Timeline - Business in the Community

A timeline of
OUR HISTORY

Discover the collective achievements of BITC and our Members which have driven the

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS JOURNEY...

Our Origins
1980s

DECADE SUMMARY
PHILANTHROPY
The very first BITC staff team from 1982
1980

Sunningdale Conference
READ MORE

1981 - Brixton Toxteth Notting Hill Riots

1981 - Greenham Common protests

1982 - Falklands War

Our first CEO
Stephen O'Brien
READ MORE

Our first Chair
Sir Alastair Pilkington
READ MORE

1984

BITC and the CBI team up
The CBI Special
READ MORE

1984 - FTSE launched

1985

Lord Robert Carr becomes chair
1985 – 1987
READ MORE

1985 - Ozone hole discovered

HRH The Prince of Wales accepts the Presidency
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD LETTER

1986

Launch of PerCent Club by HRH
READ MORE

Employers Forum on Disability launched
READ MORE

1987

First One Town Partnership in Halifax
READ MORE

1987 - Montreal protocol to protect ozone layer

BITC achieves charitable status

Launch of first Education Compact in East London
by HRH The Prince of Wales
DOWNLOAD REPORT

1988

Establishment of the Target Teams
READ MORE

Sir Hector Laing Becomes Chair
READ MORE

1989

Business in the Environment set up
at the request of HRH The Prince of Wales
READ MORE

1989 - Fall of the Berlin Wall

HRH takes 20 business leaders into inner city schools
READ MORE

BITC Northern Ireland established
READ MORE

Our Origins
1990s

DECADE SUMMARY Corporate Community
CORPORATE COMMUNITY
INVESTMENT
Feeding the goats on a Seeing is Believing visit

Directions for the Nineties
READ MORE

1990

The Seeing is Believing Programme starts
READ MORE

First Employee Community Involvement AwardsBuilding on Allied Dunbar and Whitbread's long traditions of employee volunteering we launch our first Awards

HRH takes business leaders to Charleston, South Carolina
READ MORE

HRH launches the Blackburn Partnership
READ MORE

First reporting framework published
Guidelines on Corporate Responsibility are published

1991

Launch of Opportunity 2000
READ MORE

HRH leads first visit to Penrhys
READ MORE

Neil Shaw becomes Chair
1991 – 1993
READ MORE

1992

Julia Cleverdon becomes CEO
1992 – 2008
READ MORE

1992 - Earth Summit in Rio

The Beginning of our Employee Volunteering Campaign
READ MORE

1993

We aim high!
READ MORE

Work in Society launched
READ MORE

1994

Sir Allen Sheppard becomes Chair
1994 – 1996
READ MORE

1995

Launch of Roots & Wings
READ MORE

Merger with the Action Resource Centre
We merge with ARC significantly strengthening our regional presence and giving us a greater presence in English towns and cities.Awards.

Launch of Race for Opportunity
READ MORE

First Environment Index launched
READ MORE

Granada Community Challenge
READ MORE

1996

Partners in Leadership
READ MORE

1997

40 Regeneration Action Areas created
READ MORE

1997 - Kyoto Protocol

Sir Peter Davis becomes Chair
READ MORE

1997 - Murder of Stephen Lawrence

Principles of CCI
READ MORE

1998

Business Action on Homelessness launched
READ MORE

Awards for Excellence launched
READ MORE

1999

Company of the Year: BT
READ MORE

Our Origins
2000s

DECADE SUMMARY Corporate Social
CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY
Sir Stuart Rose at The Prince's Mayday Summit
2000

Winning with Integrity
READ MORE

Company of the Year: United Utilities
READ MORE

2000 - UK appoints first CSR Minister

All Party Parliamentary Group on Corporate Responsibility set up

New home in Hackney
READ MORE

2001

Company of the Year:
Co-operative Financial Services
READ MORE

2001 - Foot & Mouth outbreak

2001 - 9/11

Rural Action launched
READ MORE

2002

The Lambert Challenge
READ MORE

2002 - Enron collapse and Sarbanes Oxley Act, USA

Launch of the Corporate Responsibility Index
READ MORE

Company of the Year:
Scottish Power
READ MORE

David Varney becomes Chair
2002 - 2004
READ MORE

2003

Company of the Year:
Carillion
READ MORE

Benefits of Corporate Responsibility spelt out
READ MORE

2004

Company of the Year:
Marks & Spencer
READ MORE

2004 - Boxing Day tsunami

"What's the news on the rialto?"
READ MORE

2005

Company of the Year:
bhp Billiton

Neighbourhood Renewal programme starts
READ MORE

Mike Rake becomes Chair
2005 - 2007
READ MORE

Burnley receives a royal visit
READ MORE

2006

Company of the Year:
Marks & Spencer
READ MORE

2006 - Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" message

Marketplace Principles launched
READ MORE

2007

Reflecting on the first 25 years...
READ MORE

Company of the Year: BT
READ MORE

MPs Guide to Responsible Business Published
READ MORE

HRH sounds Mayday over climate change
READ MORE

New Health Campaign launched
READ MORE

2008

Company of the Year:
Co-operative Financial Services
READ MORE

2008 - Lehman Bros collapse and the beginning of the global financial crisis

Sir Stuart Rose becomes Chair
2008 - 2010
READ MORE

Sir Stephen Howard becomes CEO
READ MORE

2009

Company of the Year:
United Utilities
READ MORE

The Big Conversation starts
READ MORE

Our Origins
2010s

DECADE SUMMARY Responsible Business
RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS
PRACTICE
Tiger made from recycled plastic at the Waste to Wealth Summit

2010 - Deepwater Horizon disaster

2010

Company of the Year: Unilever
READ MORE

The Prince's Business Emergency Response Group set up
READ MORE

2010 - Coalition Government launch of "Big Society" agenda

The Prince's Countryside Fund launched
READ MORE

Business Class gains momentum
READ MORE

START a better way of living!
READ MORE

2011

Mark Price becomes Chair
2011 - 2014
READ MORE

Company of the Year: Wates
READ MORE

Give & Gain Day goes International
READ MORE

2011 - Davies Review: Women on Boards

Building the post-Olympic legacy
READ MORE

Healthy High Streets
READ MORE

2011 - UK civil unrest sparked by shooting of Mark Duggan

Workwell launched
READ MORE

Transforming business, transforming communities
READ MORE

2012

Company of the Year: Marks & Spencer
READ MORE

2012 - London Olympics

Business Connectors launched
READ MORE

2013

Company of the Year: Jaguar Land Rover
READ MORE

Launch of Ban the Box
READ MORE

Fortune Favours the Brave
READ MORE

2014

Company of the Year: National Grid
READ MORE

Project 28-40
READ MORE

2015

Antony Jenkins becomes Chair
2015 - 2017
READ MORE

2015 - UN Sustainable Development Goals

Company of the Year: Fujitsu
READ MORE

The Missing Millions
READ MORE

2015 - Paris Climate Conference

Circular Economy Taskforce launched
READ MORE

2016

Company of the Year: Veolia
READ MORE

We merge with our Scottish cousins
READ MORE

Amanda Mackenzie becomes CEO
READ MORE

Disrupters and innovators
READ MORE

2017

Company of the Year: Anglian Water
READ MORE

2017 - Harvey Weinstein #MeToo

Blackpool Pride of Place
READ MORE

2017 - Take the Knee gesture begins

Good Work for All
READ MORE

2018

Jeremy Darroch becomes Chair
2018 - 2020
READ MORE

Company of the Year: Lloyds Banking Group
READ MORE

Responsible Business Map and Tracker launched
READ MORE

Waste to Wealth
READ MORE

2019

Company of the Year: Boots UK
READ MORE

2019 - Amazon rainforest burns

Race at Work Charter
READ MORE

Our Origins
2020s

Environmental Social Governance
ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIAL
GOVERNANCE
Cupcakes for our 40th birthday
2020

National Business Response Network
READ MORE

2020 - Australian bushfires

2020 - Murder of George Floyd

Building Back Responsibly
READ MORE

2020 - UK leaves the EU

2020 - Covid pandemic begins

2021

Gavin Patterson becomes Chair
2021 - 2023
READ MORE

2021 - Glasgow COP26

Making Work Work
READ MORE

SUNNINGDALE CONFERENCE

Leading American and British companies meet to share information and experiences about rising unemployment and growing tensions in inner cities.

DOWNLOAD ANGLO AMERICAN REPORT
DOWNLOAD ANGLO-US URBAN BLIGHT TIMES

OUR FIRST CEO

Stephen O'Brien is CEO from 1982 – 1992

In his 10 years we change from being the umbrella organisation for the Enterprise Agencies to a broad charity covering issues ranging from Education to Local Purchasing. Membership has grown to some 300 companies.

Stephen O Brien
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT. SEE PGS 53-54

OUR FIRST CHAIR

Sir Alastair Pilkington 1982 -1984

As the first Chair of BITC, Sir Alastair looked to replicate what he had done in St.Helens, Merseyside, creating a non-profit organisation to help local people acquire new skills and to support small business creation. BITC's initial role was to support the establishment of local enterprise agencies across the country.

Sir Alastair Pilkington
DOWNLOAD LETTER
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT. SEE PG 20

BITC AND THE CBI TEAM UP

The CBI Special

Programmes Unit is amalgamated with BITC.

DOWNLOAD PUBLICATION
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT. SEE PG 21

LORD ROBERT CARR BECOMES CHAIR

1985 – 1987

Bringing together the CBI unit with BITC meant a new Chair for BITC, Lord Robert Carr of Hadley, assumed the role from Sir Alastair.

