CR Week 2008: Community Day, Tuesday 7th Oct

Need for New ‘Social Partnership' Between Businesses & Communities - BITCI

• BITCI calls for greater commitment by businesses to local community initiatives
• O2 CEO Danuta Gray spearheads ‘Seeing is Believing' tour in Limerick

October 7th 2008: Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), the country's leading corporate responsibility advisory group, today called for a new level of ‘social partnership' between corporations and the communities in which they operate, as part of its ‘Seeing is Believing' tour in Limerick.

The tour - part of Corporate Responsibility Week, a nationwide BITCI initiative to promote responsible and sustainable business practices in Ireland - showcased a number of major community relations programmes in Limerick, including the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre and Limerick Youth Service, to the group of business leaders on the tour.

Tina Roche, CEO, BITCI, said: “At a time of uncertainty in business circles, both locally and globally, businesses must show more commitment to the communities in which they are based. If a business is a partner in the community, it is essential that they recognise that now, in a time of greater need, their community needs that support”.

“Ultimately, a company, regardless of size, cannot succeed, unless it has the support of local citizens and stakeholders. We have seen today some terrific examples of how businesses can interact positively at a community level, but we are looking for companies to create a new ‘social partnership' with communities in which they are based for the lasting benefit.”

The ‘Seeing is Believing' tour was led by Danuta Gray, CEO of O2 Ireland. The key elements of the tour were a visit to the Moyross Community Enterprise Centre, where the group were briefed on the history of the enterprise centre and how the local business community has supported the regeneration of the long neglected areas of Moyross and Southhill.

The tour also involved a visit to the Limerick Youth Service (LYS), which works to develop opportunities for disadvantaged young people. The LYS works with young people at risk from drugs and young people exposed to violence and homelessness. In addition, the tour visited Salesians Secondary School in Limerick, where O2 Ireland provides work experience opportunities and mentoring for senior pupils.


Danuta Gray, CEO, O2 Ireland, said: “We take a huge pride in our work with the local communities in which we operate. We believe that we have a responsibility to have a positive impact on these communities and to enable our people to actively participate in the areas they live in.”



“Today's tour shows how business, of all sizes and industries, can interact with community based initiatives for the better and we fully endorse BITCI's efforts to embed community relations into corporate behaviour across all segments of the business community,” said Ms. Gray.



For further information contact:
Moira Horgan
Marketing Manager
Business in the Community Ireland
Tel: 01 874 3812 / Mobile: 086 172 2105
Email: mhorgan@bitc.ie