At Santander we have a varied Community programme featuring employee fundraising campaigns which provide support to local and national charities including Comic Relief, Children in Need and Cancer Research UK.
Through the Santander Foundation, donations are provided to projects that support disadvantaged people through education, training and financial advice. Last year the Community programme contributed over £3 million to good causes around the UK.
Our employee volunteering initiatives have been running for over 5 years and have provided many opportunities for staff to take part in educational, conservational or community projects.
Volunteering programmes provide an ideal opportunity for individuals to broaden their skills whilst helping community projects. It is an effective way to engage employees and develop key relationships in which learning and sharing best practice are top of the agenda.
The mentoring programmes that our staff get involved with, are an effective and cost-efficient way for businesses to develop talent. For a business, established and well managed mentoring schemes foster a culture of support and through effective knowledge sharing, will ultimately provide a more engaged workforce.
In the current economic climate, mentoring programmes become even more relevant as they are seen as cost efficient and a tool in which long term business links and relationships with the mentor/mentee are established and developed.
Santander Case Studies:
Peter Kennedy
Peter studied at the University of Manchester - graduated in 2008 - and is currently a graduate trainee at Santander Corporate Banking. He volunteered with CSV and The Lancashire Wildlife Trust when he was at university.
Peter commented: "The volunteering seemed like a good way to give something back to the community, to help out other such volunteers and was a great way to bond with my work colleagues. I have volunteered in a nature reserve before, which I enjoyed, so this seemed like an ideal opportunity to do it again.
"Whilst you have the time and opportunity to volunteer you should get involved. It also looks good for your CV and is a good way to get to know people and develop certain skills that may stand you in good stead in the future."
Jess Gowers
Jess studied law at Lancaster University and graduated in 2008. Jess now works for Alliance & Leicester and has volunteered at Spinney Hill Park for Leicester County Council.
Jess said: "Santander Community days are a popular activity throughout the organisation as they give employees the opportunity to put something back into the local community.
You get to give something back to the community and see that you have made a difference – no matter how small, and it is really rewarding to see what you have achieved at the end of it."
Rachel Start Rachel studied drama with English literature at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2008, and volunteered with CVS as a graduate on the Santander Graduate Scheme.
Rachel said: "As a member of a Graduate Scheme and a member of the Graduate Committee we felt it was important to get involved in some form of community work in order to enhance our CVs, use team building skills, and exercise unity as a group of graduates who are usually based across very different areas of our company."