, remembering that your level of influence depends on how people feel about themselves in your presence. A good exercise is to walk around your house and say, “if I had my chance, I would say this.”  Think about what that is and then think about how you’re going to say it.  A top tip: watch yourself in the mirror as you do it, and check whether what you’re saying is backed up by your facial expression and tone of voice.  You won’t land with the impact you want if you say you’re “really excited” but look and sound bored!  The defining feature of great communication is courage.  Having great stuff inside your head won’t take you very far if you bottle it.  My mantra is “Show up … stand up … speak out … be you!”

 

“Find your authentic core and then carry that everywhere, because your individual voice will make a difference.”

What Makes Charity Work A Great Employee Benefit?

Posted on by Philip Webb

Charity work is an increasingly popular way of giving back to your employees, especially as more and more workers from the Gen Z and Millennial age brackets are on the lookout for roles with meaning that allow them to give back to their community.

 

Employee benefits are expected now by every potential new recruit, and so showcasing charity work perks that will in turn benefit the community will attract those employees who share your company values and are ready to make a difference in your local area and beyond.

 

Benefits of Charity Work for Employers

Offering charity work as an employee benefit can help companies to attract and retain top talent, as companies who openly give back encourage commitment from employees, offering them a deeper sense of connection to their work. What’s more, charity work as an employee benefit showcases the organisation as caring, enhancing their image and improving their reputation as well as brand awareness.

 

Companies who give their employees paid time off for charity work welcome improved productivity, as they instill a sense of purpose within their employees, improving engagement, and of course, discretionary effort. Furthermore, employees who are able to give back through charity work will be proud to shout about where they work, ultimately attracting more talent to the organisation as more and more people hear about how great the company is, and how wonderful it is to work there. Many companies offering charity work as a benefit also welcome a reduction in sick leave and absenteeism, as employees are more keen to work for a company that gives back to the community, and so naturally, morale is higher.

 

Choice also plays an important role when it comes to charity work. Allowing employees to choose which projects they’d like to work on improves employee empowerment, letting companies welcome higher levels of commitment at work. Involving your employees in charity work results in stronger teams with great connections. Working towards a common goal such as charity work builds relationships, improves communication, and increases leadership skills and confidence, which ultimately gets reflected back in the workplace. Taking part in charity work as a team also lets employers pinpoint potential leaders within the company, opening up opportunities for development and progression.

 

Engaging in charity work as a team, and allowing your employees to take paid time off to volunteer too provides engaging content for your website and for your social media channels, bringing further opportunity to be featured in the press. As a community-driven company, you’re also more likely to improve and develop relationships with stakeholders and potential investors, whilst being in line to win more meaningful awards.

charity work

 

Benefits of Charity Work for Employees

Giving your employees the opportunity to take part in charity work allows them to build connections with their team members, as well as their local communities. Offering choice alongside charity work lets your teams work towards causes they feel the most passionate about, making the benefit of charity work even more meaningful. Taking part in charity work and community projects also gives your employees the opportunity to develop their skill sets in leadership and organisation, improving teamwork, creativity, resilience, communication, and confidence, whilst giving a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfilment.

 

Charity work means your employees will be able to try new things and build on their experience levels, allowing you as an employer to welcome improved motivation and workplace wellbeing. Greater levels of trust and collaboration will make their way into your business, as working together towards a charitable goal will allow your team members to connect on a human level, which is not always easy to find within an office or workplace.

 

What’s more, charity work increases self-awareness, meaning your employees will naturally work on their conflict management skills, as well as decision-making, coordination, organisation, and leadership, all as part and parcel of their charitable efforts. Developing these skills allows your individual employees to progress on a personal and professional level, and the more your employees develop, the further your business will progress too.

 

The Best Next Steps

Projects within the community often have low budgets for the help they need, and that’s why charity work from companies is so important. Motivated volunteers equipped with expertise as well as specialist skills bring a wealth of value to charities, social enterprises, and community projects; skills that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.

 

Taking the plunge with charity work as an employee benefit is an easy step to take with Investors In Community by your side. Our portal is home to a plethora of causes who need the help of you and your employees. Wherever you’re based, and whatever your values, we’ve got a charity, community project, or social enterprise that’s looking for someone like you and your team members. Offering your employees the opportunity to give back to a cause that’s meaningful to them will bring improved motivation, morale, and productivity, making it one of the most effective employee benefits for increasing wellbeing and discretionary effort.

 

Once you’ve signed up as a business, your employees will also get the opportunity to sign up as individuals, letting them choose the causes which are closest to their hearts. They’ll be able to donate, fundraise, or volunteer, earning Community Credits as they go. Plus, signing up your organisation allows your company to earn Community Credits too, letting you showcase your social value, all whilst providing a sustainable, ethical, and meaningful place to work for each and every one of your employees.

 

Sign up to your free demo now to dip your toes into the waters of charity work and community projects.

How To Track CSR To Prove Your Social Value

Posted on by Philip Webb

When an organisation is able to track CSR effectively, it brings a plethora of benefits that they can showcase to attract employees, engage their audiences, and intrigue investors. Successful sustainable businesses track CSR to improve their CSR performance, plan their future endeavours, and to optimise their actions.

 

A business which knows how to track CSR efforts efficiently can use their statistics and findings to approach new stakeholders and consult their existing investors confidently and impressively. We’ll go through how to track CSR in this blog, highlighting what to look for and how you can then showcase your social value to build business.

 

Track CSR Easily and Efficiently

There are a number of ways a business can track CSR, the main ones being assessments, audits, and surveys. To determine the impact your business is having on the community, a survey is a surefire way to pinpoint how positively your organisation is perceived. An evaluation of your work towards your corporate social responsibility by the members of the community you’re working in will allow you to directly discover the impact your organisation is having.

 

Another way to track CSR is through external agencies who can impartially monitor the effectiveness of your CSR efforts through monthly, quarterly, or annual reporting. Alternatively, organisations can appoint a committee who will track CSR and evaluate the impact and performance of each project. Full audits should be undertaken to ensure that the full potential of the project is being reached. Since the importance of tracking CSR has come to light, a number of software programmes have also been developed to measure the impact of CSR programmes.

 

With Investors In Community, our platform allows you to track CSR effortlessly and effectively. Each project and individual task is monitored, measured and rewarded through Community Credits, which can then be used to showcase your social value and track CSR.

Track CSR

What to Look for

There are many criteria to consider when you track CSR, such as whether your efforts are achieving your aims, how well-executed your activities are, how efficiently your resources are used, and how much longevity your projects have. In order for your CSR efforts to have optimum impact on your organisation, your projects need to be aligned with your company culture and values. The more relevant your CSR projects, the more impact you’ll have on brand awareness, the more engaged your employees will be, and the more meaningful your CSR tracking will be.

 

When tracking CSR, in order to see your progress and the increased impact you’re having, benchmark your organisation against companies with high-flying corporate social responsibility. Before you set out on your CSR mission, decide upon key performance indicators that you can continually monitor and strive for, letting you tick off your targets as you achieve them.

 

As you track CSR, you should notice cost savings, as well as increased customer acquisition and retention. More and more consumers are drawn towards CSR-driven companies, and so being able to track CSR and showcase the results will attract attention, as well as footfall. Brand awareness will also be on the up, as members of the community demonstrate the power of word of mouth marketing. The hassle of recruitment will also ease as you track CSR improvements. Candidates of today are usually on the lookout for a company that does great things, is sustainable, and focused on their CSR impact, and so showcasing your social value through tracking CSR will bring only the best CVs to your company, whilst keeping hold of the top talent already flourishing in your organisation.

 

Showcasing Your Social Value

It’s essential to track CSR to clearly and coherently demonstrate your social value to investors, with CSR and Environmental Social Governance now becoming key factors in investors’ preferences and decisions. What’s more, it’s not just investors looking for responsible businesses; consumers, clients, and potential recruits are increasingly insisting on sustainably and socially responsible businesses to involve and associate themselves with.

 

When a business can track CSR and showcase their social value, they’ll win the buy-in from employees, customers, and investors alike, especially when they provide transparency surrounding their goals and their progress. CSR-focused businesses are also less likely to face lawsuits and boycotts, when they’re able to showcase their ESG and CSR efforts.

 

Your organisation should measure and track CSR to guide your choices moving forward surrounding which projects to get involved in, to enhance the efficiency of your current CSR efforts, and to encourage investors and stakeholders to take action too, as part of your organisation.

 

Investors In Community is the home of CSR projects, with initiatives spanning the breadth of the country, working towards all kinds of different, important causes. Using our platform allows you to handpick the projects that are most relevant to your team and your business objectives, allowing you to track CSR and showcase your social value in the most impactful way. Once you and your employees sign up, you can begin to earn Community Credits. These gems of opportunity allow you to put an actual number on your CSR impact; clearly showcasing your social value and your care for the community, and putting your company in the spotlight when it comes to recruitment, investments, pitching, and applying for tenders.

 

Demonstrate your social value and track CSR and your achievements with Investors In Community. Simply click here to discover the benefits of showcasing your CSR and ESG, and sign up for your free demo.

