13 May 2008
Kindness in the capital roars to new levels with the opening of
the 2008 Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards
Lord Mayor David Lewis announced the official opening of the
Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards 2008 on Monday 12 May. The City of
London Corporation is preparing for an influx of applications from
businesses and public bodies across Greater London – particularly
from SMEs who have been ramping up their activity in Corporate
Community Involvement.
Now in its 21st year, the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards is the
oldest and most well-established scheme to reward companies and
public bodies across London for their Corporate Community
Involvement schemes. Particular interest has been expressed in the
‘Heart of the City’ category - for companies who have set up an
effective Corporate Community Involvement programme for the first
time in the last three years.
The expected influx in applications suggests companies realise
the value of community initiatives, not least for the benefits it
brings their employees. Volunteers forge stronger bonds with team
members and colleagues and learn new skills and benefit
psychologically from altruistic activities. Participant firms also
profit from the brand value of Corporate Community
Involvement.
Lord Mayor David Lewis said, “The Dragon Awards bring a fuller
meaning to the role of a business ‘Dragon’. Many Corporate
Community Involvement initiatives seem to be coming from a
front-line level and employers are finding opportunities to go
above and beyond their core work to significantly help the
regeneration of their local communities.’
Leading banker Bob Wigley, Chairman of Merrill Lynch Europe,
Middle East and Africa, who won the Lord Mayor’s Award last year,
said, “Responsible Citizenship is key to our culture and we are
fortunate to have a deep pool of talent and a vast range of skills
at our disposal. We are proud of our contribution towards the
future prospects of young people through our Corporate Community
Involvement programmes and recognise the value that this brings
both inside and outside the firm.”
The City of London Corporation’s sister initiative, City Action,
which brokers volunteering opportunities between private and public
sector parties, has seen a massive 130% increase in new clients
comparing the last six months with those previously.
94% of employers believe that volunteering can add to an
employee’s individual growth and skill, and 54% say voluntary work
experience can actually be more valuable than experience gained in
paid employment. 94% of employees who volunteered to learn new
skills had benefited either by getting their first job, improving
their salary or being promoted.
For more information or details about how to apply, visit
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/dragonawards.
Ends
Notes for editors
This year’s entry categories are as follows:
Education
For companies working with educational establishments. Examples
of work could include:
- Mentoring
- Learning Partnerships
- CV workshops
- Work Experience
Economic Regeneration
For companies that are contributing to the economic regeneration
of an area. Examples could include:
- Local procurement of goods and services
- Helping local people to become more employable e.g. through
mentoring, CV advice, ffering work experience
- Providing professional skills and expertise to local
micro-businesses, SMEs, social enterprises or community
organizations through employee volunteering
Social Inclusion
For companies working on projects that aim to decrease social
exclusion and/or help improve the quality of life for socially
excluded groups of people. Examples could include working with:
- Young people in transition
- Homeless people
- Substance mis-users
- Older people
- Young offenders
- Lone parents
- People on low income
Heart of the City
This award is for companies who have set up an effective
Corporate Community Involvement programme for the first time in the
last three years. Heart of the City is a City of London Corporation
initiative which provides free support for companies that are
interested in Corporate Community Involvement and the wider area of
Corporate Social Responsibility.
Volunteer of the Year
Schools, charities and community organizations are invited to
submit nominations for a business volunteer who has made an
outstanding contribution to their organization in 2007.
Press enquiries
Rosalind Jeffcoat or Carie Barkhuizen at Rain UK
T: 020 7222 4345
E:
name.surname@raincommunications.co.uk