A while back, a wise colleague posed an intriguing question: "Who gains the most from CSR - the charity or the business?" It was a good question, one that gave me plenty of food for thought. Over the last year, I’ve had the privilege of acting as charity lead for our partnership with The Connection at St. Martin’s, a charity dedicated to supporting the homeless community and helping individuals move away from life on the streets. This question continued to resonate with me, and I made it my mission to build a programme that truly demonstrated how our charity partner could benefit the most.

In our first year partnering with The Connection, we started by volunteering each week for four months, serving breakfast and lunch to their clients at the day centre. It was a meaningful start, but I wanted our programme to do even more. Over the last year, we've expanded our efforts significantly:

• Increased our volunteering slots at the day centre, serving more meals and spending additional time supporting their clients. 
• Engaged our clients to collaborate with us on volunteering sessions, increasing awareness and broadening our impact. 
• Donated items and prepared care packages for their clients during the Christmas period, aiming to bring a bit of warmth and joy to those who needed it most.
• Registered for City Giving Day in both 2023 and 2024, driving greater awareness, engagement and fundraising for the charity.  
• Hosted our inaugural charity art exhibition and live auction, bringing our clients and community together to support the cause in a creative way.
• Participated in the London Walk, covering a full marathon on the streets of London through the night. 

Surely, after walking a full marathon, only the charity was gaining in that situation? Think again. Despite our tired legs, we felt deeply humbled and inspired. We’d raised a substantial sum for the charity, and we saw first hand how challenging and how crucial this work truly is.

What have we learned?

A year on, I realise that my colleague was right: the benefits of CSR are shared by both the charity and the business. The Connection certainly gained from our increased support, but so did we. We felt a renewed sense of purpose, a reminder of what really matters, and the fulfilment that comes from helping others. We were not just helping to change lives; we were also growing as individuals and as a team.

Could we do better? Absolutely. Our work is far from done - it's only just beginning. The biggest lesson we've learned is that the more we work collectively to drive change, the greater the impact we can achieve. There’s immense power in working together, not only in what we can give but in how we transform along the way.

So, as we continue this journey, I invite you to join us. If you'd like to collaborate on an upcoming initiative, reach out. Let's make a difference together, because, ultimately, we all benefit when we work towards something greater.