Posts Tagged ‘Responsibility’
What Makes a Home a Green Home?
May 14, 2012 | 
Author What Makes a Home a Green House?
One of the hottest topics today is about being environmentally friendly. There are many ways to become environmentally friendly about the home including water preservation and energy reduction. This not only helps with a positive action by reducing your impact on the environment, but will also save you money!
Lets take a look at what makes a home environmentally friendly.
Reduced Energy Use
Energy comes in many forms such as electricity, natural gas, oil, etc. The creation or use of this energy results in greenhouse gas emissions that affect our planet in a negative way.
Methods of Reducing Energy Usage
Insulation, One of the best things that you can do to make a green home is to ensure that the walls, windows, attic, and floors are all well insulated and draft free. The majority of the energy used in a home goes towards heating the house. Good insulation will prevent the air temperature from escaping the home and save you money on your utilities.
Energy Star Appliances When one of your appliances has reached it’s end of life, or when you areconstructing a new home, consider installing an appliance that meets energy star requirements. This will ensure that it will use over 30 percent less electricity or fuel than a typical appliance of that type.
Other options include advanced mechanical Systems On demand tankless water heaters, geothermal HVAC equipment, and even solar power is a great way to reduce the amount of energy that is wasted to run the plumbing, heat and air, and electrical systems in the home. While they can have a higher upfront cost than a typical unit of its kind, tax incentives from the government can offset a good deal of the extra cost and allow you to make the money back within a few years time.
Reduced Water Use
Water is another essential resource that can be preserved in our day to day use around the house.
Low Flow Fixtures Many low flow shower heads and toilets developed a bad reputation in the past because they could not live up to their less efficient counterparts. Fortunately, todays better engineered models and aerators allow you to experience the luxury and ease of use that you prefer, while additionally using a significantly lower amount of water.
Efficient Clothes Washers Many of the newer front loading clothes washers use as little as half of the water of a typical top loading washer. For families who are constantly putting in a new load of dirty clothes, this can lead to a significant savings in cost and water usage over time.
Use Rain Water For Irrigation For those who want to really cut down on water usage, storage tanks that collect rain water during a storm for latter use to water the garden and lawn can save thousands of gallons over the span of a summer.
These are just a few of the many ideas out there that will help ensure that your home is green. Environmentally friendly decisions in the home can lead to wallet friendly results over time and allow for the satisfaction of knowing you are reducing your negative impact on the planet.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
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Online Corporate Social Responsibility – The Latest Trend
Corporate social responsibility has moved from being a buzz word in management books to an important aspect of business activities. The concept of CSR is vague for many; however, it generally refers to the connection of business decision making with ethical values. Even though the modern society rests on the pillars of governance and ethics, the distinction between social role and business motive of an organization cannot be denied.
Publishing CSR reports can have tremendous benefits for any company as this affect its reputation and branding in a positive manner. Advancement in technology has led to the popularity of online corporate social responsibility reporting. With the Internet becoming an interactive platform for communication, online CSR reports can help business organizations expand their reach. Many companies are focusing on the maintenance of a significant profile on the Internet. The need to update latest information for the stakeholders and sharing good work initiatives with a wider audience has become order of the day.
The concept of using the Internet to share corporate social responsibility reports and programs has gained tremendous popularity in the last few years. Companies are cashing in on the scope and access of the latest technology despite being active through their community based projects. A section of their website is especially dedicated to CSR reports for the interest of far reaching audiences. BITC (Business in the Community) is one such company that has been taking advantage of online resources for the implementation of its corporate social responsibility programs.
Companies need to keep analyzing the sustainability section of their website on a regular basis. They need to keep a track of how many visitors browsed through the CSR report in a month. In case the figure is low, they need to come up strategies to make the report accessible to readers who might find the report interesting but are not visiting the website. It also helps to figure out who reads the sustainability report. This might help the companies generate better reports and also include a feedback mechanism to start a dialogue.
Responsibility of the Corporate
What ever one does for the good cause of the society it needed to look back and monitor the situation, weather it is actually fulfilling the intention or it is just lying on the papers. As a person who has given thought a shape for upliftment of the society and oneself, it is our up most duty to keep checking the same, in terms of progress of the desired changes if needed.
