Community Investment Policy
Bringing sustainable benefits
Wherever possible we aim to benefit the communities in which we work, to give something back.
1. Introduction to Community Investment
Freedom's strategy for investing in the community has been developed in order to maximise the positive impacts that our business activities make in our communities. Our commitment is to people inside and outside our operations, prioritising those that are most relevant to our core business products, services, employees and our customers.
Freedom operates a policy whereby employees have the ability to submit requests via their line manager (accompanied by supporting documentation) for time off to participate in volunteering activities. Time off will be granted by the company on the basis that it fits the operational needs of the business. This is an opportunity to strengthen the relationships Freedom has with the community and give something back.
The Freedom board champions the policy to ensure all investments in the community are aligned, managed effectively and benefits are delivered.
2. Employee Benefits
We work hard to support Freedom people across a wide variety of activities, offering training and time which also help us to maintain our company values whilst allowing us to build relationships with our employees in the following ways;
- Communication between Staff
- Networking Opportunities
- Knowledge Sharing
- Team Building
- Feel Good Factor
The enhanced skills and relationships of employees ensure that Freedom provides its customers with a higher standard of work and support.
3. Business Benefits
Community Investment influences Freedom's whole business strategy and planning process, helping us to shape not only our existing business, but the way we partner and win new business. Freedom is committed to working with clients to establish a partnership for community work, creating a bigger impact and giving back to the community in which we are working, whilst showing a willingness to influence factors surrounding our operations. The responsibility of these investments is with the project manger who will agree with the client what the appropriate actions should be. The client may already be alert to issues which can promote the business, avert complaints and give something back. Investments will be determined at the project inception stage.
Working as individuals or with community partners can bring the following benefits to the business;
- Skills of employees
- Creating a culture of caring employers
- Brand image
- Improved quality of work
- Increased attractiveness of Freedom as an employer
- Increase in interest of the industry sector
4. Opportunities to Contribute
The following outline the ways in which employees can volunteer and have been set in order to prioritise those that are most relevant to our core business products, services, employees and our customers;
- Volunteering The focus of Freedom's community investment is on future recruitment of resources due to sector skills shortages. There are a range of opportunities within this area where employees can make a difference, such as mentoring, talks, giving time, helping with projects. All of these raise awareness of the business and can encourage young people to consider careers within the industry in the future. Areas in which Freedom also wish to contribute include the Environment and Health & Safety. Other volunteering opportunities will be considered on an individual basis.
- Charity Partner Through Freedom's employee questionnaire, staff will be asked annually to vote for the company “Charity of the Year”. The charity with the highest amount of votes will then become the charity partner for 12 months. Employees can then opt to support this charity but may still make donations to an individual charity of their choice.
- Give As You Earn (GAYE) Employees may wish to make regular contributions to their chosen charity. Freedom support this through payroll giving which is a simple and effective scheme allowing for donations to be made to UK registered charities via direct debit from employee salaries. All donations made in this way are tax free. If the donations made are to Freedom's charity partner, donations will be matched £ for £ on the gross amount for tax.
- Team Challenges If employees choose to participate in community events as a team, a team leader is required to represent each 10 employees involved. The team is responsible for producing a risk assessment covering the activity of each member and ensuring liability insurance is in place. This must be for a minimum of £500,000 for a team. Proof of insurance must be submitted before an event commences.
Consideration to requests outside of the guidelines will be considered at the company’s discretion, taking into account the benefits of the activity, the workload of the volunteers and leave of colleagues.
Time in lieu may be requested should the activity take place outside of work hours.
5. Responsibilities
- Communications: To create positive coverage of all community investments made and raise awareness of the schemes available. Include write ups of activities in newsletters and on the website. Encourage participation in choosing the charity of the year by involving employees in decision making and giving staff opportunities to make suggestions for community activities.
- Employee: Identify the community investment opportunity and submit the completed form on the Freedom website. Consider the benefits to the chosen recipient(s) and provide details when making a submission. Request Community Investment Leave through your line manager and discuss any needs for training, risk assessments and/or any special requirements. Consider the impacts of the investment when making decisions on the method of investment (i.e. consider travel time/C02 emissions) Record details of the activity stating if you wish to be considered for matched funding.
- Line Manager: Consider all volunteering requests made by employees and ensure duties of the said employee are covered in their absence. Ensure final sign off of the community volunteering form and check liability insurance is in place. Approve paid leave through Focalpoint timesheets.
- Business Development The investments made in the locations where we operate will be agreed with the client at the project inception stage. The commercial manager will discuss any options with the client and set objectives for the investments to be made.
- Regional Managers will be responsible for upholding community investment agreements made with clients at the project inception stage in their area of operations.
6. How to Invest
- Complete the online Community Investment Form
- Ensure sign off through your line manager.
- Complete your timesheet by filling in the hours taken for your activity under the Community Investment line.
- Once the community activity is undertaken, send any feedback and photographs of the event back to info@freedom-group.co.uk
7. Monitoring our Investment (Targets)
- Freedom will monitor the investments made and develop ways to encourage more involvement by our employees. To engage with our people and raise the profile of Corporate Responsibility issues, the Freedom board must review all investments twice annually to set objectives for the year ahead and check progress against our KPI’s.
8. Health and Safety
All employees volunteering should:
- Act responsibly with due care and attention to the health and safety of themselves and others.
- Undertake a risk assessment for the activity if appropriate.
- Give consideration to individual capability and highlight any disabilities to ensure the volunteering activity can be managed in a way that will not harm the employee or others.
- Ensure they follow the manual handling guidelines when taking part in strenuous volunteering activities.
- Report any accidents promptly, that occur during a volunteering activity, to the incident report 01924 885767 and to the Community Forum as well as completing an accident report form.
9. Public Liability Insurance
All employees will be covered by the Company’s Public and Employers’ Liability Insurance policy whilst undertaking voluntary work formally approved and authorised by the Company.
Employees planning other volunteering activities not organised by Corporate Affairs will not be covered by the Company’s insurance arrangements (even if wearing company logos etc). It is the employee’s responsibility to identify insurance requirements and to make suitable arrangements.
Employees must inform their line managers and their insurers if they are using their own vehicles to undertake any volunteering activity, be it formally approved or otherwise. Proof of insurance must be submitted before any activity commences.
10. Confidentiality
Employees are expected to hold in confidence all information that comes to their attention whilst volunteering. This includes any information about any individual or organisation working with the Company.
Employees must make every effort to protect the confidentiality of service users, unless they give their consent for the information to be shared. The risk for confidentiality is overridden when there is:
- A risk to a child – the protection of children overrides all other interests;
- An active police investigation;
- A risk of suicide;
- A risk of harm to a third party; or
- A need to safeguard an adult who has been abused or is at risk of further abuse where the adult lacks the capacity to make an informed choice.
11. Related Documents
- Corporate Responsibility Policy
12. Link to Community application form
The Freedom Community application form can be found by following the link below: