The True Meaning of Giving: Get your CSR Strategy Wrapped Up this Season

As Christmas fast approaches, the levels of busyness seem to ratchet up, with diaries full of client lunches, events and general festive demands! So, it was wonderful for the team at RedLaw this week to put some perspective back into the true meaning of giving during this festive season.

Corporate Social Responsibility plays a vital part of RedLaw’s business plan; it provides us with the opportunity to achieve a positive impact on society and give back to communities. But too often the support can be just a token gesture, playing lip service to an association or a charity its PR strategy can reap benefits from. Or investment just scratches the surface of the issue and makes no real impact on change.

Which businesses can really say their CSR programme truly makes a real and beneficial improvement to people’s lives? I am very proud to say that RedLaw’s does.

Amidst the busy and demanding world of legal recruitment, each member of the RedLaw team brought in a gift this week to send off to William, a Kenyan schoolboy whom we sponsor through his years of secondary education. And, I was impressed. Every person really got behind the idea of filling his Christmas box, as did some of our children too who contributed small games and toys as well as Christmas drawings. It’s testament to the fact that the cause resonates and is important and relevant personally to each and every one.

Sending this gift box and encouraging William to do well at his studies for us was so much more important to us after receiving a heart-warming letter from him last week thanking us for his sponsorship. He wants to become a computer engineer, and with our help, he may very well achieve his dream.

Without our help, education can be a ‘luxury’ these families can’t afford for their children (all secondary education requires fees) and poverty becomes a way of life. Many of these children have lost one or both parents to malaria, AIDS or other issues. Many have to work to help support and feed their families and girls have the additional pressure of being married at a very young age.

Today, our box starts its lengthy journey to Kenya in the safe hands of Neil Kirby from Red Rubber Ball who runs this scholarship programme who will visit all the children on this programme before Christmas. We can’t wait to see photos of William as he opens his box!

So far, businesses and personal supporters have helped over 100 children secure scholarships; over 20 of these children have also gone on to University which is just fabulous news. One has become an English teacher.

These sponsorships really can overcome poverty and create life-changing opportunities. At RedLaw, we are all very proud to be part of it.