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Grapevine

15 March 2024


Welcome to this week’s Grapevine, the place to get your bitesize FM updates in one place, in a handy five-minute read.

Got a story for us? Please send news stories & press releases to: newsdesk@twinfm.com.


BCIA Immediate Past-President Hands Over Charity Cheque to Teenage Cancer Trust

Graeme Rees, Immediate Past-President of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA), has presented a cheque for £11,679 to the Teenage Cancer Trust. The Teenage Cancer Trust was Graeme’s nominated charity during his two-year term as BCIA President.

Teenage Cancer Trust offers unique care and support, designed for and with teenagers and young adults affected by cancer. The charity funds specialised nurses, youth workers and hospital units in the NHS, so young people have dedicated staff and facilities to support them throughout treatment.

As a charity close to his own heart, Graeme was committed to raising both money and awareness of Teenage Cancer Trust’s work and an impressive £5,000 was raised in just one night at the 2023 BCIA Awards. The BCIA also set up a five-million step challenge to attract sponsorship and donations, with a number of BCIA members getting involved and committing to the cause. The challenge was inspired by Teenage Cancer Trust’s very own Walk With Us 15,000 step challenge, which is driven by the amount of steps per day the average nurse works in their role of supporting young people and their families affected by cancer.

Graeme’s tenure as BCIA President ended on 1st March as Stacey Lucas took on the role with Jen Vickers taking the position of Vice-President. Graeme said: “One of my wishes when I became BCIA President was to see if we could do more to support our nominated charity and I am delighted at how our members responded and engaged so passionately with the challenge. I am very proud to sign off my term with this contribution and I would like to thank everybody who has done their bit to support this hugely important organisation.”

Helen Farquharson, Senior Relationship Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, commented:

“We are so grateful to Graeme for choosing Teenage Cancer Trust as his charity, and to all at the BCIA for their fantastic support in 2022 and 2023. Members have really gone above and beyond with their efforts, with an incredible response at the Awards and the five-million step challenge.

“Every day, seven young people aged 13-24 hear the words ‘you have cancer’. They will each need specialised nursing care and support to get them through it. The money raised will help our teams support young people with cancer through treatment, helping them cope with anxiety and isolation, and connecting them to a network of other young people to chat to.”

Helen concluded: “No teenager or young adult should ever have to face cancer alone. This support from the BCIA will make a huge difference to young people with cancer.”

To find out more about Teenage Cancer Trust visit: www.teenagecancertrust.org


Compass Group Foundation Surpasses £1 Million Charitable Funding Milestone

In support of its mission to improve the lives of people through education and innovation, Compass Group’s independent charitable foundation, the Compass Group Foundation, is proud to have exceeded £1 million in grant funding and charitable donations since its launch just over one year ago.

The Foundation, which is an independent charity registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales, provides grants to non-profit organisations in countries where Compass Group operates. Its priorities are to create inclusive job opportunities, empower local suppliers, and to provide urgent support in the case of global emergencies.

In 2022, the Foundation’s first action was to donate £250,000 to the Disaster Emergency Committee in support of the Ukraine humanitarian emergency.

Following its official launch in January 2023, the Foundation provided further funding of more than £500,000 in its first full year of operation, as detailed in its first impact report, published today.

In the 12 months to 30 September 2023, the Foundation awarded funds to 14 non-profit organisations in eight countries, ranging from charities supporting people with disabilities to helping improve the livelihood of small farmers. In response to the devastating earthquake that hit southern Türkiye and northern Syria in February 2023, the Foundation also provided a grant that contributed towards the creation of temporary accommodation during the recovery and rebuilding phase following the earthquake, in coordination with Sofra Compass Group in Türkiye.

Since then, the Foundation has committed an additional £240,000 in support of existing charity partners and a further seven non-profit organisations across 10 countries, bringing the total Foundation support since its first donation to over £1 million.

The Foundation taps into Compass’ existing networks and expertise, enabling charitable partnerships and employee volunteering opportunities that amplify the positive social and environmental impact that Compass Group already makes within its local communities.

In the year ended 30 September 2023, the Foundation’s grants helped to improve more than 2,800 lives – both direct and indirect beneficiaries – while supporting 62 small to medium sized enterprise supplier businesses. In the same period, Compass colleagues provided more than 8,400 volunteering hours for the community in support of the Foundation’s charity partners.