For the same purpose there was a visit of Mr. Bill Gates the founder and Chairman of Microsoft Corporation and Bill Gates Foundation in India very recently. Bill Gates foundation is actively involved in various activities related to upliftment of the society across the world and provides funds and the assistance to remote corner places of India too. He Visited city called Amethi in the state of Uttarpardesh. Amethi is very popular place in India as the political representatives of Amethi, mostly belongs to Gandhi family for the past many decades and the Gandhi families are the pillars of Indian politics in India. As the largest political party of the country, and they are the one who have carried Indian tradition legacy for past many years and will continue in future too.
Indian National Congress is most respected political party in India, as the congress party is known to many peoples in the developed countries of the world. The principles of the party’s are totally different from the others like BJP, Janata Dal or the communist party (In India). The National Congress Party of India takes complete responsibility of upliftment the society and its related concerns. As the leader of the reputed member of the political organization and traditional experienced person, Mr.Rahul Gandhi was with Mr. Bill Gates through out the Amethi tour. He was doing the best as a leader to support another leader from the corporate world to provide all the necessary assistance to help the corporate visitor and show him the gesture of Indian tradition heritage.
The heat and the dust of Uttarpardesh at the present climate in the month of May one can imagine as how Mr. Bill Gate have manage the tour, as he is not Asian ethics by birth or the experience of this type of climate. Respecting to the corporate leader and social responsible person it was Mr.Rahul Gandhi’s duty to give the traditional value, simultaneously to be present with him to the Amethi.
It was his gesture that he manages to take out time from his busy schedule and traveled with Mr. Bill Gates and provided the required necessary assistance. He even did the language translation for Mr. Bill Gate as the local people were asking the questions in Hindi or their native language.
We need to learn from our leaders of such, as how improve our behavior and our responsibility towards the society. The Best Part is to learn as, how to implement and manage such things, despite heaving busy schedule.
As a responsible person one shouldn’t leave the things after kickoff, but we need to keep monitoring the developments on time to time. It is not possible to do the same on a daily basis by the people who are attached with the corporate world, because their responsibilities are diverted in many directions, but it can be manageable to access the situation and further directions.
Corporate Responsibility: The Answer to the UK Job Crisis
As the G8 summit in Italy draws to an end it is apparent that the top issues discussed, remains to be the three biggest issues around the world: the current economy, global warming and world hunger.
Their final draft statement seen by Reuters, addresses these different issues and their solution to it.
“We are committed to increase investments in short, medium and long-term agriculture development that directly benefits the poorest and makes best use of international institutions,” the statement said.
While the richest countries in the world debate these issues, big corporate companies around the world have been trying for years to improve them in some way or the other.
Corporate Responsibility (CR), formerly known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been placing big multinational companies under extraordinary stress to honour and support the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit.
According to the UK Government’s Corporate Responsibility Report, CR makes business sense.
“Good business leaders recognise that Corporate Responsibility makes good business sense – it attracts the best talent, earns the trust of customers and the community and acts as a powerful investment for long-term sustainability,” said Ian Pearson, Minister of State Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
While countries around the world battle with one or all three issues as well as new concerns manifested from them, one of the biggest problems the UK is currently facing is the growing unemployment rate.
According the Office of National Statistics, the UK had a staggering two million people out of a jobs at the end of 2008 and in the last three months the unemployment rate rose from 6.5 pc to 7.1pc.
Corporate Responsibility takes on a new and more intense role when it demands job creation and skill training during the current economic climate.
Tesco’s plans to expand a store in Barton-Upon-Humber leading to the creation of 50 new jobs in the area, is an example of the kind of CR the UK job market needs.
Residents of Barton-Upon-Humber has responded positively towards their plans and corporate affairs manager, Nick Gellatly said that although recruiting will only start in next year, people from the area have already enquired about it.
“Nearer to the time, we will talk to the Job Centre Plus and set up a Local Employment Partnership to make sure that local people have the best possible chance of getting a job and people who have been unemployed have the best chance of getting a job,” he said.
Another example of this is with Sainsbury’s new store in north Essex where 23 new jobs were created.
The store in Halstead’s High Street was previously a Somerfield store and through the Sainsbury buy-over 70 jobs were safeguarded as well.
