Please provide a short outline of your current role and a brief description of any other relevant career experience:
CSR was never a career that was talked about at school or university. Like many, probably most, CSR professionals it wasn’t a career I actively pursued, but instead ‘ended up’ in. However, that’s one of the important messages that I try to instil into young people I meet through my role. It’s completely fine and common to not know what you want to do, doors that you didn’t know existed open and opportunities arise when you’re looking for them.

My route into CSR started with a part time role during university at a very small charity who supported retired people to engage with their local communities through school-based volunteering. Little did I know then the synergies this had to education programmes run by businesses.  After a few years there I joined ELBA’s Eagles programme, through which I spent nearly three years in the Responsible Business team at Freshfields, a global law firm, before I joined ISS, a facilities management company, in 2017. I have quite a broad role now that includes our community investment and volunteering programmes, employee wellbeing and diversity & inclusion.

Why is CSR important to your organisation?
Our business is based on providing a range of services, so our people who deliver everything from food to technology services to our customers, and are the face of ISS, are our most important asset. Therefore, we approach CR in a way that considers how everyone from front line operative to senior leaders can get involved. With around 38,000 employees all over the UK, if everyone plays a small part, collectively we can have a huge impact. The opportunity for everyone at ISS to contribute to our CR priorities helps drive engagement, which is imperative to our business success.

Because the majority of our people are based on our customer’s sites, we have existing relationships with other organisations and an opportunity to strengthen these networks by working together. Collaboratively, we have more opportunity to influence change and drive deeper impact.

Which topics, themes or initiatives are your organisation currently focused on?
Supporting access to employment, particularly for excluded groups, is a big focus at ISS. We have developed our own programme for service leavers, partnered with external organisations to support people with criminal convictions and have worked with ELBA to provide jobs for local young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs). ELBA has helped us participate in careers fairs and take part in volunteering opportunities that enables us to open up the world of facilities management to those who might not have otherwise considered it.

ELBA have also delivered training to our frontline operatives to help them understand the future of technology and how automation will be a help, not a hindrance, to their roles, as well as a very well received programme on financial wellbeing, which is part of our wider Wellbeing@ISS programme.

Another key part of my role is our UK wide charity partnership with the Stroke Association, which was voted for by our employees. As well as fundraising, the partnership has allowed us to develop training for champions, to help their teams improve their health and reduce their risk of stroke; volunteering opportunities to support survivors to rebuild their lives; and provide strategic support to the charities long term goals.

ISS has a growing focus on wellbeing and the CR team play a role in bringing this to life, including helping to breakdown the stigma attached to mental health. We recognise the value that national campaigns, such as Mental Health Awareness Week, play and actively encourage our people to engage in the messages of these campaigns.

What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my role is the people that it connects me with. I have a great group of CR champions across ISS who I truly love working with and would probably not have met in any other role, as well as the external CSR networks that exist. Without these groups I wouldn’t have some of the friendships and support I currently have.