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Nottingham University Business School will be backing Responsible Business Week 2014 by offering a free public lecture by a leading UK entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Polly Gowers OBE, CEO and founder of Everyclick Ltd — a technology company that provides online fundraising tools for charities — will be speaking on Wednesday April 2 at an event hosted by the School’s International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ICCSR).
Her lecture, CSR and Growth in Sales are Intrinsically Linked, will examine the competitive landscape facing corporations, in particular retailers, within which CSR can often be viewed as a costly public relations luxury.
Smart marketing
Polly will argue that a revolution is vitally needed to transform attitudes and that smart retailers know that a sound CSR strategy and well-executed CSR programme drives loyalty and sales in a climate where customers value action to help vital causes rather than wasting money on advertising gimmicks.
The lecture will draw on Polly’s considerable experience of ethical trading — her company Everyclick Ltd’s flagship product is Give As You Live, a philanthropic shopping platform that enable online shoppers to raise money for charity without putting their hand deeper into their pocket. For each purchase via the platform, the retailer pays a commission, a proportion of which is donated to the shopper’s chosen charity. The technology, which is free to any UK charity, has raised more than £4.5 million for charities, schools and good causes since its launch in 2010.
Polly’s lecture has been organised by Nottingham University Business School in support of Responsible Business Week 2014, which runs from March 31 to April 4.
Shouting about responsibility
Responsible Business Week, run by the charity Business in the Community, aims to inspire, equip and challenge businesses to do more to meet the world’s most pressing needs.
Businesses and business organisations of all sizes use the week to run their own activity or take part in events across the country. They are also encouraged to shout about their responsible business to different audiences — their customers, employees, supply chain, community and partner organisations, and the media. Last year more than 1,500 people across the country took part in the first Responsible Business Week.
Commenting Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community, said: “We know that all year round, businesses of all sizes are engaged in responsible business activity that tackles societal, environmental and economic issues, and unlocks innovation and opportunity for their business in the process. But as the world emerges from recession there is a powerful new opportunity for business to do even more, and in doing so contribute to a recovery that is inclusive and sustainable. Business is a powerful movement for change and we are excited to give it the platform it needs through this week.”
To find out more about Responsible Business Week visit www.bitc.org.uk/rbweek or search for the hashtag #RBWeek.
Responsible Business Week is convened by Business in the Community, in partnership with Veolia Environment and the Telegraph Media Group.
The lecture by Polly Gowers OBE take place from 6pm to 7.30pm on Wednesday April 2 in Room LT1 of the Exchange Building on the University’s Jubilee Campus and will be followed by a drinks reception.
The lecture is open to the public and free of charge. For more information or to register to attend the lecture please email icssr@nottingham.ac.uk or telephone 0115 846 6976.
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Notes to editors: The University of Nottinghamhas 43,000 students and is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with campuses in China and Malaysia modelled on a headquarters that is among the most attractive in Britain’ (Times Good University Guide 2014). It is also the most popular university among graduate employers, the world’s greenest university, and winner of the Times Higher Education Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development’. It is ranked in the World's Top 75 universities by the QS World University Rankings.
Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University’s vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. More news…