“We’re proud of our new store but the best part is meeting the local community. Everyone’s so friendly and we’re looking forward to making a positive difference,” commented Andy Deacon, Store manager.
Companies show their participation through endeavours like these, with on-going charity support or with projects like Vodafone’s Lifetracks programme.
The Lifetracks programme focuses on the youth of the UK, empowering 16-25-year-olds with the knowledge to make informed choices about work, study and training.
The programme involves engagement teams, workshops, help lines, a website and volunteers.
Vodafone’s aim with this programme is to assist 720,000 UK youngsters over a three year period and help 70pc of them into employment, education or training.
Vodafone has also created 3600 jobs in Berkshire at their Newbury HQ and spent £12m on products and services from West Berkshire’s local suppliers.
While the economic climate is currently a daily issue it does not mean that the environmental climate should take the back-seat until the economy settles down.
Natural disasters like floods and earth quakes are a direct result of global warming and will only increase economic turmoil if not pro-actively dealt with.
“This week the G8 nations came to an historic consensus towards concrete goals to reduce carbon emissions,” said US president, Barack Obama.
“Developed nations will reduce their emissions by 80 percent and we will work with all nations to cut global emissions in half. This ambitious efforts is consistent with limiting global warming to no more than two degrees Celsius. Developed countries, like my own, have a historic responsibility to take the lead,” he said.
The good news is that while our big corporate institutions need to focus their CR on job creation, this is not the only focus for some.
Coca-Cola who employ 4500 people in England, Scotland and Wales do their bit for the environment through ensuring that all of their UK manufacturing sites adhere to the highest environmental standards, by being ISO14001 certified.
The largest listed water company in the UK, United Utilities, who maintain water, wastewater, electricity and gas, are trying to improve the environment through their numerous projects.
They are currently involved with a project that turns biogas from sewage treatment into fuel for vehicles.
Another of their projects saved £6.7m through producing methane gas from sewage sludge in order to provide heat and electricity to run sewage systems.
Big corporate companies earn billions each year and to some extend certain global issues, like for example global warming, is as a result of pollution from billions of factories around the world.
That is why big companies owe it to the world to put money back into improving the economy, environment and social issues.
Hopefully the UK will see more CR projects, charity support and most importantly job creation within the next several months as companies start to see the importance of Corporate Responsibility in combating unemployment.
With the prospect of companies in the UK doing their part, citizens around the country can also assist with embarking on their own responsibility projects.
Through making accountable environment-friendly choices, by supporting charities and if at all possible creating a job opportunity for someone who desperately needs one, we can all put an effort into improving an aspect of everyday life.
Corporate Social Responsibility in Textile Industry
The concept of social responsibility is a fairly recent one in the business world. Awareness about the social responsibility of business organizations is rapidly on the rise and firms are also accepting this concept. The textile industry is no exception. Textile producing and trading firms are also realizing their responsibility towards the society and the environment. This article aims at analyzing the concept of social responsibility and the common ways in which textile firms try to fulfill it.
What is social responsibility?
Social responsibility is “an organization’s obligation to maximize its positive impact and minimize its negative impact on the societyâ€. In other words, it is “the concept that businesses should be actively concerned with the welfare of the society at largeâ€.
The concept of social responsibility is applicable to individuals and governments as well as organizations. The social responsibility of an organization is referred to as ‘corporate social responsibility’.
Social responsibility can be broadly divided into two parts: human responsibility and environmental responsibility.
Human responsibility refers to the responsibility of the organization towards the various parties associated with it, which are known as ‘stakeholders’ in business parlance. These parties include employees, shareholders, the government, customers, investors, suppliers, competitors and the society at large.
Environmental responsibility refers to the organization’s responsibility towards environment protection.
The concept of social responsibility holds that an organization should work in a manner in which the interests of the stakeholders are protected or, at the very least, they are not adversely affected. It holds that the organization should work in an ethical manner and work in the best interests of the various parties associated with it.
The realm of social responsibility extends beyond the legal responsibilities of an organization. It is voluntarily fulfilled by the organization.
The concept of corporate social responsibility has been criticized by certain experts, who believe that it is a cynical and selfish idea. They are of the opinion that corporates undertake projects for social welfare only because of the increase in reputation that they would get due to them.
