Best Corporate Citizen
For the firm that has made managing its community and environmental impact an integral part of the way that it does business, whilst adding business value.
2005 WINNER
Mallen Baker of BIC with Katie Briggs and Mike Kelly of KPMG
KPMG has taken Corporate Citizenship seriously for more than 10 years, and this is reflected in the breadth, depth and strategic approach to Corporate Citizenship. The judges were particularly impressed with the manner in which the firm’s initiatives reflect the core strengths of the firm and its employees. KPMG is known for its innovative approach to providing global business solutions, and the range of citizenship initiatives reflects this.
The video provided as part of the submission describes a diverse and inspiring set of activities that range from a programme to provide suits for under-privileged men to wear to job interviews, through a ‘lunch bag for life’ initiative that reduces waste, to an employee payroll-giving programme that produces donations that outstrip those of many larger companies. There can be no doubt that being a ‘good corporate citizen’ is a way of life for KPMG and its employees.
RUNNER UP
Eversheds has approached corporate citizenship at a number of levels making available the firm’s resources and encouraging all its people to be good corporate citizens, giving them the power to choose what they want to do to express the firm’s values. The firm contributed £2 million of fee-earning time to pro bono work last year, making available professional skills and resources to those who would otherwise be unable to access them through
local legal advice centres.
There are also numerous projects the firm and its employees are involved in, from supporting children reading and community garden projects, to fundraising for Comic Relief and through the firm’s charitable trust and matched giving schemes. The firm and its employees have thereby invested time, resources and their skills in supporting the community in which they work.
3RD PLACE
Although much smaller than other contenders for this award, Nottingham based law firm, Browne Jacobson has initiated a range of localised initiatives including a charitable trust and community action committee that have produced positive and practical results. These projects have raised the firm’s profile and contributed to their enhanced standing within the Midlands region.
The firm has instituted basic internal recycling and energy efficiency initiatives and involved 50% of staff in pro bono work which has increased awareness of CSR issues within the firm. Their efforts to avoid unnecessary travel, use public transport and work with local suppliers shows a growing awareness of climate change issues.
Browne Jacobson is set on a positive trajectory. The judges hope that they will now build on these achievements and set their "good citizenship" sites even higher – working more proactively with clients to help them deal with pressing environmental and CSR issues.
2004 FINALISTS
Runner up
Third place
Shortlisted
2004 SPONSOR
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is the fifth largest financial services group in the world by market capitalisation and are bankers to 85% of the world’s Top 100 professional services firms drawn from the legal, accounting and surveying professions.
OTHER YEARS
OTHER AWARDS