Investors In Community Newsletter – Issue Three

Posted on by Philip Webb

Julia Goodman Joins IIC Board of Directors:

“Our work supports and creates a white light of courage and truth in everything that we do” – Julia Goodman

Julia was an actor, producer, and director for 27 years. She rose to fame on shows such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Those Glory Glory Days, The Brothers, The Lotus Eaters and many more. She also founded the British Actors Theatre Company with Kate O’Mara and played leading Shakespearean roles all over the world.

Julia stepped out of the acting world in the late 80s and discovered a new passion: helping people find their truth and their ability to project that. The idea came (as all the best ideas do) while lying in the bath after having played Lady Macbeth across Europe and London, and feeling unsure what the future had in store for her as a divorced, single mother of two, living on less than £90 a week social security when not acting. Julia started her company ‘Personal Presentation’ and in just three years, turned over her first £1 million.

Julia has been on the development board of Dyslexia Action for 17 years and has raised money for ovarian cancer through The Eve Appeal. She is on the board of BAWE (British Association of Women Entrepreneurs) has helped form major corporate companies’ ability to communicate such as KPMG and has continuously raised money, volunteered, and supported charities throughout her career but felt she could do more. Her business helps people find themselves through discovering their personal brand, their passions and to become the best versions of themselves and their ability to communicate and perform that. She is sure to have truth and transparency at the forefront of her business and wants to ensure that everyone feels able to talk about their own truth in a healthy and constructive way.

When asked about why she was keen to join IIC, Julia said “Anything that has a pragmatic realistic truthful and courageous element to it, I’m attracted to and I will bring whatever I can bring to it. IIC simply aligns with my feelings that if you don’t stand up and speak out and do things, then what are you doing?”

We are delighted to have Julia’s skillset and experience coming to IIC as we continue to grow our movement to unite purpose.

A Word from a Business On IIC, The Family Business Network, Sue Howorth:

Sue Howorth, Co-Founder & Co-Director of The Family Business Network is currently undertaking the Wainwright Challenge for The Lake District Calvert Trust. Sue has used IIC as the fundraising platform for her challenge, saying  “I found the process of setting up my fundraising page simple and easy to do. The Lake District Calvert Trust were also keen to create a profile on IIC having spoken to them about it. Tracey of IIC was very helpful at guiding us through setting up the project.

“The challenge and fundraising has been a real team effort and it’s been wonderful to have the support of IIC”.

Sue is currently part-way through her 12-month challenge to raise vital funds for the Lake District Calvert Trust.

The Lake District Calvert Trust deliver challenging outdoor adventure experiences for disabled adults and children. The charity was one of many that was forced to suspend their activities as the country went into lockdown early last year.

Sue described how she felt after having seen an article in the media about the impact of Covid on the charity and its visitors, saying, “Having worked in the outdoor industry for a time in my earlier career, I knew that Covid would have a huge knock-on effect for the sector.”

“When I heard the Lake District Calvert Trust talk about how badly their funding had been hit by the pandemic and how it was threatening their survival, it really affected me.  The centre delivers amazing experiences for disabled people and I knew I wanted to support them and give something back to their community.”

When deciding how to go about fundraising, Sue turned to her local environment for inspiration.  She says, “As a resident of Windermere, I’m no stranger to the Lakeland fells but I’d never challenged myself to climb the higher peaks. I always knew I would walk some of the Wainwrights and decided that this would be the perfect challenge.”

For Sue however, this challenge will be no walk in the park – not least because of the sheer number of fells involved. Alfred Wainwright documented 214 fells in his pictorial guides and Sue will be aiming to summit each and every one in just 12 months! Combined with this, Sue does have a fear of heights and coming down steep descents, so this adds to the enormity of the task ahead.

Having completed 35 Wainwrights so far, Sue says her toughest moment to date was descending Ill Bell, a part of the Kentmere Horseshoe. She explained, “We tackled the horseshoe and the winds were high, it was cold and I was losing my nerve. Luckily, my experienced walking companion coaxed me down and we carried on.”

Community Litter Picking on IIC.

Are you wanting to start a Community Litter pick but just can’t figure out where to start? Look no further, Investors In Community’s ‘groups’ feature lets you connect with individuals in your community to create your own community litter picking group!

Here individuals can collect Community Credits for their generous volunteering time and see who from their community is getting involved.

If you’d like to set up your own individual litter picking group, all you need to do is create your own Investors In Community account, create your group in less than 5 minutes and then invite everyone in your community to join!

IIC Abseiling For Support Dogs

On the 22nd May, three members of the Investors In Community team took to the Peak District to abseil 80 feet off of the Millers Dale Bridge! In total, the IIC team raised £250 for Support Dogs.

Roundabout Scotland 500 Challenge!

Roundabout would love to invite you to a brand new event:

IT’S time to rev up and hit the road as Roundabout heads for the Highlands with a major new fundraising challenge in September 2021!

