The principles of sustainability and corporate responsibility are deeply rooted in our core values. In 2007, building on our long-running work in the area of corporate social responsibility, we launched our Sustainability Programme. The Programme is overseen by our most senior executives, and focuses on three key areas:
• Our impacts on the environment
• The communities we operate in, both nationally and globally
• Our engagement with employees
As part of this, we have recently announced five environmental commitments, and have launched a cross-business change programme to address the challenges and opportunities they pose. They are:
• To reduce our overall CO2 footprint by 20% by 2014 (35% by 2020)
• To improve energy efficiency in our data centres by more than 20% by 2014
• To reduce our travel-related CO2 by more than 30% by 2014
• To send zero waste to landfill by 2014
• To implement an ISO14001 certified Environment Management System by the end of 2009
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At the same time, we are continuing with our many community initiatives, all of which are focused on one central theme: “Skills for the Future”. We work with a number of charitable organisations, including Crimestoppers, Myotubular Trust, Raleigh International, and The Prince’s Trust, and our people get involved in a huge range of activities along the way.
For example, we raised money for Crimestoppers by challenging the UK Police Service to a sailing rally around the Isle of Wight. Our Consulting graduate community provides ongoing strategic support to the Myotubular Trust. Members of the Technology graduate community worked with Raleigh International to help create a pathway and picnic area on a Guildford housing estate. And other employees have trekked from one coast of Costa Rica to the other on behalf of The Prince’s Trust.
You can find out more about our work below.
Raleigh International
Our involvement last year in a community project at Newlands Bishop Farm in Solihull is typical of the work we do with Raleigh International.
The farm is run for adults with mental health problems and learning difficulties, and it needed our help on a number of projects. Over the course of the three days, some of our graduates worked alongside Raleigh representatives to construct a wood store, build 16 vegetable beds and complete an eco-friendly classroom of straw and clay.
This unique event not only benefited people at the farm, but also allowed our people to develop skills in teamwork, leadership and, of course, DIY.
The Prince’s Trust
The Prince’s Trust is a charity that lends support to disadvantaged young people between the ages of 14 and 30. As well as delivering pro bono consulting work for the Trust, we engage in various fundraising activities on their behalf.
In 2006, for example, several of our employees trekked from one of Costa Rica’s coasts to the other. By hiking, cycling, rafting and kayaking, they managed to cover 250km in just seven days. More importantly, they were able to raise a staggering £281,000 in the process.
Myotubular Trust
Myotubular Myopathy is a rare muscle condition, which mostly affects boys at birth, and sometimes an even rarer form develops later in life affecting both boys and girls. It causes profound muscle weakness. Most critically, it affects the muscles that control breathing and swallowing and is a constant threat to life – a simple cold could prove fatal.
Our work with the Myotobular Trust is split two ways: strategic advice and fundraising. The first involves us helping to define a number of strategies and assisting with grant applications, which enable us to practise key consulting skills. We are also involved in raising money for the trust, which helps fund valuable research into the condition. To do this we have organised a number of events such as quiz nights, raffles and even the odd cake sale. These events are always popular with our Capgemini colleagues and make a real contribution to this worthwhile cause.
Business Dynamics
Capgemini’s graduate community has been working with a company called ‘business dynamics’ for nearly two years. Part of this relationship involves our graduates leading seminars in disadvantaged schools to introduce students to key business skills.
This isn’t just beneficial to the children, who have the opportunity to learn about the world of business from someone with first-hand experience; it is also a great challenge for those leading the seminars. Standing up in front of 30 children with the task of entertaining them for a full day is a fairly daunting task.