ELBA is 35!

s ELBA marks 35 years of service, I am honoured to reflect on the legacy of an organisation that has steadfastly championed social change in East London and beyond, thanks to the tireless efforts of our dedicated staff, volunteers, and partners over the decades.

Since our inception, ELBA has been at the forefront of creating opportunities for businesses to engage meaningfully with the communities they operate in, building a place based model that has not only shaped and improved the life prospects of the communities we serve but has also contributed to redefining corporate social responsibility (CSR) across the capital.

In the late 1980s, when ELBA was founded, CSR was in its infancy. Businesses were primarily concerned with philanthropy and donations – with limited thought given to the long-term social and economic outcomes for local communities. ELBA recognised early on that businesses could be more than just funders; they could be active partners in tackling the challenges facing those from poorer socio economic backgrounds. Our approach was to build bridges between corporate entities and local stakeholders, creating mechanisms that allowed businesses to leverage not just their financial resources, but also their expertise, networks, and influence.

Over the past 35 years, CSR has evolved from a fringe concern to a strategic priority for our corporate partners. The language has shifted too—CSR has expanded into corporate citizenship and social purpose, with businesses increasingly recognising their responsibility to contribute to sustainability, social mobility, diversity, and inclusive growth. ELBA has been instrumental in this shift, helping to shape the case for businesses to invest in deep, local impact. From volunteering, mentoring and careers to governance and leadership, ELBA has provided the models, tools, networks, and strategies that have allowed businesses to not only give back but to invest in the future of their communities. To our incredible corporate partners and donors of the past and present –Thank you for standing with ELBA! Your intentionality, trust, and support drive our collective impact.

Over my 20 year tenure at ELBA, I have been continually inspired by the brilliance, resilience, and dedication of our community partners – our local charities, nonprofits, and of course, their beneficiaries. They are at the heart of our shared mission for fairness in our region, driving positive change with unwavering commitment and creativity. These organisations embody the power of community, showing us every day that together we can create a more just and vibrant future. ELBA is privileged to work alongside them, building a legacy of opportunity and resilience for generations to come.

Our many achievements would not have been possible without the visionary leadership of my predecessors. I have had the privilege of working for two, Liam Kane and Ian Parkes, each of whom played a critical role in shaping ELBA’s journey.

Liam Kane, as ELBA’s CEO for over 15 years, laid a firm foundation for our work today, fostering vital relationships with east London communities and corporate partners. Under his guidance, ELBA flourished as a trusted bridge between business and the community, creating impactful collaborations that addressed local needs. Liam’s leadership philosophy – that social change is sustainable only when it has the commitment of both community members and corporate allies – remains a guiding principle for us today.

Ian Parkes built upon this vision, leading ELBA with insight and compassion. Ian had a deep understanding of the structural inequalities affecting east London and worked tirelessly to ensure ELBA’s programmes addressed those issues directly. Ian’s dedication to social justice and his inclusive leadership style inspired us all, creating a legacy of empathy and resilience.

This November, as we celebrate ELBA’s 35th anniversary, I extend my gratitude to Liam, Ian, and the countless staff, partners and supporters who have contributed to our mission of reducing poverty and inequality. Beyond operational impact, charities need strong governance to weather challenges, survive, and thrive. At ELBA, we are fortunate to have been guided by exceptional stewards on our Board. Thanks to the dedicated leadership of our Chair, Chris Watson of CMS, the Board has provided invaluable support and guidance over the years. This steadfast governance has allowed our staff and leadership to focus fully on our mission, with complete confidence in our governance and financial probity. We extend our heartfelt gratitude.

Thanks to their efforts, ELBA stands as a beacon of hope and progress, with an unwavering commitment to creating opportunities and positive change in our region. Together, we look forward to the future with renewed dedication to our mission and community. Read more here.

erline Douglas has been with ELBA since the start, 35 years ago! Here Merline shares with us her favourite memories of ELBA, her favourite parts of East London and more. Read Merline’s profile here.

s 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. Read Patsy’s profile here.

Above image: Abbey Mills Pumping Station, 2022, where ELBA used to have its offices

We’ve been looking through our historical archives, and wanted to share some key documents from ELBA’s 35 year history:

1. ELBA ‘Who we are and what we do’ publication from 2001
2. ELBA Inaugural Review from 2000-2002
3. ELBA Business Overview from late 1990s

As we continue to celebrate ELBA’s 35th anniversary, this week we are spotlighting the powerful, transformative work happening right now across our region. Every day of the week, ELBA’s present-day initiatives reflect our commitment to tackling challenges head-on because multiple deep-rooted challenges persist across our region. From the ongoing cost-of-living crisis to stalled social mobility, the need for action is clear.

Through our work with our partners, we are addressing a range of critical issues — from tackling the climate emergency and supporting frontline charities – to guiding young people in their career choices, helping people into work and aiding those in greatest need. (Quick plug – ’tis-the-season’ so do check out our annual Toy Appeal campaign and our digital divide donation programme).

So far, over a quarter of a million corporate volunteers have joined us in our mission to reduce poverty and inequality, helping us make a meaningful and lasting impact.

Here’s how we are – together – making a meaningful difference:

Skill-Based Volunteering and Capacity Building for the Voluntary Sector
Our range of skill-based volunteering programmes enable corporate partners to share their expertise with local charities and community organisations. By offering pro bono consultancy, mentoring, strategic advice and becoming board members, these volunteers are enhancing the operational strength of the voluntary sector. This capacity building allows organisations to scale their impact, ensuring vital support reaches those who need it most.

