Business in the Community

Season's greetings from everyone here at Business in the Community! ⭐ We're signing off soon for the festive period, and our offices will be closed between Christmas and New Year. We'll catch up with you all in the new year - thank you for all your support throughout this year and here's to a great start to 2025!

🥳 As we approach the festive break, why not take a moment to grab a mince pie and dive into our special end-of-year LinkedIn newsletter? 🎁 This edition is packed with insights on #ResponsibleBusiness, designed to keep you informed and inspired. We hope you enjoy this treasure trove of content as we bid farewell to 2024! Thank you to everyone who subscribed and read the newsletter this year. Bain & Company, Phoenix Group, Aldermore Bank, Heathrow, Lloyd's Register, McKinsey Health Institute

📕 Data shows that one in four children hasn’t reached the expected level of reading age by 11. That’s why we’re supporting a campaign to make sure that children in some of the most deprived communities in the UK have a book of their own this Christmas. 📚 Last year, our Place team raised enough money to donate 10,000 books. This year, with the need continuing to grow, the campaign is aiming to reach more children than ever before. The communities that will be supported include areas where BITC has been working to address inequalities; Blackpool, Bradford, Coventry, Hounslow, Newport, Norwich, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Rochdale and Sheffield. Can you help? Find out more: https://lnkd.in/ehbYpzTB Bookmark Reading Charity, Miles Kelly Publishing, National Literacy Trust.

📢 Join us on Tuesday 28 January 2025, for a day of inspiration and collaboration at Friends House in London. Featuring industry leaders from Verizon Business, Sky, PwC UK, Linklaters, Salesforce, and Encirc, our member conference promises insightful sessions on empowering young talent, navigating the challenges of new technology, and much more. Don’t miss the chance to engage with experts and explore actionable strategies to shape the future of #ResponsibleBusiness. Check out the full list of collaboration sessions, along with details on plenary sessions from renowned speakers, including Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Claire Camara (She/Her) FCIPD (Chartered Fellow), and Claudine Blamey. https://lnkd.in/eHAb_BWT ⌛ Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you!

How are we —along with our members—making a tangible impact across the UK? 🤔 Our 'Leading with Purpose' Impact Report highlights the significant progress we’ve made over the past 12 months. We've been supporting people into work, helping to create fairer workplaces, and transforming communities. This short video gives a very brief overview, but there's so much more we've been working on, and will continue to work on, into 2025 and beyond. 💫 To learn more, watch the full video and download our 2024 report: https://lnkd.in/egZi5QnU

Explore the critical benefits of gender diversity in the workplace with our new briefing, "Why Gender Equality is Good for Business." In partnership with Oxera Consulting LLP, we’ve analysed over 100 studies revealing that while progress towards a more equitable working world remains slow, gender diversity significantly enhances commercial outcomes. Download this concise and insightful briefing today, authored by our #GenderEquality Campaign Director, Charlotte Woodworth and discover how embracing gender equality can empower your organisation. https://lnkd.in/dmrxQ2SD

📢 Following a successful Responsible AI series, we are pleased to announce that we will be running a Responsible AI Lab in 2025 in collaboration with business, academia, and government to co-create the first Responsible AI Blueprint. This blueprint will provide key actions, best practices, and case studies to help organisations integrate AI into their responsible business strategies. 🤖 This groundbreaking initiative is the first of its kind and will consider how AI impacts the societal and environmental effects of business operations. If you’re interested in learning more about the Lab and how your business could get involved, please contact Phillippa.Lennox-King@bitc.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you! #ResponsibleBusiness #ResponsibleAI #AI

Although 15-20% of employees are likely to be neurodivergent, only 60% of organisations have included a focus on neuro-inclusion (CIPD, 2024). 💡Our new Neurodiversity at Work How-To Guide, based on a series of collaborative workshops with The University of Huddersfield, aims to provide key facts and practical guidance for businesses to better approach #neurodiversity, address knowledge gaps, and clarify misunderstandings. This mini-guide covers the following themes: ✅ How to talk about neurodiversity ✅ Creating a neuro-inclusive recruitment process ✅ Embedding neurodiversity into your workplace culture Download the free guide today: https://lnkd.in/e-Ch8kkF #inclusion #wellbeing #ResponsibleBusiness

Our ex-colleagues often fondly recall their time at Business in the Community, where a profound sense of purpose and pride marked their contributions. For over 40 years, BITC has attracted some of the brightest and most passionate individuals who have collaborated with member companies and campaigned for essential change in communities across the UK and beyond. 💡 That’s why we created our Alumni Network—a vibrant platform uniting nearly 600 former members to reconnect, share stories, and explore opportunities. Through online and in-person networking, we celebrate our history and collaborate on important issues. Join the Alumni Network today and reconnect with a community that has made a difference for decades. Together, we can inspire each other and continue to make an impact! https://lnkd.in/eX6fj6-t

👏This #InternationalVolunteerDay we want to say a huge THANK YOU to the hundreds of volunteers who have given up their time and skills to support individuals and communities across the UK. In the last year, over 150 of our business members have engaged in our volunteering programmes, supporting over 8,000 beneficiaries. From providing coaching to jobseekers and offering befriending support to unpaid carers, to helping refugees navigate the UK labour market, over 10,800 hours have been dedicated! ✍️ Have you volunteered recently? We'd love to hear about it. Share a memorable moment in the comments below - your story could inspire others. #IVD2024 #ResponsibleBusiness #volunteering