Lord Robert Carr
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT. SEE PG 21

LAUNCH OF THE PERCENT CLUB

Companies pledge to donate 0.5% of pre-tax profits to charity.

Sir Mark Weinberg, HRH The Prince of Wales, The Prime Minister Mrs Margaret Thatcher and Sir Hector Laing at the PerCent Club launch.

Percent club

EMPLOYERS FORUM ON DISABILITY IS LAUNCHED

Find out more: https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

HRH LAUNCHES THE FIRST ONE TOWN PARTNERSHIP IN HALIFAX

Creating a blueprint for how a private/public sector partnership can work to improve a place bringing investment, jobs and the creation of new businesses to a town in need of economic regeneration.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLE A
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE B
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE C
DOWNLOAD JOB ADVERT

BITC ESTABLISHES TARGET TEAMS

The forerunner to Leadership Teams, these 8 teams of business leaders explore aspects of regeneration which had been identified in dialogue with No. 10.

  • Finance for enterprise
  • Priority hiring /customised training programmes for the unskilled and unemployed.
  • Local purchasing
  • Marketing business action to SMEs
  • Urban regeneration
  • Voluntary sector initiatives
  • Enterprise development
  • Education partnership
DOWNLOAD 1988 ANNUAL REVIEW
DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT. SEE PG 25

SIR HECTOR LAING BECOMES CHAIR

1988 – 1990

As CEO of United Biscuits, Hector believed the success of any enterprise rested on its employees and he went out of his way to ensure that UB's workforce was treated well. He spent a huge amount of time in the factories getting to know the workforce and took a close interest in their pension entitlements. After a decade working for UB, employees could virtually count on a "job for life". He also used his influence, as one of the driving forces in Business in the Community, to encourage corporate giving through the PerCent Club.

Lord Laing

GRIME GOES GREEN!

Business in the Environment set up

Business in the Environment (BiE) was one of the earliest collaborative programmes to engage businesses to step up and widen their efforts to protect the natural environment. Going beyond simple compliance, BiE encouraged business to take a more strategic approach to environmental protection, and is what we now understand as sustainability in its broadest sense - recognising the interconnection and interdependence between society, the natural environment and economic prosperity. To launch BiE a promotional video with HRH The Prince of Wales and John Cleese was made encouraging all businesses to look at their environmental impact – rather than wait for a royal visit to do so!

John Cleese
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

HRH SENDS BUSINESS LEADERS BACK TO SCHOOL!

The Prince of Wales takes 20 Business leaders in to inner city schools

Following the launch of Education Compacts, HRH asked 20 business leaders to visit Compact Schools to see for themselves the issues faced in inner city schools. All learnt something new about the education system of the 1980s and were both surprised and encouraged by their commitment and enthusiasm of teachers and Heads for the future of young people.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

BITC NORTHERN IRELAND SET UP

BITC Northern Ireland was set up primarily to promote corporate community involvement. Over 60 companies sign up at the launch event with Sir Hector Laing and Stephen O'Brien committing to further action.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

THE SEEING IS BELIEVING PROGRAMME STARTS

Initiated by HRH The Prince of Wales, BITC takes senior business leaders into inner city housing estates, schools and community projects to see the challenges facing the UK and demonstrate simple ways that companies can get involved to benefit both business and the community. Then they report back to The Prince of Wales on what they have seen and done.

Seeing is Believing
DOWNLOAD 5TH ANNIVERSARY PUBLICATION

HRH TAKES BUSINESS LEADERS TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

Over 100 leaders of multi-national businesses are convened by HRH to focus on the issues of Education, the Environment and Enterprise facing all businesses operating globally. This leads to the establishment of The Prince of Wales's Business Leaders Forum.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

HRH LAUNCHES THE BLACKBURN PARTNERSHIP

Blackburn is the second 'One Town Partnership' to secure a better future for the people of Blackburn.

DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD REPORT

LAUNCH OF OPPORTUNITY 2000

Chaired by Lady Howe, Opportunity 2000 is launched to remove the barriers inhibiting women's progression at work. Bravely called Opportunity 2000 as the goal was to have succeeded by the year 2000.

Lady Howe
DOWNLOAD 5TH YEAR REVIEW

DIRECTIONS FOR THE NINETIES

The beginning of a new decade and corporate community involvement is maturing. We publish the strategy for the 1990s urging businesses to adopt the A.C.T.I.O.N model. All 3 leaders of the main political parties attend the launch - Prime Minister, John Major, Labour Leader Tony Blair and Liberal Democrat President Charles Kennedy.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

HRH LEADS FIRST VISIT TO PENRHYS

Built in 1968 on top of a mountain overlooking the Rhondda, in the early 1990s only 8% of working age residents were in full-time employment. Over the coming decade Sir William Castell visited the housing estate many times and supported the local community to make it a more pleasant place to live.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

NEIL SHAW BECOMES CHAIR

1991 – 1993 Neil Shaw, CEO of Tate & Lyle takes over as Chair of Business in the Community. Neil appoints Julia Cleverdon as the next CEO, strengthens the Board and evolves the Target Teams into Leadership Teams giving BITC a wider campaigning remit broadly described as the 3 Es of Education, Environment, Enterprise. Work is consolidated across 11 regional offices.

