Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Running your association responsibly

IRLA’s culture and ethos, driven by its membership means that we take our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very seriously, and this along with pro bono work from the directors and committees are an important commitment for sharing knowledge and networking across all of our membership firms.

It goes without saying that every board and committee member works pro bono for the association and we cannot thank them all enough. Our speakers and trainers, in the main are also working pro bono and they donate this time in the shared belief that knowledge shared is knowledge for the benefit of all. Our charitable support tends toward UK based and operated charities where our fund raising comes in direct response to a request for support. As a not for profit mutual the IRLA board does not feel that it can commit members funds to any long term relationship and therefore we limit our involvement to certain fund raising events.

Our CSR programme, which is overseen by Membership Director, Jenny Fair (responsible for communication) is managed by Leslie-Ann Giovnilli at Secretariat, extends to:

Diversity & Inclusion

We will foster an inclusive working environment where difference is embraced and where people feel valued and respected. We incorporate equality into our core objectives, making every effort to eliminate discrimination, create equal opportunities and develop good working relationships between different people.

Pro bono and legacy community training

We offer support and training on a pro bono basis, to a range of students and other not-for-profit organisations, as well as government employees. This may include:

• Working with students to research their dissertations and supporting their search for funding
• Enabling students to have access to specialist re/insurance related training at no cost
• Acting as mentors and referees as well as providing ‘soft skills’ experience
• Arranging day release and placement work for legal students

Charitable programmes

The Board which meets on a regular basis also consider suggestions for projects the association should support. Suggestions from members have been accepted and acted upon.

Our charitable support is driven by personal request from either a member or directly from a charity. Support is provided by individual teams taking part in fundraising activities or by specific activities at association events run by our Secretariat team.

Some of our directors and members are also participants on charity boards. IRLA acts as a conduit for our charity partners to broadcast their success, raise funds and by creating our own following a fund raising event.

Raising funds for charities

IRLA is a proud supporter of charitable causes, each year the board members are asked to select a charity for IRLA to support. As a not for profit, IRLA keeps its donation budget to around £500 pa, but appeals to its members to further support the chosen cause.

Twice a year, at our members dinners, we encourage members to bring along £10 to join in a game with the chance of winning a great prize and to raise funds for charity.

For 2022 our chosen charity is the National Autism Society 

You can donate here via IRLA just giving page

Autism at work – meet Jerrel here

HMRC supports Autism at work – read how they support NAS here

To date IRLA , with the fantastic support of its members, has raised and donated over £50,000 – not a small sum.

Huge thanks go to our cyclists, boot fair planners, quizzers and all others who helped to fundraise and create a community spirit. Click here to see our intrepid wing walkers and skydivers in action.

We hope that in 2022, with your support, we can continue to make a difference to these charities.

If you have any ideas to raise funds or wish to donate please contact us.

Environment

We are committed to recycling within our Secretariat office. We are consistently recycling over 90% of the waste collected, which is not burnt or sent to landfill. In addition, all the paper we use in the printers is FSC approved and thus sourced responsibly. We have a number of green initiatives around the use and re-use of computer and printing equipment, including night-time shut-down and the recycling of old equipment with local charities.