Business can make the difference, urges Carl

Business can make the difference, urges Carl

More than 50 Birmingham and Sandwell business people attended a recent breakfast meeting to learn how the city’s long-term unemployed residents could hold the key to future expansion.

The event in Newtown, hosted by Professor Carl Chinn, was organised by Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) and the Teenage Cancer Trust to showcase how business and charities can develop beneficial partnerships.

The meeting was opened by Carl who explained the historical importance of Aston’s contribution as a manufacturing centre and how new businesses are providing employment opportunities. They include East End Foods which has recently invested in the old HP Sauce site in Aston Cross.

Carl went on to explain how in the 1980s, even with the best of qualifications, work was hard to come by and even he became one of UB40’s “One in 10”.

“I strongly believe in what PPDG is achieving in giving Birmingham people the right skills for the workplace and then providing the bridge to employment with West Midlands employers,” he said. “It’s about giving people hope and dignity through the vehicle of employment.”

The Teenage Cancer Trust then took the opportunity to highlight the importance of corporate support for charities. West Midlands regional fund raiser Craig Burchell stated that the partnership with PPDG was about more than just making financial donations and highlighted how the company had used its contacts to open further doors to gain support from other West Midland businesses.

PPDG employer engagement director Nicki Lewis-Downing said that the company’s strong CSR agenda was behind the event to demonstrate that business can play a lead role in supporting the third sector.

“Everyone agreed that it was a breakfast meeting with a twist,” she said. “There were lots of employers keen to see how they might become involved with the charity. Every charity has an element of corporate support and some of those present indicated that they were keen to work with us in the future, so the morning was definitely mutually beneficial.”

PPDG has helped more than 100,000 job seekers secure sustainable employment and trained 130,000 people in vocational skills. The company was placed fourth in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2011 and has been widely recognised for its work in the field of CSR. For more information visit www.ppdg.co.uk.