21 Apr 2015
National Grid staff will be mucking in at Iver Environment Centre on Thursday (23 April), where volunteers will be giving the Centre a spring clean during Responsible Business Week.
Up to 15 volunteers will be swapping office-wear for wellies and gardening gloves as they clear grounds and ponds and spruce up fences. The activity is among 17 countrywide events organised by National Grid as part of Responsible Business Week (20-26 April), which aims to champion the role of businesses in creating a fairer society and a sustainable future.
The Iver Environment Centre is part of National Grid's network of six environmental education centres. The centre promotes awareness and enjoyment of the natural environment and encourages people of all ages and abilities to explore and discover nature and food growing.
Meurig Williams, Head of Logistics and Purchase to Pay, at National Grid commented: "As Responsible Business of the Year, National Grid is keen to promote the benefits of employee volunteering during Responsible Business Week.
"Sharing our time and skills is one of the best ways that we can support the communities where we live, work and operate. It's a great opportunity for our staff to develop their own skills and broaden their experiences- it's also hugely rewarding!"
Debra Frankiewicz, Centre Manager at IEC enthused: "We are set in 2.5 acres of land, and keeping on top of the natural environment is a challenge! We offer a safe, contained site for activities for young people, teachers, families and people with disabilities, so the help that National Grid is providing will greatly benefit many people in the local community".
Last year National Grid was named Responsible Business of the Year by Business in the Community (BITC). The prestigious accolade is awarded to organisations which make efforts to operate responsibly in everything they do, making a positive difference to society and the environment.
National Grid was particularly commended for its employee volunteering programmes. National Grid works closely with Community Service Volunteers (CSV), a leading volunteering charity which co-ordinates and manages the company's employee volunteering programme and has organised many of the activities for Responsible Business Week.
Over the last year, around 3,000 National Grid employees were involved with volunteering, citizenship and fundraising activities with the charities and organisations that the company supports.
ENDS