Suntory Beverage and Food Great Britain and Ireland has implemented a volunteering and social purpose platform for employees across its European markets to give back through a contribution to wider society.
The platform, Together for Good, was launched through a partnership with employee purpose organisation Benevity, to provide employees with a way to volunteer, fundraise and commit to making a difference to the planet and society. It is personalised to each member of staff, including causes they are personally passionate about, as well as their specific skill set.
Volunteering options include using digital skills to help a charity with its social media strategy, supporting local food banks, mentoring young people from a disadvantaged background, tackling loneliness among elderly people in the community, or helping out at a homeless shelter.
Other benefits on offer to staff include a paid day’s leave to volunteer, and a flexible working policy in which core hours have been removed.
Jola Brooking, people and culture director at Suntory Beverage and Food Great Britain and Ireland, said: “Giving back to society is a strongly held employer value. It is also key to what we call our growing for good vision, the belief that the more we grow, the more good we can do, which applies to our business as a whole, as well as to each of our employees.
“We know how important volunteering is to our people and Together For Good provides a new way for them to get involved and support causes that are important to them.”
The business also provides an onsite gym and instructor for shift-based employees, subsidised gym memberships for those working in head office, the chance to apply for the London Marathon through its Lucozade Sport brand partnership, ‘no-meeting zone’ Friday afternoons, and daily healthier hours where everyone is expected to step away from their emails over lunch.