Thanks to modern technology, the world is more aware than ever of the impact of social deprivation and climate injustices. Consequently, customers are able to identify which brands take a stand; with an increasing expectancy for companies that can do more, to do so.
Many high-profile companies have recently faced heavy public scrutiny for making false statements, and with the addition of the new green claims legislation, it is even more apparent that companies need to be honest, taking full accountability of their overall business model, using their social values to reflect their wider company values.
We have certainly noticed an increase in focus from customers on how we add social value on tenders for projects and also individual customers who want to purchase products from an ethically minded company, and we only see this as a positive shift for the industry.
We firmly believe that how we support social causes demonstrates both our values and our authenticity. For instance, as a company that uses sustainably sourced wood, it was only a natural step that we took this responsibility further, which we have through global reforestation projects. Our primary source of raw material is steel and we recycle 100% of this end-of-life material, donating a portion of the proceeds to a local hospice, providing specialist palliative care to patients with life limiting illnesses, their family and carers. This process ensures that even procurement and the manufacturing processes themselves contribute to adding social value.
Just like every other facet of sustainability, social value is a collective effort and requires a different mindset when making decisions. This involves every level of every department, to ensure that the same cultural values are reflected throughout the company.
This has been a natural progression for Bisley as the owner was so passionate about helping others. The late Tony Brown provided tremendous support to Newport rugby, which is the heartbeat of a proud rugby city, and the foundation created in his name has reached almost 1 million individuals, supporting multiple generations in the South Wales community.
We currently employ the framework of the UN sustainable goals to further identify area to which we can contribute. As a result of using these SDGs, we have provided humanitarian aid to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, support to children’s education in Africa, and supported reforestation and the associated ecosystem services it provides, across multiple locations in the global south.
Moving forwards, we are pursuing direct community involvement in social projects through voluntary work, giving our staff the opportunity to get actively involved and provide tangible support to the local community and beyond.
While the pathway to becoming a truly sustainable business is never straightforward and is fraught with challenges, Tony left a proud legacy behind and we are determined to honour this in our values.
