“We write all the time about the creative relationships between companies and charities,” said Third Sector editor Stephen Cook, “so it seemed a natural progression to establish a set of awards.”
The value of the corporate sector’s contribution to the UK voluntary sector in 2006–07 was £1.5 billion, according to the latest edition of the Civic Society Almanac.
To date there has been little public recognition of the scale of that contribution, or of the variety and originality of schemes devised by businesses to boost the work of charities.
The Business Charity Awards are designed to reward companies that lead the way in their relationships with the voluntary sector, either through well-established or more innovative schemes.
The 15 categories can encompass familiar activities such as challenge events and cause-related marketing, and newer ones such the ‘donate, don’t dump’ scheme devised by TV shopping guru Mary Portas to help charity shops.
Winners will be announced on June 29.