Social responsibility in the textile industry
Like the firms in other industries, textiles firms are also realizing their responsibility towards the various parties associated with them and the environment. However, the ways by which different organizations choose to fulfill their social responsibility might be different.
The ways in which a textile firm can fulfill its responsibility towards various parties are similar to those of firms in other industries, as is evident from the points mentioned below:
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Posted in CSR | Tags: Corporate, Corporate social responsibility, CSR, Industry, Responsibility, Social, Textile | No Comments »
The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme – A Review
We are now well on the road to the end of the first year of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.
We’ve had the scare stories, the organisations not registering, or less organisations registering than were first thought. First estimates from the Government suggested 5000 plus organisations would be full participants with a further 20,000 as information disclosures.
We’ve had just over 3,700 full participants register, what does this communicate to us?
For me, based on my experience, it tells me that a lot of organisations were confused as to what they needed to do. For example, a car dealership, an example DEFRA used in their literature, if that dealership was a single franchise, SEAT for example, then if a single SEAT dealer anywhere else in the UK had a half hour meter then ALL SEAT dealerships and SEAT companies were in, under the banner of SEAT, who had the responsibility of collating this information. That’s nice and simple, until you then look at if that same dealership had say SEAT and VW at the same premises, they’re out? Add to that the ability to register independently so the SEAT brand did not have to account for everything that traded under its name . . . confused . . . therein lies the problem!
At least the Con/Dem co-alition government has pushed back the full implementation of phase 1 of the CRC by 12 months, the same for Phase 2.They are also looking at making the scheme simpler, firstly by making it a Tax, no payments from the pot for those that reduce emissions the most, Good or Bad?
For me it’s a bit of good and bad, organisations no longer being rewarded for reducing emissions will need to find some other motivation to reduce emissions! The good side is that it is giving these organisation more time to get to grips with the scheme, however, as experience has shown, a lot of organisation left it to the last minute before registering for the CRC, will they do the same again?
Initially Phase 1 reporting is primarily about Scope 1 & 2 emissions, Scope 1 being based on energy you produce, for example if you had a wind turbine and selling electricity back to the grid, Scope 2 is for energy you purchase.
However Phase 2 of the CRC is interesting, as it suggests that Scope 3 emissions will be included in a company’s declaration, a good way of introducing mandatory emissions reporting for all via the back door. Scope 3 covers everything from Travel to Suppliers.
If we look at suppliers for a large organisation, this could easily be in the thousands, a local authority I recently met with, have in excess of 5000 suppliers, under phase 2 they will need to liaise with all 5000, collate the emissions data for those 5000 and submit under the local authorities umbrella.
This will be an administrative nightmare for the unprepared, both the supplier and the large organisation. This will mean that for those who tender for work from larger organisations it will no longer be just a tick box exercise for environmental policy, such as ISO14001, it will be a detailed report on emissions and those not able to submit such a report, will ultimately, not win any business.
At Be Seen Go Green, we offer solutions for a variety of Environmental issues. Please click on the following link to contact us.
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Corporate Social Responsibility – New Fad or Necessity
Organisations of the 21st century can no longer limit themselves to producing and marketing products or services without any concerns for the impact they have on society. If they want to be trusted by their customers, employees and the public at large, they have to be more socially responsible. One key issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which needs to be addressed is the integration of ethnic minorities in the workplace and the community.
Demographic changes
The lack of proper governmental strategies following the demographic changes of the 50′s and 70′s, has left many British companies struggling to this day to deal with the problem themselves. Many organisations have played a passive role in this integration process by staying within the legal boundaries and are now experiencing difficulties in that area.
A lack of consideration of differences
One of the major reasons behind these integration problems is the lack of awareness and consideration for cultural differences. People from different cultural backgrounds have different sets of norms, different sets of values and different assumptions. This means that we all have different ways of reacting to events, different ways of communicating and different behaviours. We judge the others from our own frame of reference and tend to think that “our way is the right way”.
In a multicultural workforce, this can lead to misinterpretation, misunderstanding, incomprehension, mistrust and disrespect. As a result, rather than getting closer, people distance themselves from those they consider different and groups are formed on the basis of commonalities, whether it is ethnicity, colour, language etc. “Departmental ghettos” start to appear. Often, there are rivalries and tensions. In some instances, these situations can degenerate into discrimination, bullying or racist behaviours.