Group-Based Volunteering: Collective Action for Local Communities
Group-based volunteering brings together teams from our corporate partners to tackle community-led projects. From renewing and maintaining much needed greenspaces to supporting local food banks, these activities provide immediate, visible benefits, fostering a stronger sense of unity and purpose across our region.

Education and Employment: Pathways to Success
In our Education and Employment programmes, we work closely with young people and jobseekers, equipping them with the skills, networks and confidence to thrive in a rapidly evolving job market. Through mentoring, skills workshops, work placements and access to jobs, we open doors for future talent and help them build successful careers! Read about our Broadgate Connect programme which was recently nominated for an ERSA award, our RISE programme that was a recent Dragon Award winner along with partner Standard Chartered, and our Equibalance project.

LBA will be celebrating 20th years of its Eagles graduate programme in 2025. As part of our 35th anniversary, we chat to Samsul Alom, who came through the Eagles programme and is now ELBA’s Group Finance Director. Read Samsul’s profile here.

ne of our newer corporate partners, SMBC has been very active working with ELBA to support the local community. SMBC hosted ELBA’s 25th BoardMatch event in our anniversary year. Here we profile Helen Whitehead, their CSR Manager. Read Helen’s profile here.

s ELBA marks its 35^th anniversary, some of our corporate partners celebrate key milestones too. 2024 marks the 10^th anniversary of T. Rowe Price’s London Apprenticeship Scheme, established, with support from ELBA, in 2014. Read more, and hear from Syed Hussain, Client Account Services Analyst, who was one of the first apprentices on the programme, here.

This year, we launched our Annual Impact Digest 2023-2024, showcasing another year of driving meaningful change across East London and Islington. This Impact Digest is a story of resilience, collaboration and the power of partnerships – highlighting the depth of our impact on individual beneficiaries, community organisations and volunteers, during 2023-24. The report shows that this year’s successes — from connecting over 16,000 corporate volunteers to delivering 76,505 hours of dedicated support to 36,137 beneficiaries — are evidence that true impact lies in powerful, multi-stakeholder partnerships. The report highlights some key numbers, areas and depth of our impact, as well as detailing how we proceed ahead. Read the full report here.

s ELBA celebrates 35 years of partnerships and impact, we have reflected on our journey, celebrated today’s successes and now look to the future.

ELBA remains more committed than ever to creating meaningful change. We are energised by what lies ahead, but also mindful of the persistent inequalities and the strain the cost of living crisis places on individuals and the organisations supporting them.

Our future lies in strengthening collaborations and expanding our place-based model to tackle complex social issues. Local charities and nonprofits face rising demands with limited resources, and ELBA will continue to provide strategic support, resources and partnerships to help them thrive. Social mobility will stay central to our work — everyone deserves a fair shot at opportunity, and we’ll keep working with corporate partners to open pathways to skills and careers that transform lives.

We are inspired by the shift in corporate purpose towards stakeholder value, purposeful culture and social impact, and see this as perfectly aligned with ELBA’s mission. The future of employee supported volunteering (ESV) looks bright, offering a powerful bridge between corporate volunteers and communities.

ELBA’s Leadership team is ready for the challenges ahead, and with technological advancements on our side, we are poised to amplify our impact and deliver even greater change across East London. Together, we’ll continue building stronger, brighter communities for all.

Take a look at ELBA’s Leadership team as we celebrate our anniversary and look forward to the future.

We profile Smera Nadeem, Head of Community. Looking ahead, Smera’s role is expanding at ELBA. Read Smera’s profile here.

As ELBA celebrates its 35th anniversary, so does our community partner Magic Me. We profile its Director, Susan Langford MBE. Read Susan and Magic Me’s profile, here.

Invest in local communities – Our corporate donors help make our work in support of local communities possible. Thank you to our partners who continue to invest in the future of East London and the surrounding areas. If your company is not yet working with ELBA, let’s discuss how we can work together.

Inspire future partnerships – ELBA is an alliance of community, corporate and education partners, and we are stronger together. Help us to celebrate our partnership work by sharing your ELBA stories and spreading the word.

Volunteer with ELBA – Continue your volunteering journey or get started. Check out what ELBA can offer and connect with us.

“ELBA has a deep experience of promoting social mobility with 35 years of success in transforming lives, working with business to create opportunities and preparing people for future careers.  This experience has been built from the expertise of recognising structural barriers and supporting businesses and employees to overcome these. As well as the broad work that ELBA undertakes in supporting social mobility, ELBA has been at the forefront of campaigning to create equity of opportunity and tackle racism.”

“I believe that ELBA provides a unique offer in fostering a partnership between businesses and community, for several reasons: ELBA is grounded in its local communities; it maintains long-standing relationships with business, with a flexible approach that has resulted in an individualised offer for each company; and is led by the businesses and communities it was established to support.”

“Embed ELBA into your social impact framework as a strategic partner, ensuring that the ELBA initiative you sponsor resonates with your corporate values and objectives. Build an engaging relationship with the assigned ELBA team and facilitate open learning, so that the relationship is enriched by an interchange of shared experiences.”

“For me, ELBA is uniquely and specifically grounded in the local community giving the charity a perspective that few organisations have as to the real challenges and true opportunities that a local environment can face.  We see the community, we know the community, we feel the community, and we live the community.”