BSS and the Community

We conduct all our business with honesty and integrity and are a responsible member of the community.

BSS and the Community

As a key member of the business community, we conduct all our business with honesty and integrity and are a responsible member of the community, which is communicated to our employees and stakeholders via our Community Relations Strategy document.

PTS, part of the Domestic Division, continued to support the NSPCC as their charity partner for the year with our employees raising money to provide help for vulnerable children. By March 2010 the total sum of money raised was £40,000. This would not have been possible without the staff, suppliers and customers of PTS. Several events ranging from 'hikes to summit', golf days and a London marathon participation have helped to raise this amount. As of 1 April 2010 PTS is supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

BSS, part of our Industrial Division, has successfully completed 350 fundraising activities for Rainbow Trust over the last year. Staff have cycled (in particular the team of BSS Group and BSS Industrial directors cycled 215 miles from London to Paris), walked and run a combined 756 miles and completed hundreds of other daring feats to raise a grand total of £158,481 for the charity which supports families with children facing a life threatening illness. Employees have voted to continue supporting Rainbow Trust in 2010 making it the fourth year running.

BSS Industrial actively supports the Prince's Trust with management time and financial contributions. Founded in 1976 by The Prince of Wales to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK, it has become the UK's leading youth charity, giving practical and financial support to the young people who need it most.

A five week course for young people currently unemployed and wanting to gain experience of working in a construction related industry has been held. A group of 18 to 25 year olds were mentored on interview and presentation skills as well as subjects such as time management and manual handling.

In 2008 the BSS Group joined Leicestershire Cares which is an organisation of key employers in Leicester and Leicestershire, dedicated to corporate responsibility by bringing businesses and the community together. The Group's Leicestershire based sites have a number of volunteers who participate in the Right to Read, Numeracy Skills and Interview Techniques via Leicestershire Cares.

The Company also offers work experience placements for ex-offenders, those coming out of care and long term unemployed. In April 2010 we were given the Leicestershire Cares 'Company of the Year 2009' award. This is in recognition of BSS' commitment to the programme over the last 12 months.

The Group's employees also held fund raising events for Great Ormond Street Hospitals 'Jeans for Genes' Appeal and Breast Cancer awareness which the Company fully supported.