Neil Shaw

JULIA CLEVERDON BECOMES CEO

1992 - 2008

Julia was CEO for 16 years and oversaw a period of significant growth and campaigning. Turnover grew to just under £25m and membership stood at 800 companies. She pioneered the "Seeing is Believing" programme with The Prince of Wales; taking pinstripes – nearly always white and male – into deprived communities, failing schools and run-down housing estates to show them the deprivation just outside the factory gates and their smart new offices. Many new campaigns began under Julia which have borne the test of time and remain key initiatives to this day.

http://juliacleverdon.com/

Julia Cleverdon

Beginning of our Employee Volunteering Campaign

We learn how its done in America and formally begin our Employee Volunteering Programme. This grows into a regional Cares franchise, with 500 community challenges involving up to 8,000 people a year.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

WE AIM HIGH!

The Aim High education campaign is launched to bring companies, schools and colleges together to raise young people's aspirations. 3 years, 150 companies and 1000s of young people later, it sits at the centre of BITC's work.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

WORK IN SOCIETY LAUNCHED

What happens to business matters to society and what happens to society matters to business. An idea that grew from a conference hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales for his major charities, the Prince asked his charities to consider the implications of future employment trends for their own work.

SIR ALLEN SHEPPARD BECOMES CHAIR

1994 - 1996

Son of a train driver, with his trademark direct style, Allen spent much of his career at Grand Metropolitan (now Diageo), where he oversaw radical and successful change. Like his predecessors as BITC Chair, he had a strong belief that business should be working in the interests of the communities in which it operates, and that everyone deserved a chance to succeed. Alongside BITC, Allen was involved in other Prince of Wales charities and was also passionate about promoting London, setting up London First with Stephen O'Brien in the early 1990s.

Allen Sheppard

LAUNCH OF ROOTS & WINGS

Beautifully simple, Roots & Wings is reciprocal mentoring between someone who works in business with someone who works in the voluntary or public sector. It was one of our early mentoring programmes and led the way for reciprocal mentoring @BITC over the coming 30 years. Just 2 years later the programme has been extended to supporting kids at risk of underachievement and 20 companies are on board reaching more than 1,000 kids at school.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE

LAUNCH OF RACE FOR OPPORTUNITY

Established by The Prince of Wales with the backing of 21 members, the campaign was set up to improve employment opportunities for Black, Asian, mixed race and other ethnically diverse people. In 2022 850 companies are Race Charter Signatories, representing more employees than the population of Singapore.

Race For Opportunity
DOWNLOAD 5TH YEAR REVIEW

FIRST ENVIRONMENT INDEX LAUNCHED

73 FTSE 100 companies benchmark their environment management for the first time. 10 years later the environment index has been used by hundreds of businesses to benchmark themselves against their peers and lessen their impact on the environment.

Environment Index
DOWNLOAD REPORT

GRANADA COMMUNITY CHALLENGE

1 company – Granada Television + 5 teams, 1000s of donations = 5 housing estates benefiting from £6.5m of new facilities. A brilliant example of business in the community.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

PARTNERS IN LEADERSHIP

On the back of Seeing is Believing we work with KPMG to launch a pilot scheme in London mentoring headteachers, particularly providing support with management issues. This grows and grows to become a national programme – Partners in Leadership.

40 REGENERATION ACTION AREAS CREATED

We identify 40 places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland which urgently need business help to support local communities. This is our Place work simply by another name.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

SIR PETER DAVIS BECOMES CHAIR

1997 – 2001

Chief Executive of the Prudential and then of Sainsburys, Sir Peter Davis chaired BITC for 4 years. His term was characterised by a new period of benchmarking and reporting of corporate community investment, with Principles of CCI launched and the new Awards for Excellence. It was kicking the tyres and the growing professionalism of CCI as it moved into the mainstream. Sir Peter Davis oversaw a period of rapid change with companies crying out for simple but effective ways of taking a CCI healthcheck but never losing sight of impact and easy ways to make a difference.

Sir Peter Davis

PRINCIPLES OF CCI

The 90s saw the development of new ways to measure and evaluate investment in the community, building on the early days of the Per Cent Club in the 80s. More sophisticated, the Principles helped companies to benchmark their performance, set targets to improve and support to communicate to shareholders and employees. Directly linked to the EFQM the Principles were used as judging criteria for the Awards in the late 90s.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

BUSINESS ACTION ON HOMELESSNESS LAUNCHED

A partnership between business, homeless agencies and the Government, aiming to break the vicious cycle of 'no job, no home, no job'. The initial aim was to reduce the number of rough sleepers but this quickly developing into supporting people back into work. To date we have helped over 12,000 people facing barriers to employment and 5,000 of those into jobs.

DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD TIMELINE

Awards for Excellence launched

Our iconic Awards for Excellence are launched, the Oscars of the responsible business world in the UK. For the first time publicly recognising excellence and best practice in CCI, the Awards were personally given to winners by HRH The Prince of Wales.

1198 Awards
DOWNLOAD LETTER

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: BT

DOWNLOAD REPORT

WINNING WITH INTEGRITY

We publish Winning with Integrity, the report of the Business Impact Taskforce, chaired by Bill Cockburn, Group MD of BT. This handbook was a first in pulling together a practical guide for business covering its entire impact on society; from the environmental impact of how it buys and sells, how it respects the rights of all people through its recruitment, training and staff development, and how it investments in the communities in which it operates and also makes significant financial investment decisions.

Winning Integrity
DOWNLOAD SUMMARY
DOWNLOAD FRAMEWORK
DOWNLOAD ANNUAL REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: UNITED UTILITIES

DOWNLOAD REPORT

ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON Corporate Responsibility SET UP

Text to come from Gail

NEW HOME IN HACKNEY

We move into a refurbished warehouse, once used as a bomb shelter during WWII, on the Regent's Canal in Hackney. HRH The Prince of Wales visits to thank the 'Hackney Heroes' for their support of cash, expertise and time.

Hackney Home

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: CO-OPERATIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES

DOWNLOAD REPORT

RURAL ACTION LAUNCHED

Set up during the foot and mouth crisis of 2001 when not only farmers suffered but many whose livelihoods depended upon the rural economy. Rural Action was about helping business to harness the talent and energy of people living and working to support the rural economy. In 2010 the programme was spun off into a separate charity The Prince's Countryside Fund https://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk

DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE
DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

The Lambert Challenge

On our 20th birthday, and led by Sir Richard Lambert, 10 years as Editor of the FT, we consulted with over 500 businesses to help shape future strategy. The outcome was the Lambert Challenge to business, to government and to BITC.

richard lambert
DOWNLOAD REVIEW
DOWNLOAD CHALLENGE

LAUNCH OF THE CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY INDEX

22 companies participated in the first voluntary CSR wide index; a straightforward tool to test how corporate values and beliefs were lived in the business.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: SCOTTISH POWER

DOWNLOAD REPORT

DAVID VARNEY BECOMES CHAIR 2002 – 2004

David was chairman of O2 when he chaired BITC during 2002 – 2004. David said that business was in a "perfect storm" of reputational threats, in the aftermath of WorldCom, Enron, and other international business scandals. Expectations of business were growing massively, whilst perceptions of performance were declining dramatically.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: CARILLION

DOWNLOAD AWARDS DOCUMENT

Benefits of Corporate Responsibility spelt out

Enron, Sarbanes Oxley… David Varney chaired BITC at a time of diminished trust in business. Our Business Case for Corporate Responsibility report spelt out the 6 benefits of an effective thorough approach, from reputation management, employee satisfaction through to financial performance. The principles of this document are still relevant today.

DOWNLOAD PUBLICATION

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: MARKS & SPENCER

DOWNLOAD AWARDS DOCUMENT

"WHAT'S THE NEWS ON THE RIALTO?"

We run Conversations at the British Museum, hosted by CEOs like Lord Browne who asked this question at his conversation. They cover a wide range of themes, chosen by the speaker.

DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT (SEE PG XX)

NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL PROGRAMME STARTS

Neighbourhood renewal is BITC bread and butter, and our roots lie in the business response to the civil disturbances of the early 1980s. In 2005 the chairs of the 5 Leadership Teams published recipes for neighbourhood success covering Education, Crime, Environment, Health and Employability.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

MIKE RAKE BECOMES CHAIR 2005 – 2007

Mike was International Chairman of KPMG, moving to become Chair of BT, whilst chairing BITC. He initiated a far seeing strategic and governance review refocusing on the ask of business and he oversaw the transition from Julia Cleverdon to Stephen Howard as CEO.

Mike Rake

BURNLEY RECEIVES A ROYAL VISIT

The Prince makes his first visit to Burnley as BITC President which is a catalyst for change, bringing the weight of 12 Prince's Charities to bear across the built environment, education, supporting SMEs, young people and community cohesion.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: MARKS & SPENCER

DOWNLOAD AWARDS DOCUMENT

MARKETPLACE PRINCIPLES LAUNCHED

Being leadership behaviours to strive for. Here's the M&S example.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

Reflecting on the first 25 years...

Reflecting on the first 25 years we publish a jubilee commentary marking change from the early days of championing business support for local enterprise agencies through to a more rounded view of business acting responsibly in all that it does.

