Val Carter, corporate responsibility director, ARAMARK

What does CR mean to you?

CR means different things to different companies, but essentially it is about taking responsibility for the communities we impact upon and acting in a considerate manner with regards to employees, customers and the wider world surrounding us.

Why did your company decide to introduce a CR scheme?

There were two main reasons. First, as a company we accept our activity has an impact on the planet, and, second, we are behaving responsibly, by thinking beyond our four walls. 

Just as we are aware of the footprint left behind us, the companies we work with are becoming more CR conscious and this is becoming a powerful driver for ARAMARK.

Who was the pioneer behind this and how did you get buy-in from the board?

The U.S arm of ARAMARK has been developing its CR programme for the last couple of years, so in some respects the UK CR policy has been encouraged by this groundwork. That said, there is always a business case to answer with any new initiative. Local managers had realised that this was not just a growing trend and that it was a core function that our employees, our suppliers and of course our clients could benefit from.

Was there a budget, is it costly (short-term investment for long term gain)?

There wasn’t a budget initially, but we had to find one. It did mean increasing our overheads but equally you don’t need a huge resource depending on what activities you intend to pursue. From our perspective, it is primarily about changing behaviour and injecting time and energy into projects. You don’t have to go down the philanthropic route, which is a common misconception. 

How did you go about setting it up?

Using the key CR pillars, workplace, marketplace, environment, community, we looked at the big impact areas or where we could make a difference with relative ease. For us, issues like waste management, recycling and food providence were the natural starting points. We could think about how we operate in these areas and begin to change the way we behave.

What was the initial reaction from others?

It was extremely positive. We spent time educating the business on what we were proposing and how this would impact them. We created an employee engagement training pack which gave them a reference point. We were honest throughout the process, updating people as to where we were with different initiatives and how we hoped to achieve them. We were very lucky in some respects timing-wise. High profile campaigns had introduced the importance of sourcing local foods and food providence and as consumers we were already buying into the environmental messages, so our employees were pleased to see the company behaving in a way they could be proud of.

What are your CR initiatives?

We are involved in many initiatives so it is impossible to detail the entire programme. I have selected a few key examples which we would be happy to talk about in further detail.

Supplier Forum – ARAMARK has spearheaded a CR supplier forum, managing to get 16 high profile companies such as Nestlé Professional, Cadbury PLC, PepsiCo and many more to meet on a quarterly basis to discuss CR, what it means to each business and how working together it is possible to set Key Performance Indicators within the CR context.

One Water – It is also committed to selling One Water within its businesses to generate sales for the company to help fund water pumps in Africa. Only last year, ARAMARK travelled out to Africa to see a pump being installed following its sales.

Business Action on Health Leadership team – Business Action on Health is a Business in the Community Campaign which aims to highlight the business benefits of better health at work and to make reporting on workplace health issues commonplace in UK boardrooms. Due to the nature of ARAMARK’s business, the key contribution it makes is on healthy eating in the workplace and as such has been part of the sub-group developing the healthy eating toolkit which will be distributed to all FTSE 100 companies.

Community fundraising – ARAMARK is highly active within the community. Just one of its recent activities included a charity five peak challenge, led by ARAMARK’s own chief executive Andrew Main. The team of 20 employees embarked on an ambitious and daring hike of Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic’s five highest mountains – totalling 17,336 feet (and driving 1900 miles non stop) in just 48 hours, raising well in excess of £40,000 for Childline and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Sponsorship of British Food Fortnight - British Food Fortnight is the biggest national celebration of the diverse and delicious range of food that Britain produces.

Shops, pubs and restaurants are invited to run promotions, tastings and special menus. Schools are encouraged to bring chefs into the classroom to teach children how to cook. ARAMARK is one of the main sponsors of this event, fully embracing the two weeks of activity and offering support across the whole company to the community. And, the activity doesn’t stop there, ARAMARK continues with its commitments to schools throughout the year.

Support resources - The company has developed a six-monthly newsletter for its units to use. Among much more, it details case studies and useful information on healthier products each unit can use within its meals, as well as keeping it abreast of updates and news. It is a reference point as well as a guide and an invaluable resource for the teams to “do their bit” and allow people to showcase exceptional work.

What feedback have you had from employees, clients and stakeholders since the launch of the CR programme?

Feedback has been extremely encouraging. In recent internal research, our employees, clients and suppliers all commended the company’s attitude and initiatives within the CR remit. The majority were aware of our commitment and could actually quote back examples of the work we have achieved. We still have a long way to go, having only really begun our CR journey, but when even our clients are commenting on our successes it means a great deal. 

Any lessons learnt?

You need to realistic, and start small. If you don’t have anything in place it is a daunting process. It can seem like you are opening Pandora’s Box, but if you take it one step at a time, making sure everything you do links together, it will naturally take shape. We are a year in and we have only just begun putting together a formal CR plan. You need to know where you are going with something and how it will work before you start formalising it and there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, the more you try to shape something before you are ready, the easier it is to become unstuck. It is about knowing the company’s strengths, exploiting these and then working out what this means in strategic direction.

Why should other employers set up CR schemes?

There really is no reason not to. It is a great message to send to your employees. You instantly become a company that cares and this is crucial to help attract and retain staff. And, from a business perspective, it is a win-win. Most companies these days expect you to have a CR policy - it could literally make the difference between winning and losing business. In some cases, it can also save you money, for instance recycling, waste reduction programmes.

Should CR be seen as a separate function or incorporated into the organisation’s core DNA?

CR should be seen as a seamless extension of the business but it will not start out that way. When you first introduce it to a business it will need to sit separately to enable people to get used to its function and buy-in. After a couple of years it should naturally find its place in the organisation. The real sign of success is when it no longer exists but is just simply the way we do business.

Has 'CR' become a cynical term?

I personally think it has moved beyond the cynism. It's important to position it as a business benefit and keep it focused on improving processes, if you do that it can not and will not be perceived as fluffy. 

How does the organisation measure CR in terms of employee engagement/return on investment?

Within our training and awareness employee packs we have quizzes to help us measure the success and impact of our policies and our programmes. This means we get real feedback in real time and can tailor what we are doing at any time.

We also work with clients and suppliers to set Key Performance Indicators so that we can evaluate any initiatives and can track performance.  We make sure all parties are happy with the objectives and set realistic targets.