A conference this month will help Suffolk businesses to fast-track social impact programmes in partnership with local voluntary groups.
The Outcomes For All conference, organised by Community Action Suffolk, is a day of workshops and presentations designed as a practical route for companies to create, speed up and optimise the social value attributes that contribute an increasingly important part of the ‘public face’ of companies.
With many consumers and business-to-business buyers believing evidence of social value is a required purchasing criteria, there is growing emphasis on companies to implement strategies to match. Outcomes For All on 25 June, is designed to enhance that process by providing guidance and support, and allow companies to identify voluntary groups in Suffolk that match their business purpose and branding.
The event is also a chance for voluntary groups to meet and understand the needs of businesses, and foster mutual understanding and collaborative working partnerships.
The opportunity for voluntary organisations to work in tandem with companies is particularly timely, as it has the potential to open new paths to funding and employee volunteers, making up for the recent shortfall in grant funding experienced by many local groups, along with the added pressure on service delivery created by government welfare cuts.
‘The conference could not be better timed for both businesses that are under greater scrutiny over social value commitment, and voluntary groups that can provide excellent routes to implementation,’ says Hannah Reid, Chief Executive of Community Action Suffolk. ‘More than ever, there is a lot to be gained from the business and the voluntary sector working to mutual benefit, and we have created the perfect platform for this to happen.’
Outcomes For All will include presentations, workshops and opportunities to meet and network with managers from the business and voluntary sectors.
The need for companies to adopt social programmes has become a central feature of many areas of business. It is a prerequisite of all government and large corporate contracts. And its absence is now the primary reason for business-to-business buyers switching suppliers, according to a Fleishman Hillard report on the influence of social value and environment on buying.
Similarly, more consumers want to see evidence of social value commitment. A recent extensive study by business intelligence firm Mintel concluded, ‘Modern consumers are looking to brands to be moral and ethical on their behalf.’
Details about the conference, and booking information can be found here.
