About Business in the Community Ireland

“Business in the Community Ireland is a unique movement of companies across Ireland committed to responsible business practices. Our purpose is to inspire, engage, support and challenge companies to continually improve the impact they have on society, specifically in the community, environment, marketplace and workplace.”
Tina Roche, Chief Executive, Business in the Community Ireland

Over a decade of business impact

Since small beginnings in 2000, Business in the Community Ireland has gone from strength to strength. Starting with only 3 employees in 2000 we now employ over 80 people on a nationwide scale. Our mission has always remained the same; to harness the power of Irish businesses to maximise its positive impact on all stakeholders. Now a highly focused business network, we offer guidance to companies in Ireland on all aspects of corporate responsibility and sustainability and we now work with over 60 of Ireland's top companies in this respect.

In addition to the work we do with large Irish companies on corporate responsibility, we also, through our social inclusion programmes, work with hundreds of companies nationwide to make an impact on key issues facing our society. Our programmes offer an ideal way for many companies to get involved in socially responsible initiatives.

The two issues that we have focused on over the last seven years are 1) Employment for people who are marginalised in our society and 2) Education with a particular focus on supporting students to stay in school until they complete their Leaving Certificate. Our programmes are as follows:

• Schools' Business Partnership -Aligning schools and business nationwide
• The Linkage Programme - Employment and Training programme for former offenders
• The Mentoring Service - Providing one-to-one practical and emotional support to prisoners before and after release
•The Gate Service - Employment and Training programme for prison based offenders
• Ready for Work- Employment and Training programme for homeless people
• EPIC - Employment and Training programme for people from immigrant communities

All the programmes have seen great success over the years and we hope as you read through our website, you will begin to see the major impacts that business has had on society through the years by their involvement with Business in the Community Ireland and our Programmes.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY
As well as guiding others, our CR Report captures our efforts to conduct our own business in keeping with our vision for Ireland to be a leading region on sustainable and responsible business practices—in respect of staff, customers, suppliers, local communities and the environment, framed in best corporate responsibility management and communications practice. Read teh report in full here.

If you would like any further information on ourresponsible business practice or have any questions on the report, please contact Elise McCarty on emccarthy@bitc.ie

Also, if you are interested in becoming a member of the BITCI network or would like more information on any of our social inclusion programmes, please contact:

Business in the Community Ireland
32 Lower O'Connell Street,
Dublin 1
Tel: 01 874 7232 / Fax: 01 874 7637
info@bitc.ie

Registered in Ireland. No.338442. Registered Office: One Spencer Dock, North Wall Quay, D1. Business in the Community is a company limited by guarantee. Business in the Community Limited is the registered business name of Business in the Community Ireland.

CHY No. 13968