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The first pioneering group of 21 UK-based businesses to achieve
the CommunityMark have been revealed to ministers and
business leaders at a ceremony at 10 Downing Street, hosted
by John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities
and Skills.
The CommunityMark is a new UK national standard that publicly
recognises companies that are the best investors in their
communities. Successful CommunityMark companies have passed
a rigorous, independent assessment of how they invest in -
and work with - their local communities, including scrutiny
by their employees and community partners.
In one year alone, the 21 CommunityMark companies invested
almost £600 million in the community through employee time,
funding and other contributions. More than 30,000 schools
have already benefitted, 2,000 people now have mentors from
CommunityMark companies and 1,000 people have already been
given work experience placements.
These are just a few examples from hundreds of initiatives
they have spearheaded all over the UK and the world. Business
in the Community has made a conservative estimate that 100
businesses will achieve the CommunityMark by 2010.
Stephen Howard, Chief Executive of Business in the Community,
congratulated the companies successful in gaining the standard
- “The CommunityMark is the highest achievement for companies
that are able to demonstrate the long-term positive impact
that they are having in their communities. It’s a standard
that sets the bar high enough to give most business leaders
vertigo - and it’s an achievement to be proud of.”
The trailblazing national mark was developed by Business
in the Community with the support of companies, public and
voluntary sector bodies and was designed to be challenging
and relevant to all concerned. The CommunityMark is endorsed
by the UK government and the voluntary sector and supported
by HRH the Prince of Wales, president of Business in the Community.
The 21 pioneering businesses to achieve the CommunityMark
are - Axis, Barclays, Blackburn Rovers Football & Athletic
Club, BT, Contract Scotland, Deloitte, Design Links, Elementus,
Ernst & Young, GlaxoSmithKline, HBOS, Heart of Midlothian
Football, KPMG, Marks and Spencer, PricewaterhouseCoopers,
Rangers Football Club, RWE npower, Sainsbury's, Tesco, The
Town House Collection and Zurich Financial Services (UK).
For more information on the CommunityMark - Click
Here
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