As we celebrate 35 years of ELBA, we are shining a spotlight on one of ELBA’s founding partners, UBS. Patsy Francis, Executive Director, UK Social Impact and Philanthropy at UBS, has been with the company since 1997 and has worked with ELBA for 27 years. Patsy tells us a bit about her role, UBS’s work with ELBA and some of the significant projects UBS has worked on with ELBA over the years. 

What year did you join your organisation? 1997

Please provide a short outline of your current role
I am responsible for Employee and Client Volunteering at UBS across the UK, developing strategies and initiatives through strategic partnerships to engage employees and enabling them to share their skills and raise funds to help improve our local communities.

Why is CSR important to your organisation?
UBS is committed to its wider communities and believes that by sharing the wealth of talent and history of innovation at our disposal we can help to build our local communities, stimulate economic growth and improve the prospects, opportunities and wellbeing of community residents. It is the right thing for us to collaborate and work in partnership with other members of our community, and the long-standing partnership we have with ELBA demonstrates the remarkable impact and transformation that can be achieved.

UBS is a founding member of ELBA. Can you highlight some of the most significant projects your organisation has worked on with ELBA over the years
There are too many projects to select from the amazing three and half decades of partnership with ELBA. We are particularly proud of the work ELBA has done in bringing different sectors and even competitors within the same sector together to collaborate for the betterment of East London. Many of ELBA’s initiatives have brought our employee volunteers into truly unchartered waters – e.g. mentoring GPs to help improve their business acumen. And, of course, it has been wonderful to see the Christmas Toy Appeal flourish over the years and bringing the East London and City business community together to provide some joy to those less privileged during the season of goodwill.