A highlight in any corporate social responsibility calendar, yesterday was the day where many local businesses eagerly awaited the results of the Raising the Bar awards shortlist. At Approach HQ, we were over the moon to have been shortlisted for the Education award in the small business category.

Raising the Bar

Introduced by the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, the initiative helps to measure and celebrate social responsibility amongst companies in Bradford, Leeds, York and North Yorkshire.

Split into four categories, companies can measure their efforts in education, employment, environment and the community, through a handy online benchmarking tool. This not only highlights success, but is also great for suggesting improvements to ensure businesses are effectively supporting their communities, teams and industries. As part of the programme, top tips and skills sharing are circulated to empower firms to increase their positive impact in the wider community.

Education

At Approach Towers, education is always a real focus for us. We’re passionate about giving back to the younger generation and giving them the opportunity to experience working in an office. This year, we’ve loved welcoming interns to work on a range of tasks from photoshoots to copywriting and social media planning.

In July, we were delighted to appoint Leeds Beckett University undergraduate, Finley Howell, who is our junior account executive for a year as part of his Business and Management degree placement year. We also regularly attend breakfast briefings at local schools and support students with projects.

The annual Raising the Bar awards celebrate the Yorkshire businesses that go above and beyond for social responsibility. Hosted at the Leeds Civic Hall, we’re looking forward to the event on 6 November. With many outstanding businesses shortlisted including Naylor Winstersgill, Christeyns and Gordons, it’s set to be phenomenal evening!

What does your business do to increase its social impact? Let us know at @Approach_pr