DOWNLOAD REVIEW

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: BT

DOWNLOAD REPORT

MPs Guide to Responsible Business Published

We publish a guide for MPs to help them to support their constituents at community level.

DOWNLOAD GUIDE
DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET

HRH SOUNDS MAYDAY OVER CLIMATE CHANGE

More than 1,200 business leaders gather at St James's Palace and other venues around the country to hear The Prince of Wales issue a mayday distress call on climate change. By the end of the day over 1,000 companies had pledged to work with their suppliers, customers and employees to reduce their carbon emissions for the next two years HRH continued to convene business leaders calling for action to change business behaviour and over the coming years up to 5,000 companies join the Mayday Network pledging to work continuously to reduce the environmental impact of their operations.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

NEW HEALTH CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED

We launch Business Action on Health, led by Alex Gourlay of Boots. Over the past 15 years this issue has moved beyond healthy eating and gym memberships to one of a core business issue, addressing mental health and corporate and personal wellbeing.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: CO-OPERATIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES

DOWNLOAD REPORT

SIR STUART ROSE BECOMES CHAIR

2008 - 2010

Chairman of Marks & Spencer, Stuart's legacy as our Chair was Work Inspiration. In response to the 'talent challenge' set by the Labour Government, Stuart set up Work Inspiration which saw over 100,000 work placements offered to young people. Stuart's model was to move away from mundane work placements for young people and to inspire them about the world of work and the opportunities work gave to individuals and their life chances.

Stuart Rose

SIR STEPHEN HOWARD BECOMES CEO

Stephen became CEO at the time of the Global Financial Crisis and a loss of trust in business. He faced a decrease in public sector funding and a proliferation of different campaigns and initiatives all with separate branding, aims and objectives. He turned around the financial structure of the charity so that 80%+ income came again from the private sector. He promoted a sense of 'One BITC', one charity with one vision and operating model.

He later said that "the shift away from public funding gave us more freedom again. It also helped to remind us that we are campaigners not consultants and that we campaign through the member companies."

Julie to Stephen

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: UNITED UTILITIES

DOWNLOAD REPORT

THE BIG CONVERSATION STARTS

Led by our Chair, Sir Stuart Rose, we run a series of "Big Conversations" with hundreds of employers across the UK and launch new regional Work Inspiration Awards to recognise businesses of all sizes who provide inspiring and robust work experience placements for young people. By the end of 2010, over 1000,000 placements have been provided to young people. This leads to a longrunning programme advising business how is required to provide inspirational work experience and workplace visits for young people.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: UNILEVER

DOWNLOAD REPORT

THE PRINCE'S BUSINESS EMERGENCY RESPONSE GROUP SET UP

In response to the floods in Cumbria, and at the request of HRH, we set up BERG to help smaller businesses get back on their feet after an emergency. BERG was mobilised after heavy flooding, e.g. in Cumbria, Ballater in Aberdeenshire, the Somerset Levels and after the "Beast from the East" storm.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

THE PRINCE'S COUNTRYSIDE FUND LAUNCHED

We support the establishment of a new charity grown from the Rural Action Leadership Team – with £1m support provided by its founding companies to help the people who live in and look after the countryside https://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/

BUSINESS CLASS GAINS MOMENTUM

Building on work in the North West, we roll out Business Class, a 3-yr partnership between businesses and schools in 6 of the UK's 9 regions with 52 partnerships in some of the UK's most deprived areas.

DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD EVALUATION

START A BETTER WAY OF LIVING!

HRH The Prince of Wales leads a START tour to 10 towns in the UK, covering over 1,000 miles, to engage companies and consumers on the small changes each of us could make to reduce our impact on the environment. START merges into BITC and our environment work.

MARK PRICE BECOMES CHAIR

2011 - 2014

As MD of Waitrose, and Deputy Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, Mark already had an outstanding track record and reputation with customers and consumers. As BITC Chair, he strengthened and simplified, refocusing work under a small number of flagship programmes to have the greatest impact on the people living and working in deprived communities. As Chair of the Rural Action Programme, and at the request of The Prince of Wales, Mark founded The Prince's Countryside Fund, a charity under the auspices of BITC for 5 years. Mark holds a passionate and personal belief in the importance of British farming and fisheries, and of the countryside as a place to live, work and visit. He used his address book and the power of the Waitrose brand to enable the launch by The Prince of Wales in July 2010. He is a man of great integrity with a strong belief in responsible business.

Mark Price

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: WATES

DOWNLOAD REPORT

GIVE & GAIN DAY GOES INTERNATIONAL

Working with the CSR360 Global Partner Network, we manage an international day of volunteering. 16 countries, 535 organisations and nearly 30,000 volunteers who deliver over £3m worth of support just in one day.