The Scotland 500 is a new Roundabout event that will take motorbike enthusiasts on a 500 mile journey, starting from Inverness and riding off into the rugged splendour of the Highlands.

After a year without travel, it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the freedom of the open road and some of the UK’s most spectacular scenery.

What’s included:

• A key member of the Roundabout crew to help you every step of the way
• A fun list of challenges to complete
• An opportunity to win some competitions such as most fundraised or most challenges completed
• A photographer/videographer to help capture the special moments
• A mechanic to support you on the route in case things get a little sticky
• Dinner Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• A Roundabout t-shirt
• The Scotland 500 medal
• A chance to really make the difference to the lives of young homeless people through fundraising

This is a rally, not a race, so there will be plenty of opportunity to take in the incredible views, whilst completing fun and challenging tasks along the route. We will all be getting together each day for a meal so you can join your fellow fundraisers to talk about the day’s ride!

In addition to a deposit of £150 to secure a place, participants are also asked to raise a minimum of £500 each in sponsorship to help support young homeless people across the South Yorkshire region. Roundabout works with over 250 young people every single day who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

We would love to invite you to take part in what is set to be an incredible challenge. If you would like any more information please do not hesitate to ask or if you would like to sign up, you can do so here and then start fundraising on Investors In Community!

A Word From Our Ambassador, Valentina Hynes:

“Giving, in whatever form is a way to boost mental health and happiness.”

“It creates ripple effects that make for a much more sustainable society. It is the bridge that links Empathy to Compassion. Unfortunately, it is easy to lose track of the good we do, because of the increasing problems in the world and in our society. This is what excites me about Investors in Community. The fact that it is a virtual Happiness/Kindness jar that measures the impact we make through amassed community credits. As a Happiness at work specialist, being an Ambassador for Investors in Community helps me create bonus situations that guarantees everyone wins through increased awareness of social value and corporate social responsibility.” 

Valentina Hynes is an Employee Holistic Wellbeing & Happiness at work Event Planner & Speaker. She provides Continuous Professional Development certified trainings through Away Day Experiences that promote Learning, Mental Health Wellness and personal development for individuals, teams and executives, including DISC Profile and Group Dynamics Assessments. She’s also an Associate Fellow of The Royal Commonwealth Society and she co-owns [SVH Inc.]

Join Our Event: Exploring Social Impact of Purpose-Driven Family Business. 

An online family business event by The Family Business Network in partnership with Investors in Community.

The event will explore the concept of ‘Social Impact’ and how this is identified, measured, valued and demonstrated by family businesses and their teams. Discussions will also consider how family values relate to business values and purpose.

Hear from keynote speakers Tom McGinness (Global Leader of Family Business -KPMG Private Enterprise, UK), Philip Webb (Founder and CEO of Investors in Community) and Ivan Baldwin (Marketing and Business Development at Bechtel Corporation), listen to family business leaders sharing their stories and insight, and a group of next gens explore their vision and aspirations for the future.

Time: Thursday 17 June 2021 at 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Book your place.

We thought we would share some amazing charities with you as well!

Roundabout

Working to end the cycle of youth homelessness in South Yorkshire. Offering advice, support, mediation, short term housing, and support into independent living. If you’re interested in helping this wonderful organisation, please follow this link

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

They are committed to creating a Yorkshire rich in wildlife for everyone. From saving our wildlife and wild places to bringing people closer to nature, they have a vision of a wilder future. For over 70 years, they have been protecting Yorkshire’s wildlife and wild places. If you’re interested in helping this amazing organisation, please follow this link.

Skiggle

Skiggle facilitates and filters each request out to members within the closest geographical area to the SOS in the hope that someone can provide help from their own surplus supply of disability care products. If you’re interested in helping this amazing organisation, please follow this link.

Kineara

They support people to recognise their strengths and resilience in the face of challenging times. They do this by listening to what matters, reconnecting people to their passions and exploring how they might make the most of opportunities. If you’re interested in helping this amazing organisation, please follow this link.

Join Investors In Community today to deliver your social impact and align with your purpose.

Julia Goodman Joins Investors In Community Board of Directors

Posted on by Philip Webb

Julia Goodman Joins IIC Board of Directors:

“Our work supports and creates a white light of courage and truth in everything that we do” – Julia Goodman

Julia was an actor, producer, and director for 27 years. She rose to fame on shows such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Those Glory Glory Days, The Brothers, The Lotus Eaters and many more. She also founded the British Actors Theatre Company with Kate O’Mara and played leading Shakespearean roles all over the world.

Julia stepped out of the acting world in the late 80s and discovered a new passion: helping people find their truth and their ability to project that. The idea came (as all the best ideas do) while lying in the bath after having played Lady Macbeth across Europe and London, and feeling unsure what the future had in store for her as a divorced, single mother of two, living on less than £90 a week social security when not acting. Julia started her company ‘Personal Presentation’ and in just three years, turned over her first £1 million.

