In 2018, 60 Irish companies donated more than 30 million euros to charities and community groups. News for Ireland, Ireland,

It is estimated that last year in Ireland, 60 leading companies donated more than 30 million euros to charities and community groups, while employees garnered 264,735 volunteer hours. .

This is evident from data collected by Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), a business network that advises the largest Irish companies on social responsibility and sustainability. The data is presented on an online Business Impact Map, which details how 60 companies and their employees supported local community groups and charities in 2018.

The Business Impact Map shows that more than 13.5 million euros were donated in cash; 11.7 million euros were donated in kind and more than 5.5 million euros were raised through employee fundraising. Employees also spent more than 264,735 hours on local groups and projects during the year.

In 2018, the areas of health, social inclusion, education and children / youth were the best supported. More than 4 million euros were donated to health, 3.8 million euros to social inclusion and 3.3 million euros to education and training. children / young people.

This year, for the first time, BITCI has asked companies to link their community support to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These are often called the "to-do list" for the planet and many employees ask companies how they contribute to achieving these goals. The 5 main objectives supported by the companies in 2018 were: good health and well-being, quality education, responsible production and consumption, reduction of inequalities and sustainability of cities and communities.

Commenting on the report, Tomás Sercovich, Managing Director of Business in the Community Ireland, said: "Employees want to work for companies that encourage volunteering in their day-to-day activities and above all want to work in a way that respects their values. companies understand the critical value of tackling social problems – it is a fundamental sustainability challenge. "

"Employee engagement is an essential tool for attracting and retaining top talent because employees are now waiting for their employers to have a community strategy in place."

Source: www.businessworld.ie