The law is not enough
Staying within the letter of the law is not enough for organisations experiencing these situations. It is imperative for them to resolve these issues if they want to retain a stable and productive workforce and be regarded as good “corporate citizens”. Organisation can be more socially responsible by contributing to a smooth cultural integration of ethnic minorities into the workplace.
Being more socially responsible
Integration does not mean imposing one way. It means harmonising and synergizing differences. Having a clear and unbiased understanding of the context is the first step toward formulating proper integration strategies. The second step is to develop cultural awareness. Being open to differences, understanding and respecting the other’s cultural background are the key elements in preparing the ground for integration. The third step is to build or rebuild trust. Finally, only when trust has been demonstrated from all sides, solutions can be discussed. It is the step where different norms and values are reconciled and tangible and intangible elements of integration are defined. Building shared ownership of the solutions is at that stage essential to reinforce trust and guarantee implementation.
These steps can take different forms; for example interviews with the various groups involved for step one, training programmes at the levels concerned in the organisation for step two and facilitated workshops for steps three and four involving all concerned or a limited number of influential representatives of each group, who can then intervene as mentors to their members.
Being proactive in the integration process of ethnic minorities is a corporate social duty which can strongly impact the community and contribute to a much more committed workforce.
During the last few months Farnham has been working with a number of clients in the development of programmes, using a training approach normally associated with supporting the integration of home and foreign workforces, to address the growing issue of multicultural tension within the domestic workforce. Because of the sensitivity of the issue, each programme has to be very carefully designed and often involves a number of programmes each with a different perspective at each level. The need to exercise corporate social responsibility is evolving in many different guises, in light of recent events, perhaps this one in particular needs our attention now.
The Role Of Corporate Social Responsibility In Your Company'S Initiatives
Is your company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) spotlight focused squarely on the corporate travel program? If it isn’t already, it will be soon.
A glance through the newspapers or a quick Google will reveal that green travel is on in the hearts and minds or at least on the lips of travel managers, purchasing directors and business travelers themselves. With rising international concern about global warming, much of the concern of corporations and business travellers is focused squarely on carbon emissions.
But companies must aim to ensure that they do not focus too heavily on one component of a CSR program (e.g., environmental sustainability) at the expense of other key areas (e.g., stakeholder/fiscal interests, duty of care). A sound, sustainable and accountable travel program is a natural component of any company’s commitment to CSR, and offers rich potential to advance its CSR goals.
Sustainability – To evaluate and reduce the environmental impact of travel activities
Accountability – To improve traveler wellbeing and security and promote ethical business standards throughout a company’s travel supply chain and stakeholder network
When it comes to sustainability, as Kermit the Frog sang so memorably, It’s not easy being green. Companies need accurate information to make balanced decisions about their carbon footprint. BCD Travel has recently rolled carbon emission reporting into its information management solution.
Armed with this knowledge, many companies are choosing to offset their carbon emissions.
Accountability standards should also be reflected in every company’s CSR program. Responsible Corporate Travel Management helps companies identify a central ethical code of conduct from which they successfully serve all components of their CSR program.
CSR policies should ideally contain initiatives to improve traveler wellbeing and security, as well as those to promote ethical business standards throughout the company’s supply chain and stakeholder network.
In an age in which companies prioritisation of travel-related CSR initiatives is continually evolving, a recent survey of over 200 travel managers and business travelers, conducted by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives in conjunction with KDS, points to the importance of true Responsible Travel Management, which addresses both sustainability and accountability.
In the survey, employee security was ranked as companies top concern, with 81 percent of respondents citing this as a high priority; cost reduction followed as a close second, ranked as a high priority by 77 percent of the sample. Supporting environmental sustainability trailed some way behind, with only 20 percent believing that companies consider this a High priority.
Key to the successful implementation of a responsible travel program is the recognition that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
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Corporate Social Responsibility is the Best Reward to Give to the Society
Brief introduction-As a manager in your own corporation or as an employed director, the key task you ensure success in first, is control of internal business management.
