TV presenter Monty Halls is backing a new affordable scheme to help businesses show they are benefitting the community.
The natural historian – star of BBC series such as Monty Halls’ Great Escape – is supporting WorktoGive – created for SMEs who want to give something back.
Firms signing up can join Halls’ The Big Blue Bag initiative where volunteers can take part in hands-on marine conservation such as recording sea temperatures, clearing coastal debris or recording species biodiversity.
Monty Halls said: “WorktoGive allows staff to get involved in enjoyable but important conservation projects while their employers fulfill important corporate social responsibility obligations in an affordable way without complex systems.”
WorktoGive is the brainchild of entrepreneur Kevin Turner, who set up BuytoGive, the UK’s growing social retail movement helping charities, communities and businesses to make giving part of everyday life.
WorktoGive makes it simple and affordable for every business to record, share and grow the good it does.
From staff volunteering and charity fundraising to tree planting and community support, everything can be brought together in one visible and shareable place.
From £79.99 per month, each member receives:
* A personalised Corporate Social Responsibility Diary which showcases a company’s community and environmental work – giving customers and partners a visible proof of impact;
* A Tree Impact Programme – planting five trees each month to create jobs, restore land and offset carbon;
* A BuytoGive online store which generates automatic donations for a company’s chosen charity every time someone shops through the business’s unique link.
Turner said: “I created WorktoGive because most small and medium sized businesses want to do good but struggle to show it clearly. Traditional corporate responsibility models are built for large corporations and are expensive and require complex structures and HR support.
“WorktoGive removes that barrier and is affordable, helping smaller businesses to show real and visible proof of their impact.”
Independent studies show that 87% of consumers buy based on a company’s social values, and 70% of job seekers prefer employers who act responsibility.
Halls, a former Royal Marine, marine biologist and explorer who is a global public speaker on sustainability and leadership, said: “The exclusive partnership with The Big Blue Bag gives WorktoGive something unique – real, hands-on conversation opportunities that place teams in national media stories.”
While many small and medium-sized enterprises still regard corporate social responsibility as a voluntary extra, increasing legal, regulatory, and market pressures mean responsible business practices are becoming essential.
Under the Companies Act 2006 (Section 172), directors must promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole, while having regard to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. This embeds stakeholder and sustainability considerations into every board-level duty.
Turner added: “Corporate social responsibility (CSR) schemes are no longer optional – they are a business essential.
“For less than £80 a month, any SME can have a live CSR page showing real impact and hammer the point that profit and purpose now go hand in hand.”
