2015 Report
Transcription
2015 Report
INTEGREON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY UPDATE www.integreon.com © 2016 Integreon Printed on recycled paper. I am delighted to share with you our fifth annual report on Integreon’s CSR activities. We had four major areas of activity over the past year, covering education, health, social awareness, and the environment. Our Associates have once again demonstrated their passion and commitment for making positive changes in the communities where we operate around the globe. In a context where sometimes conflicting and multiple demands are placed on people’s personal and professional lives, our Associates nevertheless find the energy, and drive to volunteer their time to various activities. Each of our country teams choose and implement programs that they feel will make a measurable difference to the lives of the people they are intended to support. The most often heard comment when asked why they devote time and attention to those programs is the constant answer: because I can…and because I must. It makes me very proud to lead an organisation where such selfless behaviour is the norm and embedded at every level of the organisation. We are always looking for opportunities to partner our CSR programs with our clients in order to have an even greater impact. Please feel free to contact any member of our leadership team to discuss innovative ideas and how we can make that happen. This past year, around the globe, Integreon Associates have been busier than ever with their CSR activities. Our education program, Edu-Lync, gained increased momentum which further benefited the students of the Rotary Sanskardham Academy in Mumbai. A number of healthcare events in London, Bristol and Johannesburg raised significant funds, allowing us to financially contribute to chosen charities within this field. Our focus on food and clothing drives around our offices in the US and China meant we were able to support those in the community who needed it most. And in Manila, joining in community projects to build new homes gave the poorest a helping hand out of poverty. Throughout the organisation, we tend to have a habit of thinking life works best when we can affect the welfare of others. Knowing that our business has an impact on the neighbourhoods where we operate, we take pride in the investment we make, working hand in hand to support local projects to strengthen ties within our communities. Giving our time and effort for the greater good is what we love to do, and what we intend to keep on doing. On behalf of all Integreon Associates, I invite you to read on, and hope you’ll love what we do too. I hope you enjoy reading through this update. Throughout this update we have included QR codes on many of our activities. If you are a Smartphone user, simply download a QR code reader which will give you access to more information about some of the charities we support. Robert Gogel Karen Brennan Chief Executive Officer Group Head, CSR Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 3 Integreon is a trusted provider of award-winning legal, document, research and business support solutions to leading law firms, corporate legal departments, financial institutions and professional services firms. Since 2003, Integreon and its Associates have supported numerous educational, healthcare, social awareness and environmental initiatives. Our philosophy is built on three key values: TEAMWORK We are inspired to work together as part of a global business. PERFORMANCE We deliver quality services to our clients which provide value for money. PASSION We are dedicated to making a positive contribution to Integreon and the communities in which we live. Together, these values serve as an inspiration and a reference. They influence everything we do, from putting our clients first, to growing a diverse workplace, to building our corporate social responsibility program. Through our shared values, we become ONE INTEGREON and we are better partners to our clients and our communities. Guided by our core values, our corporate social responsibility efforts are divided into four categories: OUR IMPACT IN NUMBERS Education Education is an important cause for Integreon, and we work to improve opportunities in our communities by helping local scholastic organisations obtain the resources and equipment they need to help students achieve their academic potential. Healthcare Integreon is a highly people-oriented business and we care about the welfare of people in local communities. We support efforts to promote health and welfare, enriching lives to create a healthier and happier world. 3,000+ Volunteer Hours 154 Events Social Awareness We strive to increase our understanding of problems in the communities around us by raising awareness of social norms and giving support to those who face hardships. We believe that with greater awareness comes deeper understanding that leads to better solutions. $41,500 Funds Raised 21,000+ Donated Items Behind each number is a story and a life made better by Integreon Associates, across the community, around the world. 1,000 Volunteers 153 Beneficiaries Environment We are committed to doing business in ways that is good for the planet. We endeavour to help protect the environment by raising awareness, ensure sustainability of our programs and conduct our business in a socially responsible and ethical manner. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 5 ARLINGTON School Supplies Drive BRISTOL Edu-Lync FARGO School Supplies Drive JOHANNESBURG Career Guidance At St. Vincent School Associates collected scholastic items such as bookbags, composition books, binders, folders, pencils and pens, crayons and calculators for the Arlington County Public School in a collection drive aimed at children who are not able to afford school supplies and stationery to start the new school year. Lack of essential materials can have a profound impact on students and their learning experience, but making school a better place by the simple act of providing them with provisions such as pens and notebooks, ensures that both they and their teachers begin the new academic year with the tools they need to succeed. Integreon’s two Bristol offices held a ‘Back to School’ themed dress down day to promote Edu-Lync, Integreon’s education program that uses Microsoft Skype technology to remotely teach students at the Rotary Sanskardham Academy in Mumbai. Associate Mark West delivered two separate modules in the subject of economics, focussing on demand and supply, finishing with a knowledge check and discussion of examples at the end of each session. Fellow Associate Megan Gorry taught in the subject of business law. Associates participated in a school supplies drive to benefit students in their local community. Items