WHAT WE DO TO GIVE BACK
Together, employees at Blackfield Associates (part of the STR Group) activate our shared commitment to creating a better, more equitable world — for each other, and within our local and global communities.
As a responsible employer, providing social value is of paramount importance to Blackfield Associates, and this ethos is shared by all our staff.
For us, CSR incorporates 3 core elements: education, sustainability and fundraising. Read on to discover how we are always seeking to do more and give back.
EDUCATION
To enable effective future change, we must provide further education opportunities for all
Along with Make UK and charity partner the Smallpeice Trust, as part of the STR Group, Blackfield Associates funds STEM days for school pupils. On Wednesday 25th January 2023, Clive Hutchings, our Executive Director and Founder, attended Miltoncross Academy for a STEM Challenge Day. The day saw the school’s Year 8 pupils get stuck into the Aircraft Challenge! Exploring the physics of flight through concepts such as aerodynamics and forces, 60 students aged 12 to 13 took part in the event.
Clive also works with Portsmouth University’s Enterprise Programme. We sponsor their awards event and Clive, his fellow Directors and our TA team run workshops for UTC Portsmouth and other universities around topics such as setting up an effective LinkedIn profile, writing a compelling CV, and making a good impression at interview.
SUSTAINABILITY
As part of the STR Group, Blackfield’s focus is on giving back to the communities in which we work. We encourage everyone to help their local area by picking up rubbish, shopping at local farmer’s markets and through sustainable organisations, and of course recycling and reusing whenever possible.
As part of our commitment to CSR, we organise several litter picks throughout the year. The first was a beach clean in March 2023, facilitated by the Environmental Manager for Whale Island and Horsea Island, part of the Royal Navy MOD. In this area of special interest, he is passionate about maintaining a healthy environment.
We have also participated in other beach cleans and tree-planting expeditions with local school children and are working towards becoming carbon-neutral.
We believe that, together, we can ensure a cleaner, greener future for our planet.
FUNDRAISING
Giving back to our communities
We raise funds both as a business for our corporate partners, and as individuals for local and personal charitable organisations.
At the beginning of 2023, we held a bike challenge during Wellness Week to kick off our fundraising for ‘Motiv8’, the STR Group’s charity partner, and in March, Blackfield Associates and the Group’s other brands held a pub quiz. Twelve colleagues then took on the Great South Run for the charity in October. In all, we’ve raised nearly £3,000 for this fantastic Portsmouth-based charity in the last year.
Four members of the Blackfield team took on the 3 Peaks Challenge in 2022 for the brand’s charity partner ‘In2Science’ raising £2,000.
If this all sounds a bit exhausting, don’t worry. We also regularly hold bake sales for charities such as Cancer Research and Macmillan and encourage employees to pay a pound or two for the privilege of wearing it pink for Breast Cancer Now, watching our team grow some most-impressive mustaches for men’s health causes, and dressing in all the colours of the rainbow for Pride month!