Julia has been on the development board of Dyslexia Action for 17 years and has raised money for ovarian cancer through The Eve Appeal. She is on the board of BAWE (British Association of Women Entrepreneurs) has helped form major corporate companies’ ability to communicate such as KPMG and has continuously raised money, volunteered, and supported charities throughout her career but felt she could do more. Her business helps people find themselves through discovering their personal brand, their passions and to become the best versions of themselves and their ability to communicate and perform that. She is sure to have truth and transparency at the forefront of her business and wants to ensure that everyone feels able to talk about their own truth in a healthy and constructive way.

When asked about why she was keen to join IIC, Julia said “Anything that has a pragmatic realistic truthful and courageous element to it, I’m attracted to and I will bring whatever I can bring to it. IIC simply aligns with my feelings that if you don’t stand up and speak out and do things, then what are you doing?”

We are delighted to have Julia’s skillset and experience coming to IIC as we continue to grow our movement to unite purpose.

The Difference Ethical Construction Can Make

Posted on by Philip Webb

Ethical construction is a hot topic within the industry at the moment, as builders, suppliers, and clients are realising the impact of demonstrating their social value and CSR efforts. With supply chains, manufacturers, and operations under scrutiny, ethical construction is becoming the far more appealing choice for domestic and corporate clients.

 

Being a revenue-rich industry, construction is often seen as an easy target for fraudulent, disruptive, and unethical activity. Unfortunately, construction companies can often be accused of cutting corners, causing environmental damage, or having a disregard for the noise and inconvenience they put on their neighbours and communities. The average person is acutely aware of the reputation of some construction companies, and that’s why ethical construction is becoming increasingly important.

 

In this article, we will cover what exactly makes an ethical construction company, the impact that has on growth, business, and reputation, and how these companies can strive to improve their social value.

 

What Makes Ethical Construction?

Ethical construction largely comes from relationships; be they with partners, developers, subcontractors, clients, colleagues, or the public. Nurturing each of these relationships, ensuring safety, society, and sustainability are paramount will not only maintain the reputation of construction companies, but significantly improve it.

 

Being an ethical construction company means prioritising your obligations and commitments to your clients, your profession, the environment, and the public. Whilst the environment is one of the biggest players in ethical construction, having a regard and respect for the public is tremendously important as well. Consider the disruption caused to the community when a construction company pulls up to work. Projects are not always for the benefit of the local area, and so keeping the community on side throughout the duration of the works will make each step of the operation seamless and therefore, more productive. What’s more, a construction company never goes unnoticed, so when it’s seen to have a positive social value it will be remembered by residents and businesses when they next have a project in the pipeline.

 

ethical construction

 

Why Is Ethical Good For Business?

Quality is directly impacted by the ethics of a business, no more so than within the construction industry. Ethical construction ensures the quality is noticeably better, meaning the company’s clients have more faith in them, investors have more confidence in them, and ultimately, beautiful and safe buildings are carefully and creatively constructed for the benefit of the clients, and the wider community.

 

Ethical construction companies who treat their employees well will welcome higher levels of productivity too, ultimately saving money and resulting in an even better outcome. Ethical business practices improve the transparency and trust of the company, which spreads into that of the industry, meaning ethical construction has the opportunity to become the norm.

 

Reputation is a huge factor for the success of construction companies, and being seen as an ethical company will naturally boost reputation. What’s equally important to note is that behaving in an unethical manner will not go unnoticed, and this will result in suppliers and subcontractors being less inclined to collaborate, and of course, clients and potential recruits going in another direction. Being ethical and showcasing social value immediately lets your clients and contractors know the way you work, building trust and allowing the relationship and project to progress smoothly.

 

Being an ethical construction company will also improve relationships with society in general, which will gradually improve the relationship between the public and the profession. What’s more, building a good reputation through ethical construction will naturally make the company well-known in the community, for all the right reasons, meaning we can begin to wave goodbye to all of the mistrust within the industry.

 

How To Be More Ethical

Being an ethical construction company requires a conscious effort, but one that will become second nature as it embeds itself into your company values. Start at the top by displaying an ethical leadership approach, and this will soon cascade down each and every employee. Caring for the environment should be a top priority, through the materials used, the supply chain chosen, the efforts to reduce noise pollution, and the contributions to improve the local environment. If a construction company displays their commitment to the environment, it seems more likely that they’ll care for their colleagues, their clients, and the community, showing a level of respect that will positively impact reputation.

