Responsible Business and Enterprise
With his long-standing interest in community affairs and close connections with leading figures from the business world, The Prince of Wales is well-placed to use his position to support the development of corporate social responsibility initiatives throughout the UK and abroad.
He believes that the private sector has the ability to make a real difference to many of the issues and problems facing communities.
Business in the Community (BITC)
Business in the Community (BITC) is the largest and one of the oldest organisations promoting corporate responsibility. It has operations in Wales, Northern Ireland and every English region as well as partnerships internationally.
Its 750-plus member companies are committed to working together to improve their impact on society, whether on the environment, or in the market place, the workplace and the community. As well as being an active President, The Prince of Wales has personally initiated several major programmes including Seeing is Believing, Rural Action, Pro Help, Business Action on Homelessness and Cares. In December 2011 Arts & Business - which helps to forge relationships between business and cultural organisations for the good of all - merged with Business in the Community. Visit www.bitc.org.uk.
Scottish Business in the Community (SBC)
Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) enables companies to make their impact on society as positive and productive as possible, while gaining tangible business benefits.
SBC is led by a group of member companies committed to the promotion of responsible business practice in Scotland.
A network of multi-sector contacts and 20 years of experience makes SBC the logical route through which the Scottish business community engages with society. Visit www.sbcscot.com.
In Kind Direct
The Prince of Wales set up In Kind Direct in 1996 to distribute companies’ surplus goods to charities, helping to avoid unnecessary waste. It is the only organisation coordinating in kind giving on a UK-wide scale.
Since 1996, over 5,200 voluntary and community organisations have received product via In Kind Direct, from more than 850 donor businesses.
During 2011, In Kind Direct redistributed a record £17 million worth of goods to UK charities working at home and abroad.
These represent every kind of cause, including under-privileged children, sickness and disability, family welfare, homelessness, emergency relief, community support and job skills training. Visit www.inkinddirect.org.uk.
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru are the only
They raise awareness of enterprise among older people, campaign for improvements, signpost or provide free business start-up support, offer guidance towards funding and undertake research into best practice.
PRIME and PRIME-Cymru offer the over-50s the opportunity to use their experience and skills and a chance to contribute to their communities. Visit www.prime.org.uk or www.prime-cymru.co.uk.
The Prince’s Youth Business International
The Prince’s Youth Business International (YBI) is an international network of programmes that help disadvantaged young people to become entrepreneurs by providing business mentoring and funds.
Each local programme operates on three common principles: they support young people, typically aged between 18-30, who have a good business idea but who cannot obtain help elsewhere; they provide access to start-up funds in the form of a loan without the need for guarantees or collateral; and they provide the young entrepreneur with a volunteer business mentor and access to business networks. Visit www.youthbusiness.org.