Carphone Warehouse 2003 Annual Report Download - page 12
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Please find page 12 of the 2003 Carphone Warehouse annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.Corporate Responsibility
Commitment to responsible growth
The Group is committed to responsible growth. By putting
customers first and through its relationship with its employees,
the Group has developed innovative and effective ways of
making positive contributions to society and the environment.
Charitable activities
This year the Group’s two main charities have continued
to be Get Connected and Macmillan Cancer Relief.
Get Connected
Get Connected is a free helpline finding young people the
best help whatever the problem. Trained helpline workers
provide emotional support whilst informing callers of the
options available. Callers can then be connected for free to
local or national services, or have information texted to their
mobile phones. Available throughout the UK, the helpline is
contacted by 1,200 young people a month about a range
of serious emotional issues, including relationships, abuse,
sexuality and mental health.
The innovative and unique partnership between Get
Connected and The Carphone Warehouse was launched
in September 2001. The Carphone Warehouse provides
Get Connected with purpose built offices, including a fully
equipped helpline, and covers its office costs.
By providing financial security, improved facilities, fundraising,
marketing and service provision support, The Carphone
Warehouse has enabled Get Connected to increase its user
base by one fifth and expand the employee team by 50%.
The Group also funded the production and launch of two
research reports published by Get Connected in 2002,
“Nowhere To Turn”, and “Still No Idea”.
Macmillan Cancer Relief
The “Challenge Yourself” programme in support of Macmillan
Cancer Relief has continued this year. The campaign
launched by David Beckham in May 2000 is aimed primarily
at our 8,500 employees and asks them to embark on a
personal challenge to raise money. With involvement at all
levels and representation from senior management through
to store and call centre consultants, a number of impressive
challenges have already taken place, including two employees
completing a 3,300 mile row across the Atlantic, 40
employees trekking 112km across the Sahara desert and
30 employees trekking along the Inca Trail in Peru. The
campaign has raised in excess of £300,000 to date.
This substantial funding has led to the creation of initiatives
that work to improve the quality of life for people living
with cancer. Currently over one million people are living
with cancer in the UK and, if current trends continue, more
than five million will be diagnosed between now and 2020.
Macmillan offers life support by providing the expert care
and practical support that makes a difference to people
living with cancer.
Local charities
The Group regularly supports local charities through
donations of funds, mobile phones and employee time.
Store employees and direct conversations initiate the
majority of these donations. The Group is a member of the
Park Royal Partnership and as one of the largest employers
in Park Royal we are keen to become more involved with
the local community. In May 2003, Carphone Warehouse
hosted an Art Auction on behalf of the Park Royal
Partnership and Schools Link project, where companies
bid for a piece of artwork of their choice, from an
outstanding array of items from the most promising and
upcoming young local artists. All monies raised for works
of art were returned to the participating schools.
Give As You Earn
The Group’s Give As You Earn programme allows
employees to donate to charities of their choice directly
from their gross salary. The programme has been promoted
heavily in the past year and a new on-line process has been
established to make it easier for employees to sign up, in
addition to regular sign-up sessions at the Support Centre.
The Mobile Cup
In 2002 the Group launched the first non-profit making
industry golf tournament, which was a resounding success
raising £32,000 for four children’s charities, WhizzKids,
Babes in Arms, RNID & Honeypot Homes. The Group is
holding The Mobile Cup 2003 in July, with all profits being
donated to the children’s charity Make-a-Wish Foundation.
The Make-a-Wish Foundation provides children living
with life-threatening illnesses the opportunity to turn their
wishes into reality.
The Prince’s Trust
We have continued our close relationship with The Prince’s
Trust, the UK’s leading charity for young people. Charles
Dunstone is currently Chairman of the Trading Board of
the Trust and over the last seven years has been heavily
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The Carphone Warehouse Group PLC Annual Report 2003
We are particularly proud of our track record
in charitable activities which benefit from a high
level of involvement by our employees.