Agenda item

8.1     The Committee received a presentation outlining the developments in the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ‘brokerage service’ designed to facilitate more effective joint working between the voluntary sector and private sector businesses.  The Committee noted that this increased the Council’s ability to leverage the benefits of CSR locally with positive impact for Westminster residents.

8.2     The Committee welcomed witnesses from Heart of the City, John Lewis, Community Fibre and the University of Westminster who outlined the work of their organisations.  The Committee noted how Heart of the City encouraged their organisations to focus on trying to get their responsible practices to align with their core business strategy so that volunteering was not just seen as an added extra but that it was contributing to their business plan, staff morale and the profit of their business.  The Committee then discussed why businesses developed Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) Programmes and noted that John Lewis, Community Fibre and the University of Westminster had considered how emotionally beneficial it was for them as organisations and their employees/students to get involved in volunteering to give back to the community. 

8.3     The Committee discussed the following:

·             the importance that all businesses had the opportunity to make a positive contribution to support the voluntary sector in the City.

·             the necessity to tackle the difficulties in society by way of partnership between government, business and the voluntary sector.

·             the possibility of incorporating arts and culture into local communities (local theatre groups/local cinema showings).

·             the importance that the brokerage service add value and build the right connections to make a positive contribution to the community.

·             the opportunities for measuring the success and cost of the scheme.

·             the advantages of apprenticeships over attending University.

·             the benefits of connecting residents with social enterprise schemes and the opportunities for young people through the City Lions Scheme.

·             the importance of ensuring that all Members were made aware of the CSR ‘brokerage service’ and the opportunities it could deliver in their wards.

8.4     The Chairman thanked everyone who had given up their time to attend the          meeting and contribute to the discussion

8.5     ACTIONS:

1.          The Committee suggested that the diagram on how the Section 106 Employment and Skills Commitments works be available to Members/business/public.

2.          The Committee requested that opportunities for measuring the input, success and cost of the scheme be considered and reported back to the Committee.

8.6     RESOLVED: The Committee made the following comments which would be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Education, and Community:

1.          The Committee welcomed the work that had been achieved in establishing the CSR ‘brokerage service’ to facilitate joint working between the voluntary sector and private sector businesses.

2.          The Committee welcomed the development of the Airtable App, a social digital platform the Economy team was using to monitor S106 schemes and Social Value commitments from Westminster City Council contracts.

3.          The Committee highlighted the huge potential impact for the City if Westminster businesses found opportunities to support their communities through a responsive CSR brokerage service.

4.          The Committee highlighted the importance of sharing knowledge and supporting employers in the City to develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programmes to benefit Westminster residents.

5.          The Committee encouraged the Council to continue to look at new ways to engage with businesses and organisations and to ensure that all Members were made aware of the CSR brokerage service and the opportunities it could deliver in their wards.

6.          The Committee noted how the Council’s Economy and Procurement Teams supported Council schemes such as City Lions to enable youth engagement within the City.