Corporate Social Responsibility

Take part in an inspirational expedition or team biulding challenge to raise money for your partenr charities and complete a sustainable, worthwhile conservation project coordinated by Trekforce Worldwide, the leading expedition and CSR consultancy with 20 years of expertise. At the same time, develop your CSR profile and strategy by developing your employees’ teamwork and communication skills, whilst helping to save fragile eco-systems or assist struggling communities in developing countries.

Carphone Warehouse completed a valuable orangutan research centre in 2006 and in 2008 Trekforce will be co-ordinating their major 8 day charity challenge through the hills and on the lakes of the Lake District, UK.

More than one-third of respondents to a survey conducted by communications group BT said that working for a caring and responsible employer was more important than the salary they earned.

44% of respondents said they would discount an employer that had a bad reputation, while nearly half said corporate social responsibility policies should be compulsory. One-third believe environmental considerations should be the most important topic on the company agenda, ahead of market innovation, flexible working, staff welfare and community investment. A quarter of respondents believe business has the most influence on the future of the planet, second only to governments.

"Young professionals are increasingly looking at corporate social responsibility when considering which companies and brands they might work for." Source: Personnel today

Trekforce Worldwide can provide you with a competative advantage by designing a bespoke project-based expedition or adventure challenge that tests your team and develops vital skills, which are transferable to the work place. Past examples of such projects include helping to save endangered orangutans, providing fresh water to hill tribes and building rainforest research centres, schools or vital national park infrastructure.

Corporate and social responsibility

Trekforce can help you meet your CSR targets with minimum effort by encouraging your employees to take part in a charity challenge expedition and raising funds for your partner charity. By completing a project-based expedition in Borneo in 2006, Trekforce helped The Carphone Warehouse raise £40K for their partner charities Barnados and Get Connected. Such challenges or expeditions do not have to cost the company any money, since employees are set individual fundraising targets and payments can be made through the payroll. However, you might look to offer staff 1-2 days extra annual leave to account for the time spent overseas.

Project-based expeditions and charity challenges

Trekforce Worldwide draws on 15 years of working within the project-based expedition charitable sector and can therefore offer unique charity challenges that combine trekking with project work. In 2006 Trekforce organised a project-based trek for The Carphone Warehouse. Two separate teams of 25 went to the remote jungles of Borneo for 10 days each, completing a valuable research facility for endangered orangutans.

The key to this model is that you are raising money for charity, as well as completing a worthwhile project. Projects range from constructing an endangered orangutan monitoring centre, through to vital health and water projects in Northern India. You tell us the type of project that would fit your CSR strategy - you may have a preferred country - then we locate a worthy project partner, design the expedition and deliver it for you. Because the project/trek will be challenging, there might also be a period of rest and recuperation at the end, perhaps on a deserted beach.

By choosing Trekforce Worldwide you are contributing towards the work Trekforce teams carry out throughout the world. The projects make for great PR and will make your stakeholders take note of your responsible attitude to the environment and social welfare, as well as the tangible effort you are making to be global citizens.

True travel and challenge with a purpose

Only Trekforce Worldwide can deliver this unique charity challenge model. Challenge your team to an expedition, living and working in a tough environment, contributing to the preservation of fragile eco systems or struggling communities. Participants are set a financial target which they must reach in order to take part. Working with you, we will set an achievable target, with a large percentage apportioned to the charity of your choice.

Raising the money

Instead of purely trekking, it is recognised that leaving tangible benefits behind in the form of a worthy project is more rewarding. You can raise money for your partner charity, as well as completing a sustainable project overseas, making the employees’ task of raising money easier. Staff receive the benefits of working together on a challenging project, as well as that sense of personal achievement, through a challenging experience overseas in a developing country.

Working with you, we will identify a financial target based on the type and duration of the expedition and build this into the funds you would like to raise for your charity. This target can include insurance, kit, accommodation, food and transfers for the duration of the expedition, as well as a contribution to the project costs. International and domestic flights are not included. We can negotiate a minimum and maximum level of participation and work with you to agree the level of commitment you are able to make.

Delivery

Once the groundwork has been done and we have agreed on the location, project, length and type of expedition, the Trekforce team can manage the rest. Our operations specialists can liaise with participants directly, even delivering pre-departure briefings to help prepare participants. Trekforce provide full training for all volunteers when they arrive in-country, as well as a period of acclimatisation. Trekforce provide experienced expedition leaders and medical personnel throughout the expedition.

To your specifications

Trekforce Worldwide work with a network of project partners throughout the world and we have the expertise and flexibility to customise a challenge to meet your requirements, lasting anything from 10 to 60 days. However, a typical CSR charity challenge or bespoke expedition tends to last between 7 and 14 days in-country. We are keen to respond to your own CSR needs.

"Most importantly for me was seeing just how much the whole trip affected everyone who took part. It has been described as ‘life changing’ by so many people and it has broken down barriers across the company, as it brought together people from stores, call centres and the head offices. The buzz that is going round is incredible and the e-mail banter flying back and forth reflects how much of a team was created in just one week. The Carphone Warehouse was lucky enough to link up with Trekforce to undertake two week-long projects to complete building work in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Sabah, Borneo to provide facilities for the world’s first tracking station for rehabilitated orang-utans in the wild. It was a great opportunity to be able to work with a company with such a great track record in environmental projects ."
Becky Maynard, CSR Manager, The Carphone Warehouse.