 

Construction exists to improve the community through building new businesses, making homes more habitable, and giving a sense of renewal through renovation. Unfortunately, due to past unethical practices, it’s not often seen that way, but now we all have an opportunity to change the way the construction industry is seen, attracting new business and improving the reputation of the sector as a whole. Ethical operations come from an open door policy, displaying reviews and testimonials, internal audits and feedback sessions, and of course, external efforts to appease and improve the local community.

 

As an ethical construction company, you should focus on each community in which you work, giving back to charitable causes, social enterprises, and community projects. This is where Investors In Community comes in. Our platform costs only £10 per employee each year, and offers you and your team the opportunity to easily and effortlessly give back to the communities in which you pitch up to work. Through donations, volunteering, or fundraising, your ethical construction company will stand head and shoulders above the rest, showcasing your social value, winning the buy-in of the public, and piquing the interest of potential prospects.

 

Simply click here to request your free demo and discover just how easy it is to become the hot new topic in the neighbourhood.

Business leader steps into the shoes of Wainwright for a charity challenge

Posted on by Philip Webb

Sue Howorth, Founder and Co-Director of The Family Business Network has donned her hiking boots to take on the mighty ‘Wainwright Challenge’ to fundraise for the Lake District Calvert Trust.

 

The Lake District Calvert Trust deliver challenging outdoor adventure experiences for disabled adults and children. The charity was one of many that was forced to suspend their activities as the country went into lockdown early last year.

 

Sue described how she felt after having seen an article in the media about the impact of Covid on the charity and its visitors, saying, “Having worked in the outdoor industry for a time in my earlier career, I knew that Covid would have a huge knock-on effect for the sector.”

 

“When I heard the Lake District Calvert Trust talk about how badly their funding had been hit by the pandemic and how it was threatening their survival, it really affected me.  The centre delivers amazing experiences for disabled people and I knew I wanted to support them and give something back to their community.”

 

When deciding how to go about fundraising, Sue turned to her local environment for inspiration.  She says, “As a resident of Windermere, I’m no stranger to the Lakeland fells but I’d never challenged myself to climb the higher peaks. I always knew I would walk some of the Wainwrights and decided that this would be the perfect challenge.”

 

For Sue however, this challenge will be no walk in the park – not least because of the sheer number of fells involved. Alfred Wainwright documented 214 fells in his pictorial guides and Sue will be aiming to summit each and every one in just 12 months! Combined with this, Sue does have a fear of heights and coming down steep descents, so this adds to the enormity of the task ahead.

 

Having completed 29 Wainwrights so far, Sue says her toughest moment to date was descending Ill Bell, a part of the Kentmere Horseshoe. She explained, “We tackled the horseshoe and the winds were high, it was cold and I was losing my nerve. Luckily, my experienced walking companion coaxed me down and we carried on.”

 

Despite a delayed start due to Covid travel restrictions, Sue remains optimistic that she will complete her challenge by the end of the year and aims to reach her fundraising target of £3,500 for the Lake District Calvert Trust.

Jennifer Scott, Fundraising Manager at Calvert Lakes said, “What Sue is doing for Lake District Calvert Trust is amazing and we cannot thank her enough. It’s not just the fundraising but also how much awareness she is creating through all her social media activity with the photos and stories of each Wainwright she has walked.”

“At Lake District Calvert Trust we have been hit very hard. This has been the toughest 12 months in all our history. We are so reliant on fundraising and are hugely grateful to each and every person that helps us.”

“The pandemic has given people a taste of what it can be like for people living with disabilities and the loneliness that they can face every day of their lives. Now more so than ever, our work is vitally needed. Monies raised can help us to buy equipment, for example, £1000 would purchase 10 ghyll scrambling kits or a specialist profiling bed. As a centre we subsidise every stay by £30, so the monies Sue is looking to raise would help over 1000 people to come and stay overnight with us.”

Visitors to the Lake District Calvert Trust benefit in so many ways – it is so much more than a place to have fun in the outdoors – visitors also develop personal skills that they can apply in everyday life and that allow them to grow and flourish.

 

For anyone wishing to support Sue in her challenge, you can visit her fundraising page via the Investors in Community platform: https://app.investorsincommunity.org/charity/645/project/1451

 

One hundred percent of the donations raised will go to The Lake District Calvert Trust. The Investors in Community platform helps to connect organisations and individuals with charities and community groups to demonstrate that by working together, powerful and evidenced social impact can be created. The platform is a growing movement to facilitate the improvement of the lives of people and communities by recognising human social value.