Further details of the impact, projects and people that the Compass Group Foundation has supported in its first full year of operation can be found in its 2023 Impact Report. Download a copy here


Sodexo Launches Starting Fresh Toolkit to Help Employers Recruit Ex-Offenders

Sodexo UK & Ireland has today marked the first anniversary of Starting Fresh with the release of an employer toolkit. The toolkit builds on resources the organisation launched last March to help bridge the gap between businesses struggling with skills shortages and the under-utilised talent pool of people with criminal convictions. 

One year ago, research commissioned by Sodexo found that while 62% of UK private sector businesses were facing recruitment challenges, a third had not considered hiring ex-offenders.  

These findings informed the launch of Starting Fresh, which leverages Sodexo’s extensive experience in managing prisons and as an inclusive employer, to advocate for and provide employment opportunities for this often overlooked group. 

In its first year, Starting Fresh has facilitated over 300 job opportunities through many new partnerships with companies like Marriott Hotels, Burger King and Iceland. These collaborations have included employer days in prisons, allowing businesses to meet potential employees and learn about their skills and qualifications first hand.   

Through Starting Fresh, Sodexo has also built new relationships and created employment pathways between the prisons it manages and its business, resulting in candidates from across the prison estate being referred for roles at Sodexo.  

Sodexo, a Ban the Box employer, continues to expand Starting Fresh beyond its own organisation by collaborating with prison teams and agencies, providing valued expert advice and support. Working with New Futures Network, it has streamlined the pathway between prisons (including those not operated by Sodexo) and its business. Additionally, it has created a toolkit for Members of Parliament to use within their constituencies to encourage businesses to consider hiring ex-offenders and to offer valuable information about finding employment to their constituents with a criminal background. 

In addition to New Futures Network, Sodexo continues to work with over 20 external partners who all have the common goal of supporting those from prison into employment. These include The Oswin Project, Clean Sheet and Novus Works, who help remove the perceived barriers associated with the employment of ex-offenders, which hold back the reintegration of people into communities.

Building on this extensive work over the past year, Sodexo has now launched an employer toolkit to extend the support and reach of Starting Fresh to more employers, helping them to discover the talent available from this under-utilised community of people. 

To learn more about hiring ex-offenders or to get some help with the next steps, visit Starting Fresh.   


8 March

Sodexo UK & Ireland Joins Tent UK, a New Coalition of Companies Connecting Refugees to Jobs

Sodexo UK & Ireland is one of 70 major businesses joining forces to advance the labour market integration of refugees in the UK.

Sodexo prides itself on being an inclusive employer and through its Social Impact Pledge has committed to do all it can to actively promote social mobility across its business and support disadvantaged groups in finding employment opportunities.

Raj Jones, head of DEI at Sodexo UK & Ireland explains: “Since the beginning, when Pierre Bellon founded Sodexo in 1966, creating social value through opportunities for people, suppliers and the communities we serve is central to how we do business. As a purpose-led business, we are committed to promoting equitable opportunities, valuing diversity, and creating an inclusive working environment for all. We are delighted to be a part of this coalition and look forward to doing all we can to support Tent UK in its efforts and to continue to welcome refugees into our workforce.”

In recent years, the UK has welcomed more than 500,000 refugees from countries, such as Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Syria, and most recently Ukraine – yet many have been unable to find formal employment. While they have the legal right to work, refugees are over 20% less likely to be employed than the UK population, with this gap widening to 30% for refugee women, according to the UK government.

At the same time, the UK is experiencing labour shortages, with almost one million job vacancies, across key industries such as hospitality, food service and others including manufacturing & healthcare.

Jen Stobart, UK Director at Tent said: “Tent is immensely proud to have brought together 70 leading businesses resolved to connect refugees to meaningful employment. Refugees face numerous barriers to formal employment, such as lower language proficiency, transportation issues, lack of childcare options, as well as a lack of social and professional networks. These hurdles require particular attention from businesses, who – by making small upfront investments and tailoring their hiring practices – can level the playing field and give a fair chance to the many refugees still looking for a job in the UK.”

Joining the Tent UK coalition builds on the successful global relationship Sodexo has had with Tent since 2019, focused on improving the lives of refugees buy helping them to enter the workforce through, hiring, training and mentoring programmes.

Gideon Maltz, CEO of Tent says: “At a moment when UK employers face significant labour shortages, yet refugees across the country struggle to find decent employment, we see an extraordinary opportunity for our work. The coalition of companies that has come together to launch Tent UK understands that we need to act at scale to help hundreds of thousands of refugees in the UK secure jobs, rebuild their lives, and integrate into their new communities. Tent is uniquely placed and ready to help companies develop ambitious programmes to include refugees.”

