Boots UK has successfully renewed its CommunityMark, the UK’s national standard for leadership and excellence in community investment, run by Business in the Community, HRH The Prince of Wales’ responsible business network.
CommunityMark recognises businesses that are leading the way in supporting local communities. The sought after standard is given to companies who put community at the heart of their business. CommunityMark holders prioritise the most pressing issues in their communities, and make a measurable difference across different areas of responsible business: from helping disadvantaged people into employment and supporting social enterprises to compete for business, to building long term partnerships with schools.
The CommunityMark is difficult to achieve, the rigorous assessment process is designed so that only the leading companies can be awarded it. Through today’s renewal, originally awarded in 2011, Boots UK remains part of a leading group of 36 businesses who have collectively invested over £2.06 billion in their communities in 2014 and are working hard to engage employees in community programmes.
Boots UK is recognised for its long term strategic charity partnerships with BBC Children in Need and Macmillan Cancer Support. In partnership with Macmillan, Boots UK aims to reach and improve the lives of each of the two million people living with cancer in the UK by helping them to access the information and support they need - when they need it, from a convenient and accessible high street location. This long term partnership delivers active care through 2,000 trained Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists and 400 Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors, who together, have supported customers across the UK with issues related to cancer. This activity sits alongside the commitment that Boots UK has made to regeneration of the UK’s high streets and town centres, working with Business in the Community, as well as its continued support for around its Nottinghamshire base. The Boots Charitable Trust has worked for 45 years in Nottinghamshire, providing funding for around 50 local projects in the past year alone.
Oonagh Turnbull, Senior CSR Manager, Boots UK said: “We strongly believe that we have a role to play in improving the lives of people in the UK, whether it is our teams being experts in giving cancer information and at disguising the visible side effects of cancer treatment to ‘help make you feel like you again’ or supporting disadvantaged young people in local projects. Being able to contribute to and be a part of thriving and happy local communities is really important to us, and we are thrilled to have been recognised by Business in the Community with the renewal of the prestigious CommunityMark Award.”
Boots UK will be presented with the CommunityMark at Business in the Community’s National Gala Dinner, supported by the 2014 Responsible Business of the Year National Grid, on 7 July 2015.
Commenting Stephen Howard, Business in the Community’s Chief Executive said: “I congratulate Boots UK for continuing to be part of the exclusive network of CommunityMark companies today. Business has a vital role to help create vibrant and prosperous communities. CommunityMark holders are at the heart of this movement, demonstrating an impressive commitment to identifying and responding to social needs. Crucially, these companies understand that excellence in community investment not only has a positive and valuable impact on society, but also creates real business benefits, and Boots UK continues to demonstrate this. We hope its example will inspire many more businesses to put responsible behaviour at the heart of how they do business.”
For further information about the CommunityMark, including the full list of achievers and their case studies, visitwww.bitc.org.uk/communitymark
CommunityMark recognises businesses that are leading the way in supporting local communities. The sought after standard is given to companies who put community at the heart of their business. CommunityMark holders prioritise the most pressing issues in their communities, and make a measurable difference across different areas of responsible business: from helping disadvantaged people into employment and supporting social enterprises to compete for business, to building long term partnerships with schools.
The CommunityMark is difficult to achieve, the rigorous assessment process is designed so that only the leading companies can be awarded it. Through today’s renewal, originally awarded in 2011, Boots UK remains part of a leading group of 36 businesses who have collectively invested over £2.06 billion in their communities in 2014 and are working hard to engage employees in community programmes.
Boots UK is recognised for its long term strategic charity partnerships with BBC Children in Need and Macmillan Cancer Support. In partnership with Macmillan, Boots UK aims to reach and improve the lives of each of the two million people living with cancer in the UK by helping them to access the information and support they need - when they need it, from a convenient and accessible high street location. This long term partnership delivers active care through 2,000 trained Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists and 400 Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisors, who together, have supported customers across the UK with issues related to cancer. This activity sits alongside the commitment that Boots UK has made to regeneration of the UK’s high streets and town centres, working with Business in the Community, as well as its continued support for around its Nottinghamshire base. The Boots Charitable Trust has worked for 45 years in Nottinghamshire, providing funding for around 50 local projects in the past year alone.
Oonagh Turnbull, Senior CSR Manager, Boots UK said: “We strongly believe that we have a role to play in improving the lives of people in the UK, whether it is our teams being experts in giving cancer information and at disguising the visible side effects of cancer treatment to ‘help make you feel like you again’ or supporting disadvantaged young people in local projects. Being able to contribute to and be a part of thriving and happy local communities is really important to us, and we are thrilled to have been recognised by Business in the Community with the renewal of the prestigious CommunityMark Award.”
Boots UK will be presented with the CommunityMark at Business in the Community’s National Gala Dinner, supported by the 2014 Responsible Business of the Year National Grid, on 7 July 2015.
Commenting Stephen Howard, Business in the Community’s Chief Executive said: “I congratulate Boots UK for continuing to be part of the exclusive network of CommunityMark companies today. Business has a vital role to help create vibrant and prosperous communities. CommunityMark holders are at the heart of this movement, demonstrating an impressive commitment to identifying and responding to social needs. Crucially, these companies understand that excellence in community investment not only has a positive and valuable impact on society, but also creates real business benefits, and Boots UK continues to demonstrate this. We hope its example will inspire many more businesses to put responsible behaviour at the heart of how they do business.”
For further information about the CommunityMark, including the full list of achievers and their case studies, visitwww.bitc.org.uk/communitymark
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