 

To find out more about The Family Business Network, visit www.fambiznet.co.uk

To find out more about Investors in Community, visit www.investorsincommunity.org

To find out more about the Lake District Calvert Trust and their work, visit www.calvertlakes.org.uk

 

Is there Humanity in the “Thousand Year Decade”? – By Philip Webb

Posted on by Philip Webb

As we approach 2020, some theorists and futurists believe that this next decade will be known as the “Thousand Year Decade.” As innovation, technology and social impact changes will be so great, as to equal the same advances in the previous thousand years of human evolution on this planet.

Advances in medicine, technology, AI, nano-tech, computing power, and above all, access to these to the ordinary citizen, will provide such changes as to render the previous decade the same way that we view the Dark Ages. With this blistering pace of change, it worries me that the disconnect between the technology “elitists” and the people in our community will reach breaking point. We already see the post code lottery of social and medical support, and the rift between the wealthy and poorer parts of our society, causing unrest and social upheaval. If we view the former strides forwards in humankind’s ability to shape the world, then we may become excited and energised by the potential; but through the lenses of social commentary we may feel less confident of our ability to bring our communities with us on that journey. Maintaining our communities, our sense of values for the ordinary person, or those who are disadvantaged by this “1000 years of progress”, is not just essential to our success as a species, it is critical.

In scrolling through LINKEDIN, I am surprised and enthused by the number of people who describe their job roles as “CSR”, “Responsible Business Leaders”, “Community Liaison”, or in some way linked to the desire to maintain or increase community connections. We have 167,000 charities in the UK alone, and many thousands more of “Social Enterprises”, and then hundreds of thousands more of “Community Groups.” I see businesses and individuals, who aspire to help in some way, through cash donations, volunteering of their staff’s time, and gifting at all levels of products and services. Yet nowhere do I see a strategy, a joined-up thinking approach to this dilemma, of how do we efficiently connect those who give, with those who need help?

Of course, there are organisations who perform some of these functions. Charity fundraisers, who connect with companies and try to elicit a long-term relationship. But this just adds cost to the charity, as does a team of people within businesses, who manually connect their business to the community. We have fundraising platforms various, who provide a conduit to individuals who want to give money, but then both they and the charities are charged for the privilege. There are volunteering platforms and organisations, who exist to find opportunities for company staff to offer free time, but again, they charge either the company or the charity. So, to cover the costs of this giving, we need to think about who gives, and who benefits.

It has become clear in the last 24 months, that many aspiring and forward-thinking businesses, have identified the need to align themselves as “socially responsible”. They understand the values of giving as a means to attract and retain staff, reach out to their customers with values-based positioning, and conclude that “Giving is the New Marketing.” Consumers and Customers are attracted to those who demonstrate the qualities of giving and supporting those less fortunate, or supporting a cause that has meaning.

Once in a while, in our history of progress, we find solutions to problems that disrupt the current markets, providing simple, yet effective, answers to guide us forwards. In 2019, we have such a disrupter:

Investors In Community has just been announced to the market.

Investors In Community (IIC) quite simply takes the needs of the charities, not for profits, and community groups, and provides a service, to broker cash donations, volunteering, and gifting, completely free of all costs and charges.

IIC takes the needs of businesses, to create an efficient and effective way to give, and show their values in the community, in such as way as to save them money, reducing internal costs, and providing a platform upon which to showcase their efforts. And it puts these two models together, in an eloquent and neat way.

Businesses join as members. They pay a nominal annual fee to use the sophisticated platform, reducing their internal costs, showcasing their efforts and amplifying their giving. Good causes of all genres, join and pitch for help, free of any and all costs, due to the support from business membership. It’s a win-win.

I’m hearing comments from businesses, who say, “Why wouldn’t you?”

I listen to Millennials, who say, “Finally.”

I receive comments from the good causes, who say, “Brilliant.”

Above all, I hear the comment: “Why hasn’t this been done before?”

So, as we embrace the innovation, the changes to our working and living world in the decade ahead, let us not forget the people, the ordinary citizens, our vulnerable and deserving.

Join Investors In Community, it’s easy to do, and requires just one decision.

Www.Investorsincommunity.org

Sheffield Chamber & SCCCC’s 2019 Success Story On Investors In Community Platform!

Posted on by Philip Webb

“We are thrilled to announce that Sheffield Chamber raised £500 for SCCCC’s!”

Sheffield Chamber is one of 53 Accredited British Chambers that make up a group of businesses who can network and connect through membership to their local Chamber. Sheffield Chamber is just one of the Chambers that IIC has onboard our platform and we are thrilled to be bringing this number up every day!

When Sheffield Chamber of Commerce first began searching for their latest CSR project after deciding that SCCCC would be their charity of the year, they came across the Investors In Community platform and instantly thought it to be a fantastic idea. The fact that there was no sign-up fee for charities and also no transactional fees from donations encouraged them to join almost immediately.