Tent UK will offer participating companies a host of services free of charge including: resources and trainings for HR teams; the sharing of best practices and ideas distilled from Tent’s global network of over 400 major companies across a dozen countries who are hiring and integrating refugees into their workforces, as well as tailored programmes and insights to the UK market context; regular convenings and workshops with other Tent UK member companies for peer-to-peer learning; and introductions to best-in-class partners across the UK that can source refugee talent based on the type of roles, the location, and their past performance.


ABM Joins Responsible Business Network, Business In The Community

ABM, a global leader in integrated facility and aviation services, has joined Business in the Community, the largest and most influential responsible business network, supported by His Majesty the King for over 40 years. Business in the Community is dedicated to building a fairer and greener world, driven by fairer and greener businesses.  

ABM is committed to progress as a responsible business and has joined companies who employ more than 20% of the UK workforce in a public commitment to changing business, transforming lives, and helping the planet and communities thrive.  

Members of Business in the Community collaborate to take practical action to mobilise their collective strength as a force for good in society to help everyone reach their full potential. Businesses have an important role to play in addressing major societal challenges, and ABM is committed to making the UK a better place in which to live and work.  

Richard Sykes, SVP and President, ABM UK & Ireland, said: “The work of becoming and remaining a responsible business is never over. It is essential that we continually take steps to improve and call on the knowledge and expertise of like-minded businesses to share best practice and innovation. We are proud to be a Business in the Community partner and look forward to the journey ahead.” 

Mary Macleod, CEO of Business in the Community, said: “I am delighted that ABM has joined our network of businesses leading from the front to bring about long-term meaningful impact for the benefit of people, our communities, and our planet. 

“Our vision is to create a fairer and greener world, driven by fairer and greener businesses. It is only through the commitment, collaboration, and innovation of organisations like ABM that we will make this ambition a reality. I am excited to see how our work together over the coming years will progress ABM’s responsible business journey.” 


Servo Group Signs Corporate Partnership With Leading Food Distribution Charity

A London multi-service provider has forged a year long corporate partnership to support a food redistribution charity which has distributed the equivalent of 32 million meals.

Servo Group, which has an office in Highams Park, is planning a series of events to back The Felix Project, including volunteering stints from its staff including Divisional Director, Andy Haynes.

The Felix Project is London’s largest food rescue charity, In 2023 it supported over 1,119 community organisations, including 170 schools across every borough of London. The charity, which was founded in 2014, has seen a huge increase in demand for its services during the cost-of-living crisis, with 89% of the community organisations it supports revealing they are worried about meeting increased demands from beneficiaries in the coming year.

Servo Group, which provides security services, CCTV and cleaning to clients around the UK, supports a diverse range of causes but with a recent surge in its client base in the capital, it was keen to find a charity partner where its support would make an impact.

Jack Hill, Commercial Manager at Servo Group said: “At Servo, we are always keen to identify causes that align with our own values, and that make a direct, substantial impact in the communities within which we work, and The Felix Project definitely fits that bill. We’re impressed by the magnitude of its work in such a short space of time, and we’re looking forward to contributing to that over the next 12 months through support, events and staff volunteering hours.”

Servo, which was founded in 2013, has more than 1500 operatives working across its divisions nationwide. It boasts some major clients in the South-East, including its contract with Network Rail to provide welfare and anti-trespass officers at 38 mainline stations. Along with its presence in Highams Park, it has offices in Leeds, Glasgow, Darlington, Manchester and Birmingham. Over the past two years, it has supported more than 20 community organisations and grassroots sports teams, including homelessness charities, food banks and anti-poverty groups.

Will Savage, Head of Corporate Partnerships at The Felix Project said: “With 40% of London’s children having experienced food insecurity in the past month, demand from our services is huge. Every single organisation we give food to is desperate for more and we have over 630 organisations on our waiting list. We cannot start helping them until we get a lot more support. We rely on corporate sponsors like Servo Group to provide the help we need to increase our capacity and be there to try and alleviate some of the struggles that up to 1 in 4 working London parents are currently facing.”

The Felix Project was launched in 2014, in memory of the founders’ 14-year old son who died suddenly of meningitis. It rescues food from suppliers across London, including supermarkets and restaurants which would otherwise go to waste, and distributes it to front-line organisations and schools, with more than half reaching the top fifth most deprived areas of London.


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