A conference that enables Suffolk’s businesses to fast-track social impact programmes with the assistance of the county’s voluntary groups, will take place in June.
The Outcomes For All conference, which is being staged by Community Action Suffolk, is a day of workshops and presentations designed to be a practical route for companies to create, speed up and optimise the social value attributes that play an increasingly important presence of the public face of companies.
With rising numbers of both consumers and business-to-business buyers believing evidence of social value is a required purchasing criteria, there is growing emphasis on the ability of companies to implement strategies to match. Outcomes For All on 25 June, is designed to enhance that process by providing quick options to accelerate progress, and enable companies to identify voluntary groups in Suffolk that match business purpose and branding, and can provide assistance.
Collaborative working
The benefit of the event for the county’s voluntary groups, is that it is their chance to meet and understand the needs of businesses, and foster mutual understanding and collaborative working partnerships that are to the advantage of both groups.
The opportunity for voluntary organisations to work in tandem with companies is particularly timely, as it has great potential to provide new routes to funding and employee volunteers to make up for the recent shortfall in grant funding being suffered by most of the region’s 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.’
Driving social value
Outcomes For All will include presentations on efficient ways to implement and progress social impact programmes, and use it as a sales and marketing asset to win customers. There will also be workshops in which company and charity representatives exchange and learn ideas, and opportunities to meet and network with managers from the business and the voluntary sector.
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 Fleishman Hillard’s 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 via Community Action Suffolk.
