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National recognition for helping local people into work
Our work programme to get people paid jobs with our organisational partners has won a major 'responsible business' award.
We ask our partners and suppliers, as part of their contracts, to create jobs, work experience or training opportunities for the long-term unemployed on Bolton’s estates who need extra help to get into work.
Business in the Community (BITC) recognised the value of this work and we were shortlisted for their 2016 Responsible Business Awards in the category of ‘employment for excluded groups’. We joined three other finalists - McKinsey and Company, PwC and the Waites Group.
After being recognised in June as one of two award finalists from the north-west, out of 297 companies who entered various categories, we were announced as an overall winner at tonight's (Monday's) Annual Responsible Business Gala at the O2 in London. Congratulations to all other winners and finalists.
Since 2013, our work programme has created 66 paid jobs that would have otherwise not existed for people with low confidence, health and wellbeing issues, lack of experience and in need of new skills. A further ten people took a positive step towards employment through training and work placements.
Driven by the charity Business in the Community (BITC), HRH The Prince of Wales’ Responsible Business Network, the 2016 Responsible Business Awards celebrate inspiring examples of businesses that are making a significant difference by taking action to improve their local communities, create more inclusive workplaces and tackle environmental challenges.
Jon Lord, our Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be recognised for helping customers break through personal, social and economic barriers to prepare for work and secure jobs with our network of contractors and suppliers. We’ve always made it a priority to help people living in our communities to improve their employment prospects. And we’re showing that it’s possible to help people maximise their income, sustain their tenancy and improve their health and wellbeing, all whilst safeguarding our limited resources and making savings for the public purse.”
Commenting on the win, Julian Critchlow, Partner, Bain & Company, who chaired the judging panel said: "Bolton at Home are instilling a culture of inclusion throughout the whole organisation, from CEO to key worker, and it’s a culture that they are extending to their supply chain. Everyone knows how hard it is to contractualise social value, but Bolton at Home have shown us that it can be done."
For more information on the awards, visit www.bitc.org.uk/awardstories and follow @BITC on Twitter #BITCawards.
To find out out what our work programme means to our stakeholders, partners and beneficiaries, check out a short film here.