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Corporate social responsibility forum launched in Peterborough

Side by Side, Peterborough’s corporate social responsibility forum has been launched to help with support work that tackles some of the city’s difficult issues.

Representatives mainly from business, but also the charitable, voluntary and public sector gathered at the Learning Centre at Perkins.

The new website, sidebysidecsr.co.uk, aims to connect businesses interesting in working with projects that are looking for support, in terms of volunteers, investment, specialist expertise or donations.

Claire Higgins, director of operations at Cross Keys Homes, a founder member and major funding partner of the forum, said: “The event was a great success. It’s clear there are a lot of businesses already doing great work in the community and the forum will help target their efforts and encourage those still thinking about getting involved by providing the information and contacts to take that step into active support.

“It would be great if this event was the start of even bigger and better corporate social responsibility work across Peterborough.”

The forum also heard from Richard Astle of Athene Communications and Rod Allerton of Thomas Cook, about the origins of the concept.

Examples such as an employability workshop supported by 30 local employers, from Nene Park Academy, were outlined to demonstrate the potential difference to be made.

Sandie Burns of DIAL urged employers to get involved in the Olympic Torch Relay project, which will see 100 disabled people and their carers accompany the Olympic torch into Peterborough on the Nene Valley railway.

The Leader of Peterborough City Council, Marco Cereste, said the council would do all it could to support Side by Side and said the community and charitable activities of businesses through the forum was “that little bit extra” that Peterborough needed.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .