On Tuesday 12^th September, Thomas Miller hosted a dedicated CSR day in the London office. The day showcased the five pillars of our unique corporate social responsibility programme, Be The Difference, giving employees the opportunity to learn more about some of our suppliers and partners within our local communities.

After launching in 2018, Be The Difference has provided the opportunity for our people to engage with and be actively involved in philanthropic efforts across the globe. The day spanned across our five pillars of CSR and ESG: Our Company, Our People, Our Planet, Our Community and Our Marketplace. The day started with a variety of drop-in stands across a selection of our suppliers and partners, concluding with a key-note speaker session presented by our corporate charity partner, Street Child. You can learn more below:

Bartlett Mitchell

Our in-house caterers provided four showcases, highlighting their commitment to ethical practices and sustainability:

• Eat with the Earth in Mind: This is an ethos that aims to unite us to reduce our carbon footprint. We learnt about creative ways to use (including the opportunity to taste!) more plant-based proteins in our meals and reducing food waste, creating lower carbon, planet-friendly dishes on a day-to-day basis. Our employees learnt many small changes that can contribute to a big impact.
• Perkee Coffee: Bartlett Mitchell’s London Coffee Trainer taught employees all about Perkee’s Fairtrade coffee, including their sustainable coffee farming methods and ethical supply chains. This even included the chance to try the coffee for free!
• Food Waste: Paired with a specialist menu, Bartlett Mitchell’s dedicated chefs presented to us ‘Wasted!’, a display consisting of delicious recipes for items that would usually find their way into the bin, ranging from watermelon rind pickles all the way to porridge bread. This is key to their day-to-day thinking as caterers and our employees were pleased this contributes to the food produced in the office.
• Recycling Best Practices: Employees were also able to learn more about different waste streams, and understand where different rubbish items should be disposed of in order to avoid an unnecessary amount of waste going to landfill, which is having a detrimental impact on our environment.

HCA Healthcare UK and AXA PPP

Employees were invited to attend ‘mini-health checks’, measuring things like blood pressure and BMI, providing the opportunity to receive guidance on their health stats and learn more about next steps, bringing personal physical health to the forefront.

Total Office

As one of our key office stationary and materials providers, Total Office provided insight surrounding their plethora of sustainable office supplies. Sustainability is at the heart of their mission as a company, with many innovative schemes including greener paper, plastics and delivery strategies, with items ranging from biodegradable pens, to notebooks made out of apple peel.

Aldgate Connect

With our headquarters in the heart of the City of London, Aldgate Connect joined us, shining a light on the Business Improvement District within Aldgate. Employees were able to learn about the variety of programmes in the pipeline across the Square Mile, with many ways to get involved in the future, ranging from volunteering opportunities to local concerts and business networking events.

Street Child

As our current corporate charity partner, we were thrilled to conclude the day with a focus on Street Child. Rebecca Oldham, our dedicated Partnership Manager, took us through a presentation bringing together a brilliant summary of our work with the charity since January 2022. With our partnership drawing to a close at the end of this year, it was insightful to understand how our funds, which currently total over £120,000, have been allocated across their programmes so far, including in Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, where our partnership has been focused. Our employee-led fundraising efforts were highlighted, with a multitude of global efforts coming together as we eke ever closer to our £50,000 target.

We thank all our presenters and attendees for making the day a success, and we look forward to continuing to push forward our CSR programme, ‘Be The Difference’ alongside our Environmental, Social and Governance strategy.