BUILDING THE POST-OLYMPIC LEGACY

We launch arc, a programme to create 1,000 jobs in social enterprises in the Olympic boroughs. When the programme closed in 2015 it had smashed its target, having helped over 100 social enterprises and bringing close to 1,800 people into employment. Additionally, it had expanded into West London and created more than 1,000 jobs there too.

HEALTHY HIGH STREETS

High Streets are at the heart of communities and a weathervane of local prosperity. But footfall was falling and empty units increasing. We survey town centre managers on the challenges and make recommendations to business leaders.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

WORKWELL LAUNCHED

Our Workwell Model is launched in Brussels and translated into 14 European languages. 2 years later in 2013 we run a benchmark for FTSE 100 companies who scored an average of 21%. The low average score was not unexpected and demonstrated the challenge employers faced in articulating a strategic and integrated approach to responsible people management to drive business performance.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

TRANSFORMING BUSINESS, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES

We publish a special supplement with the Sunday Times.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: MARKS & SPENCER

DOWNLOAD REPORT

BUSINESS CONNECTORS LAUNCHED

We launch Business Connectors, a programme seconding managers from business, trained by BITC, into deprived communities to help tackle social issues. Big Lottery fund the development and infrastructure of the programme, with Lloyds Bank as a significant sponsor. The programme closes in 2018 and within 6 years Business Connectors have brilliantly demonstrated the power of business to contribute to transformational change in communities. Connectors themselves describe their experience as profound.

  • 279 Business Connectors from business and the civil service
  • Leverage of almost £47 million of resources for local communities
  • 275,000 volunteering hours equivalent to 167 years of full-time support
  • For every £1 of Big Lottery funding received, approaching £10 of support generated into communities
Business Connectors Business Connectors
DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: JAGUAR LAND ROVER

Jaguar
Jaguar

LAUNCH OF BAN THE BOX

We call on UK employers to create fairer opportunities for ex-offenders looking for jobs by removing the criminal record disclosure tick box from application forms. In the first 9 months, 16 employers commit to ban the box, and the campaign team is shortlisted for the Charity Times "campaign team of the year" award. Bringing the campaign bang up to date in 2022, 176 employers ban the box representing 1.12m jobs

DOWNLOAD REPORT

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE

We collaborate with M&S and Accenture to launch a ground-breaking report revealing the £100 billion opportunity to be gained by businesses that embrace sustainability and long-term thinking.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: NATIONAL GRID

National Grid DOWNLOAD REPORT

PROJECT 28-40

We receive 25,000 responses to our Project 2840 survey, being the biggest ever UK survey of women at work. The findings show – unsurprisingly – that women are ambitious and just as confident in their leadership capabilities as men. Women said that being a working mother makes them a good role model for their children, provides balance in their lives and enables them to provide a good life for their family. But they are held back – the ongoing conflict between family and career and the pressure 'by society' to put family first.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

ANTONY JENKINS BECOMES CHAIR

2015 - 2017

CEO of Barclays and then founder and CEO of 10X, Antony became Chair when the pace of technological change had accelerated exponentially. Not wishing for BITC, or the development of responsible business to be left behind, Antony did two things. Firstly he asked McKinsey to undertaken a pro bono strategic review of the charity, root and branch, and they made deep and long-lasting recommendations for our future. Secondly, Antony's key focus as our Chair was to use his tenure to consider the implications of technology on the responsible business agenda. This led to the Brave New World series of reports demonstrating the significant opportunities for responsible business in a digital era, and how if not addressed, inequalities could deepen. This work is enduring and has helped BITC demonstrate its thought leadership.

Anthony Jenkins

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: FUJITSU

Fujitsu DOWNLOAD REPORT

THE MISSING MILLIONS

After merging with PRIME, one of the Prince's Charities, we release 3 landmark reports, the Missing Millions, which identify one million people over 50 who had been employees pushed out of work involuntarily. The 3 reports highlight the problem and give practical recommendations to business and government of how to address the issue of age at work.

DOWNLOAD REPORT 1
DOWNLOAD REPORT 2
DOWNLOAD RECOMMENDATIONS

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: VEOLIA

Veolia
DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

WE MERGE WITH OUR SCOTTISH COUSINS

After nearly 35 years as separate charities we merge with Scottish Business in the Community to create one UK-wide charity, bringing together two experienced teams and creating opportunities for greater collaboration and impact.

Jane Wood, CEO SBC and Stephen Howard, CEO BITC and the SBC Ceildh 2016.

Scottish Cousins

AMANDA Mackenzie becomes CEO

Amanda Mackenzie took over as CEO with a remit from the Board to see through the recommendations of McKinsey's 2015 strategic review and for BITC to remain relevant, but simpler, more focused and joined up. In short a refresh. Never forgetting that the lessons from the past help shape the future, Amanda steeped herself in the rich history of BITC spending time at Clarence House reading correspondence between HRH and BITC over the previous 30 years, starting with Stephen O'Brien's original letter inviting HRH to become President of BITC in 1985. Amanda worked hard to transform the charity creating a simpler offer and ask of members. This programme of renewal stood BITC in good stead to operate successfully and virtually when the pandemic hit. BITC rapidly developed a brokerage service between business who had surplus stock to donate and some people on furlough, with community groups in need: in short The National Business Response Network which had helped more than 2 million people by the end of 2021.