The platform made it so easy for their staff to get involved and after a few meetings and onboarding sessions, everyone was up and running and their first project was well underway. They encountered a few issues, with this being a fairly new platform, but were very pleased with the help and close attention provided by the team at IIC, if there was an issue it would be fixed as soon as possible. The fact that IIC is a local business meant that we were always easily contactable and we encouraged discussions about how we could improve our platform in the future, we always find that speaking to our users is the best way to find improvements and keep our platform on the rise.

SCCCC is a fantastic organisation who offer many exciting opportunities for the elderly, such as; Good Neighbours Scheme, Hospital To Home Scheme, A&E to Home, Temporary Key Safes and High Seat Chair Loan. A truly deserving organisation who Sam Christmas and Reece Farndale competed in a 10k ASDA foundation run for, their efforts did not go unnoticed and we are thrilled to announce that They Raised £500 For SCCCC’s.

We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for Sheffield Chamber and SCCCC’s whilst working with Investors In Community!

Here’s what the people involved had to say about Investors In Community:

“I would definitely recommend using the IIC platform, it provided a great introduction to businesses and made everything so easy!

I love that this platform offers charities the chance to make a really beneficial introduction to businesses who are excited to fundraise with them. It also makes businesses aware of their local charities and the really great projects that they can be involved in. I often find that whilst businesses are really keen to join in and help their community, they often don’t know what is it they can do, Investors in Community makes this process so easy.” – Ericka Hill at SCCCC

“Yes we would recommend IIC, it’s an innovative way to bring businesses closer to charities in their local community. We believe that with IIC starting out as a local business this means closer relationships can be formed and it feels more personal this way. We appreciate being included in decision making and find that IIC are always willing to take our ideas and suggestions on board! 

We also love the fact that every donation made goes straight to the charity, there’s no sneaky percentage cut, £10 donated is £10 to your chosen charity.” – Elliot Richards & Reece Farndale at Sheffield Chamber of Commerce

10 Little Ways You Can Help Others During The Covid-19 Pandemic.

Posted on by Philip Webb
  • Give your neighbours who may be isolating alone your phone number.

This is such a simple but effective way of helping, all you need to do is listen and talk to them, they will appreciate it.

  • Put rainbows and colourful pictures up in your windows.

I don’t know about you but when I walk past houses and see Rainbows and the words ‘stay safe’ splattered across all the houses I feel as though I’m not alone in this.

  • Organise a game night for your street.

Have you seen the masses of people playing bingo with their whole streets? Or the pubs that have been doing live quiz nights? Why not get involved and encourage people out for a bit of fresh air!

  • Write a letter to your relatives.

Is it just me that finds receiving a Handwritten Letter a real treat? It helps you stay connected to the real world and it keeps you focused on something if you know a letter is coming. Write one to them and I guarantee they’ll appreciate it!

  • Shop for your vulnerable neighbours.

This is the easiest, you’re going out to do your own shopping anyways so help them out and pick up a few bits for them!

  • Start a traffic light scheme on your street with neighbours.

This is the red, yellow and green system, this is a way to know how your neighbours are doing. Red means they are not doing well, please call and check on them. Yellow means they’re ok, it’s a difficult day but they are coping. Green means they are doing well. Mental health is now more important than ever, be sure to stay safe!

  • If you are young, healthy and not in a high-risk category consider getting a job in your local supermarket or as a delivery driver.

Right now, key workers such as warehouse workers, supermarket staff and delivery drivers are struggling and they need help more than ever, consider helping out and Getting A Job if you are safe to do so.

  • If you can cook, play an instrument, sing or do anything else, consider starting an online class to share your skills.

Right now we have a lot of time on our hands and there are people who want to Learn Some New Skills, so why not help them out and share yours! This can be applied to so many roles such as photography lessons, singing lessons, drawing lessons, cooking lessons, musical instrument lessons, language lessons and many more.

It’s easy to forget to stay in touch but now it is so important; facetime them, call them, plan a quiz night, plan to cook together and all sit down for a meal, download Netflix Party and watch the series you’ve been meaning to, play Animal Crossing or the Sims through all hours of the night, clear out your wardrobe and do a fashion show with them, start a book club. Try to live as normal as you can, try to stay positive and just remember that when all this is over, you will be able to hug your friends and family so tight, that day will come don’t lose hope.

Finally, one of the easiest options to help is to join Investors In Community, it’s completely free and we have Hundreds Of Charities Just Waiting For Your Help. ‘IIC’ is a digital platform that enables businesses and individuals to donate, volunteer and gift to charity and community initiatives that matter to you. It provides access to many good causes, empowers you and your friends, and brings a wider choice to your giving. As a business, it gives you the power to measure; report on and deliver positive marketing messages to each and every one of your audiences. Quite simply, it’s a tool that will manage your giving.