CSAhhhh…
[This article originally appeared in the May 2017 edition of Pi magazine, published by Howden Insurance Brokers]
As more businesses recognise the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, we look at how The Conveyancing Foundation is helping conveyancing practices enhance their approach to CSR.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a broad term used to describe a company’s efforts to improve society. These efforts can range from raising and donating money to charities, to implementing environmentally friendly policies in the workplace.
Done well, CSR improves a company’s public image and its relationship with customers – customers feel good when using a company that helps the community.
Statistics show that employees like working for a company that has a good public image and is constantly in the media for positive reasons. Nearly 60 per cent of employees who are proud of their company’s social responsibility are engaged in their jobs. There is little doubt that CSR helps attract and retain engaged and productive employees.
Instilling a strong culture of CSR in every employee from the top down helps create a positive and productive environment where employees can thrive. Employers have identified creativity as one of the most important leadership qualities an employee can possess. Creative employees enjoy working for companies they can believe in and stand behind. An effective CSR policy is, therefore, vital for all companies.The Conveyancing Foundation was established as a not-for-profit charity in 2015 by Lloyd and Tracey Davies. It’s designed to help conveyancing lawyers emulate the fundraising success achieved by Lloyd’s practice, Convey Law, and allows conveyancing practices to enhance their CSR policy and raise funds for their chosen charities.
The concept is very simple. Conveyancing clients enter into a Charity Lotto on completion of their transaction. The entry fee is £10 and each client can win up to £500 off their legal fees. The competition has raised hundreds of thousands for charity, and more and more conveyancers are getting involved.
Lloyd, Chairman of the foundation, commented:
“The concept is very simple, with each conveyancing company choosing the charities that they wish to support. Each donation is worth £11.25 with Gift Aid and our experience is that 80 per cent of clients take part in the competition. It is easy to set up within conveyancing practices and the results can be startling! Both clients and employees love the concept and the large sums of money it can raise for the charities they have chosen to support.
“Raising funds through dress down days and sporting challenges is fun and rewarding, although such activities can be time consuming to organise and raise only limited amounts of money. The Charity Lotto, once established, guarantees significant funds for conveyancers to direct towards their chosen charity, with reasonably little effort.“Our fundraising efforts within our conveyancing company Convey Law has had a wonderful, galvanising effect on all members of staff. As a volume provider of conveyancing services, we typically raise over £4,000 per month for charity, which is great for us and the charity we chose to support – we make a real difference!”
To find out more about Conveyancing for Charity and the Conveyancing Foundation Charity Lotto, please visit the website at www.conveyancingfoundation.org.uk
A competition toolkit is available on the website and members of staff at the not-for-profit Conveyancing Foundation are there to help you set up and establish this excellent CSR initiative at your company.
Lloyd Davies is Managing Director of Convey Law and Chairman of the Conveyancing Foundation
01633 223344
ldavies@conveylaw.com
Footnote 1: Source: Double the Donation
June 2, 2017