You want to treat those employees like appreciated assets; by extending all kinds of allowances, perks, benefits, leave, bonuses, overtime, educational vacations, free in job training, career paths among others.
Why? Because you believe that if your corporation is to grow and expand, then workers need to be motivated especially those at the customer care desk.
Motivating labor force is a good start, followed by grabbing the opportunities brought about by globalization as well as being armed to survive the threats while overcoming your weaknesses by becoming stronger each day.
Many entrepreneurs surprisingly think it is end of business when all is well internally, but what they do not realize is that they need to create good public relations with the outside world.
The society
This is a key aspect of any business environment that any manager must be aware of so as to entice it.
It is the source of that workforce, financial prosperity and physical resources; therefore giving any business reasons for existence.
Not unless you want to get the clients right from their residential places, which makes your customer care dormant, it is important that you reward this source of your huge financial freedom and wealth as a corporation.
How do you do this?
Modern managers behind the obvious wheels of change in many flourishing organizations around the globe have already treated their society as valuable jewels.
They are doing this through what is called corporate social responsibility.
So what is corporate social responsibility?
These can be said to be actions taken by decision makers aimed at protection and improvement of the welfare of the society at large with their own interest.
Why was corporate social responsibility created?
It was developed as a result of business growth, increase in social consciousness, growth in education levels and economic power concentration in possession of huge corporations.
Do you still need more reasons to initiate this?
I should warn you first that as a good manager you must not make decision solely on profits, you must realize that you are also responsible for both shareholders and entire society.
Why is this so?
Managers work hand to maximize the wealth of the shareholders but never stop and ask themselves this question “at the expense of whom have I achieved this?”
If I should generously answer it, then I should mention the society the key provider of all resources managers need to witness success of their managerial decisions.
General reasons supporting corporate social responsibility
Vast financial and managerial success has created new responsibilities for managers- Those who are called “think tanks” must have come up with this brilliant idea just so they do not spend a second without using their brains.
Modern Society is well informed and responsive– managers who sign their own praise have no space anymore, the once ignorant society recognizes corporate social responsibility as their consumer right.
Vividness of both consumers and managers counterbalance- modern managers and consumers are far aware of their own goals and concerns and how to achieve them.
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How to Give Your Business Corporate Social Responsibility
Which organisation wouldn’t like to have a more confident, more productive and more loyal workforce? Employee volunteering, and especially as career speakers to young people, may be the answer as it has tangible benefits to the bottom-line.
Corporate Social Responsibility is about developing corporate citizenship – being more than just an employer and making a positive difference to the immediate locality and the world at large. CSR is not just about ‘green’ issues but about Community Involvement, too.
Volunteering in the community is a cheap and effective staff development tool. Where else can you quickly build confidence and develop interpersonal skills? Talking about something they really understand, their job – is something employees can really do with enthusiasm and from a position of strength – after all, who knows their own job better than they do? Career speaking really helps to build confident individuals.
Representing their company out in the community instils pride in employees – and that pride improves performance. Employees get a deeper appreciation of themselves and the role they play. They return to work refreshed and with a renewed enthusiasm for their job. Happiness is infectious!
Where better for employers to be investing than in their local community. This creates a good will factor for any organisation. With schools, for example, being increasingly seen as the hub of local communities, being involved in school life has got to be good brand exposure especially consumer facing brands.
More and more companies are facing increasing competition to attract skilled employees, so a company that is visible in their community can often tip the balance for applicants. Of course, young people need quality work-related learning experiences to prepare them for the world of work and close encounters through career talks arranged by organisations such as Growing Ambitions can certainly help organisations to explain what skills and abilities are required. If your organisation wants first pick of school leavers, having a profile in the school is a great help.
The government is now actively promoting the take up of apprenticeships, and organisations keen to take on more can encourage peer-to-peer apprentice recruitment by getting current apprentices out into schools to speak about their experience.
The UK is generally suffering a skills shortage in many skills areas but the answer lies in employers putting something back – impacting schools by telling young people about the skills needed in new recruits.
For business leaders keen for their organisation to be the best it can be, career speaking helps to build the skills pool of the future and develop the people they need for growth. It’s a painless solution to the skills gap with great PR benefits to those who give just a little of their time and experience back into the community – and it looks good to stakeholders – and justifiably so.