such as pens, pencils, notebooks, binders, paper, rulers and scissors were collected and given in support of the United Way, a non-profit organisation whose aim is to improve the lives of students in need by mobilising the caring power of the community. The school items were collated by volunteers and packaged into hundreds of backpacks. This effort helps those who are not able to otherwise purchase educational supplies engage in the school activities required. Children of all ages are excited to be given a full backpack of materials so that they are ready for the first day of the new school year. In the Johannesburg office Associates continued their collaboration throughout the year with St. Vincent School for the Deaf, and in particular, the career guidance intervention program. Career paths of each student are aligned to the Psycad assessment results conducted at the well renowned University of Johannesburg, following which our Associates worked with the school facilitating the process of matching up each young adult with a respective deaf individual. Each student was assigned to a working professional to work-shadow and give them a sense of what it is like to be in a working environment. Logistics managers and psychologists were a few of the careers chosen. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 7 LONDON Aspire Learning And Development Program MUMBAI Edu-Lync NEW YORK Pajama Program NOIDA School Stationery Drive Across a six week period a number of Associates in London, Bristol and Fargo were asked by law firm TLT to join their ‘Aspire for Associates’ learning and development program to work with trainee solicitors to share their knowledge in the subjects of cross office working, homogenised work product and corporate DNA. Integreon’s Edu-Lync program was founded to provide further education and new opportunities for vocational training and learning to students at the Rotary Sanskardham Academy in Mumbai, an educatory system for children and young adults with hearing impairments and other special needs. Aspire is a bespoke learning and development program combining education needs with innovative interventions, utilising valuable external sources to deliver a range of learning tools to selected individuals with workshops, project work, one-to-one mentoring and practical business-related games. Using Microsoft Skype technology, Integreon Associates from anywhere in the world remotely dial in from their own work stations to teach lessons to students sitting in class at their school. We follow the Academy’s school year syllabus in the subjects of Economics, IT, Accounting, Secretarial Practice, Organisation of Commerce and Legal. Volunteers from the New York office took part in the Pajama Program, a charitable initiative aimed at giving children fun and valuable reading practice in their local library and reading centres. Associates paired up to give literacy support and individual practice in one-to-one shared reading, picking out books as well as taking part in engaging group activities. The Pajama Program also provides new pajamas and new books to children with the aim of giving them a comforting and nurturing bedtime experience. The Noida office ran a week long collection drive, putting together school kits containing school stationery items such as pencils, pens, pencil boxes, drawing and painting kits, notebooks and books. The bags were donated to the 30 students at Goonj, Noida’s NGO partner, who had highlighted that rural students lack basic supplies that students in urban areas enjoy in abundance, so this initiative goes a long way to helping improve a student’s involvement in class and increase their self-confidence. This contribution of varied stationery items greatly benefited the underprivileged students who are keenly interested in continuing school but are ill equipped to otherwise start the school year. Integreon also funds a full time language interpreter, which has given students additional access to the Edu-Lync program. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 9 ARLINGTON CPR Training BRISTOL Mind FARGO Pink Day In early January 2015 Arlington Associates witnessed a colleague suffer cardiac arrest in the office. The Associate thankfully recovered, however fellow colleagues realised they were less than prepared to deal with such an incident so undertook essential first aid training in order to better assist in the event something like this happened again. Eleven Arlington volunteers took time out to train in CPR, and are now certified in using lifesaving techniques along with a defibrillator machine. This training now means these Associates can identify themselves when they assist with blood drives for the American Red Cross. Melissa Imber volunteered a week of her annual leave to support mental health charity Bristol Mind who exhibited at Glastonbury, a five day festival of contemporary performing arts and music. Manning their 24 hour first aid and counselling tent, Melissa distributed leaflets and spent time listening to those in need. Bristol Mind is part of national charity Mind which aims to promote a positive view of mental health and emotional well-being and provide services that are accessible, relevant and empowering to the people using them. In support of Pink Day and Breast Cancer Awareness, Fargo Associates challenged each other to participate in wearing pink for the day. Client teams held contests to gauge participation within their work group and to compete against other internal groups for the most people in pink, or the most pink by any team. Donations collected were given to the Fargo Moorhead Area Bras on Broadway, where local hearts and local art came together to raise money for those in the area fighting breast cancer. JOHANNESBURG The Maharishi Institute, The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) Johannesburg Associates organised a presentation in association with CANSA (The Cancer Association of South Africa) at the Maharishi Institute to commemorate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and increase awareness among the institute’s students. During the event a CANSA nurse and CANSA representative conducted an insightful presentation, educating the students and encouraging them to familiarise themselves with facts about breast cancer. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 11 LONDON London2Cambridge Challenge MUMBAI Fundraising For Oxfam NEW YORK St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital NOIDA BloodConnect Blood Drive Integreon’s Chief of Staff, Andrew Sims, took part in a sponsored 60 mile walk from London to Cambridge to raise funds for Integreon’s two UK charities of the year - Rainbow Trust who are dedicated to supporting seriously ill children and their families, and Bristol Mind, the mental health charity whose services include supported housing, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employment and training, counselling and befriending. A number of fundraising events took place at the office with all donations going to the Chennai flood relief effort. Activities included auctioning old IT equipment and involving volunteer members of Oxfam in fundraising efforts during an office visit. Oxfam India is a NGO with over 64 years of presence in India and drives initiatives like providing sanitation facilities, public health services, emergency flood security and temporary shelters to flood victims. New York Associates donated $5 each to wear jeans for the day in order to fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the leading facility for pioneering research and treatments for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Noida Associates know that blood donation is an easy and powerful way to make an impact, which is why 58 of them joined with BloodConnect, and gave the equivalent of 20 litres of blood. Andrew’s challenge was to complete the walk in under 24 hours. He came over the finish line in 22 hours and 10 minutes. Donations went toward the provision of treatment, travel, housing and food for seriously ill patients and their families. BloodConnect is a youth-run organisation providing free help and services to the poor and needy of India. With a shortage of three million blood units a year, the charity operates boot camps and weekly donations to ensure there is a continuous, sufficient blood supply to blood banks. Connecting donors, helping those in need and improving awareness, the charity has established a network of youth across the country to lead the movement. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 13 ARLINGTON Clothing And Food Drive AUSTIN Empty Bowl Project BEIJING Clothing Drive MANILA Habitat For Humanity Project Throughout the year the Arlington office worked closely with VA Winterhaven donating clothing and food to homeless and at-risk veterans. Winterhaven is an integral part of the VA Medical Center’s comprehensive effort to end veteran homelessness, offering vital services such as health screenings, housing and employment counselling and clothing to help lead veterans to independence and improved health. Austin Associates volunteered being greeters, serving soup and cleaning bowls during the Empty Bowl Project, an annual fundraiser for the Kids Café program. The Kids Café is a national program of Feeding America that provides afterschool and summer meals to children aged 5-18. The Empty Bowl Project brings together Austin area potters, musicians and restaurant owners, who donate their time and talents to the fundraiser. Our Beijing office sought to make a positive impact and provide happiness to their local community through continuing their tradition of holding clothing drives. The Manila office supported Habitat for Humanity by taking part in project work in Quezon City. Integreon volunteers hauled nearly one thousand concrete blocks, mixed cement, gravel and sand, and created slab floorings to help build houses for one of the beneficiary communities. Habitat for Humanity helps the poorest and most vulnerable people lift themselves out of poverty by partnering with them to build their homes and communities. Many items of clothing, including coats which were sought after ahead of winter, were provided to homeless and unemployed people in the region’s remote areas in Qinghai Province. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 15 AUSTIN Food Drive For Capital Area Food Bank LONDON Food Drive For Trussell Trust MANILA Project Pearls MUMBAI Oldie But Goldie And The Young Show Austin Associates donated healthy, non-perishable food supplies to Capital Area Food Bank, a hunger relief charity operating in Central Texas. London Associates raised nearly $800 to buy non-perishable and tinned groceries as well as household goods for their local food bank in Hackney in East London. The amount raised equated to 265 meals for local people in difficulty. Led by the Manila Document Services team, Integreon sponsored a soup kitchen day for more than 300 children living in the slums of Tondo. Mumbai volunteers visited a local retirement home, spending quality time with the elderly residents, putting on performances, engaging them in games and activities and joining them for dinner. The food bank works alongside financial supporters, volunteers and food donors across the country to fill unmet needs in Central Texas. Each year this commitment from private, government and charitable partners allows them to bring 26 million meals to the community and into the hands of families and local non-profits. Trussell Trust partners with local communities to provide a minimum of three days’ emergency food to people experiencing financial crisis. Recognising that stopping hunger is about more than just giving food, the Trust also offers services such as money advice and fuel banks, helping people to break the cycle of poverty. Associates from different business units volunteered helping in the soup kitchen, serving food and distributing clothing and toys to children and parents. Project Pearls is a charity which focuses on improving education, nutrition, economic and community development. The team also gave donations to go towards paying for kitchen supplies and arranged a collection drive at the Mumbai office of toiletries and food. Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 17 MANILA Tree Planting At Manila Marikina Watershed FARGO PCs For People Manila Associates volunteered their time in a one day activity, planting over 600 wildlings covering 1 hectare of forest land to contribute toward The Forest Enrichment Program, which aims to rehabilitate the disappearing forest cover of the Marikina Watershed area, a location affected most from past flooding, extreme weather and typhoons. As part of our commitment to recycling, the Fargo office donated working computers and monitors to PCs For People, a charity that provides IT equipment to low income individuals and families. Other beneficiaries include non-profit and non-governmental organisations with recognised charitable status, educational institutions, and museums who have volunteer staff, and because of their status are unable to afford a computer, or other hardware. The activity implements a planting system that promotes the propagation of native indigenous trees for forest restoration and biodiversity, incorporating also fruit trees and crops for food security. Recording over 80% survival rate of the wildlings, the volunteer program also utilises community participation for alternative livelihood and inclusive growth. MANILA Habitat For Humanity Project Integreon Corporate Social Responsibility | 19