This entry was shortlisted in the 2012 Peer Award “Philanthropy” category

ref: 12-043

Maximising CSR Impact and Engagement at Minimal Cost

Overview
Marsh’s CSR programme is a powerful example of how the integration of all elements of a company’s CSR activities — charitable giving, employee volunteering, pro bono, fundraising — can be achieved in a fully engaging,results-driven way. Under the banner “Helping Communities and People at Risk ” (Marsh is a leading risk manager) Marsh’s programme has produced measurable positive results for its communities while engaging fully its employees….and all achieved on a constrained budget.

Impact
Marsh’s integrated approach — three-year partnerships with a select group of eight UK charities, its Charity of the Year(CotY) programme, its matched giving and its support for employee volunteering initiatives — have all been highly impactful. Our charity partnerships achieve pre-agreed objectives which otherwise would not occur. Colleagues have raised over £150K pa for their CotY, most recently CLIC Sargent and Help for Heroes. The company matches £ for£ up to £300 all funds raised by colleagues for their local charity and designated Charity Champions in our regional offices encourage and ensure employee engagement.

Innovation
Marsh’s programme is closely integrated: all programmes complement eachother while contributing to a charity’s or local community’s wellbeing. It is engaging: a major focus is to get colleagues involved in their communities and fundraise for the CotY… thus the highly successful infrastructure of office Charity Champions (in addition to their day jobs). It is rewarding, both through publicity (colleagues’ good deeds are publicised on the intranet and in newsletters) and through practical assistance (Marsh matches colleagues’ fundraising). Any one of these benefits is powerful; what’s so innovative is how they come together in one, integrated, highly impactful programme[/one_half_last]

Insight
Lessons learned:
Have a robust infrastructure of regional champions in place; dont rely on professions of goodwill in the field to get things done
Dont ever take any one’s pro bono deeds for granted; publicise and praise
Charities want to partner with you; dont be afraid to say” we want to give you £X. What would you like to achieve with this which wont otherwise happen?” Then you agree the outcome to be achieved and can support the partnership in non-financial as well as financial ways to ensure it does get accomplished.

Inspiration
Wow! My company CAN have an impactful, colleague-engaging CSR programme and it wont cost the earth. Marsh has shown how one can maximise one’s CSR support by adopting an integrated approach, establishing clear guidelines of what one will support and getting colleagues involved and measuring impacts, whether it be successful fundraising for the CotY or matching support for local good causes or mentoring in the local community.
Marsh has benefitted from an engaged workforce and being recognised with a prestigious industry award. I am sure my company, can too![/one_half_last]

The Speaker
Nick Jones
Head of Communications & Marketing
Marsh EMEA, since 2005
Previously Head of Corporate Affairs at Willis (2000-2004), LucasVarity(1997-1999) and Reed Elsevier(1994-1997).