Amanda

DISRUPTERS AND INNOVATORS

Purpose driven brands are the disrupters and innovators creating the economy of the future. Businesses that have a guiding purpose beyond profit alone thrive commercially through doing good. We publish a detailed toolkit to help companies.

DOWNLOAD TOOLKIT

CIRCULAR ECONOMY TASKFORCE LAUNCHED

Building on the Fortune Favours the Brave report of 2014 we launch the Circular Economy Taskforce, described by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as "an economy that's restorative and regenerative by design", the ultimate aim being to eliminate waste entirely. Our taskforce builds on the Smart Growth in the Circular Economy strategy.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: ANGLIAN WATER

Anglian Water
DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD ARTICLE

BLACKPOOL PRIDE OF PLACE

Following a Seeing is Believing visit we launch Pride of Place in Blackpool, a former Healthy High Streets town to mobile the collective strength of business and the voluntary and public sectors. With deprivation levels amongst the worst in the country the case for action is clear. 5 years Blackpool will receive £700 million extra funding with a further £1 billion coming down the tracks to support the creation of 10,000 jobs, increase employment rates for 16-24-year-olds, tackle deprivation and create 3,000 quality new homes.

DOWNLOAD REPORT
DOWNLOAD PROSPECTUS

IMAGES TBC

GOOD WORK FOR ALL

Funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, we launch an 18 month project looking to understand and tackle in-work poverty.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

JEREMY DARROCH BECOMES CHAIR

2018 - 2020

CEO of Sky, Jeremy challenged BITC to become the "beacon for responsible business". Providing seed-funding for a responsible business healthcheck and additional digital investment, the Tracker was launched under's Jeremy watch and the website was significantly overhauled. The member proposition too matured. During his term, Jeremy sent a number of Sky high-flyers on secondment to BITC as part of their leadership development and to broaden their horizons. Those returning to Sky from BITC sold the opportunity on and for BITC they were flush with commercial expertise and know-how. Jeremy's style was to always let the charity shine and for others to take the limelight; he worked in the service of the mission rather than himself.

Jeremy Darroch

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: LLOYDS BANKING GROUP

DOWNLOAD REPORT

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS MAP AND TRACKER LAUNCHED

Launched at the 2017 AGM, 18 months later 64 brave companies took part in the Tracker pilot, puting their heads above the parapet to take the healthcheck on their responsible business practices and to see how they measure up. We publish the results.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

WASTE TO WEALTH

200 business leaders convened at Veolia's Southwark Plant, in the presence of HRH The Prince of Wales, and with Michael Gove, Secretary of State for DEFRA, to explore ways of creating wealth by doubling the UK's resource productivity and eliminating avoidable waste by 2030, effectively creating wealth by using existing materials and existing energy rather than creating new.

DOWNLOAD ACTION PLAN
Waste to Wealth
Waste to Wealth

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: BOOTS UK

DOWNLOAD REPORT

RACE AT WORK CHARTER

One year after launching our Race at Work Charter in 2018, 185 companies are signed up and we present the findings of a diverse mix of employers who have shared their actions against the five Race Charter principles.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

National Business Response Network

In March 2020 we launched the National Business Response Network, matchmaking business support to community need – from thousands of meals, laptops and household items to professional training and expertise. 2 years on more than 2 million people have been helped with well over 5,000 connections. Jeremy Pocklington CB, Permanent Secretary at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities cited the NBRN as "the best and most effective response to COVID-19 by the voluntary sector".

DOWNLOAD REPORT

BUILDING BACK RESPONSIBLY

Coinciding with the 75th anniversary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, and in a year when COVID-19 rocked the country, we challenge business to harness the innovation brought about by the crisis to tackle the challenges facing society.

DOWNLOAD REPORT

GAVIN PATTERSON BECOMES CHAIR

2021 - 2023

President & Chief Revenue Officer of Salesforce, Gavin assumed the chair during the pandemic when the organisation was managing all of its meetings and operations virtually. He laid out three priorities for his term which were to drive membership making BITC the go-to place for business on matters of responsible business, to drive digital connectivity as an enabler of social mobility and economic growth, and finally to keep pushing on digital skills in schools and in the workplace. As chair during BITC's 40th Anniversary, Salesforce is a major sponsor of the work building on the past for a faster, braver, bolder future.

Gavin patterson

MAKING WORK WORK

In our 40th year we're Making Work Work profiling stories from our members about their positive actions for their people, their communities and the planet.

making work work