Sector:  PR / Marketing
No.of Employees:  1-20
Region: North West

Summary
Smith & Smith P.R. contributes to local communities through a firm commitment to providing 10% of all P.R. services either free of charge or heavily discounted to not-for-profit organizations in the North-West. This commitment has not only increased the job satisfaction of the business owners, it has also led to new clients.

Background
Founded in 2002, Smith & Smith P.R. is a small communications firm located in Hale, Cheshire.

Responsible business objectives 
"Ongoing commitment to local communities has been a consistent ethos of Smith & Smith's and I'm thrilled to be able to contribute our expertise where it is most sorely needed. I firmly believe that corporate social responsibility is the way business will be going in the future and I'd love to see more businesses - including small businesses, who have as much to give as large corporations in terms of enthusiasm and knowledge - donate time to the many and diverse good causes in our communities."
Jane Smith, managing director, Smith & Smith P.R. Ltd.

How they do it

• Discounted service to selected types of businesses. Our good practice and commitment to the community is integrated into a broader business strategy in that Smith & Smith also offers heavily discounted P.R. packages to small businesses (12 employees or less), women-owned businesses, organic and fair trade businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the North-West. So far we have three clients in the Manchester area benefiting from vastly reduced P.R. fees for our ongoing campaigns

• Contribution of professional services. Smith & Smith P.R. contribute P.R. services to the Youth Charter for Sport which helps disaffected local youths through sport and cultural opportunities; the Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Awards which recognizes the outstanding achievements of Asian individuals in the UK; the South Asia Bulls inter-Asian rugby league team; the British Asian Rugby Association; the Nepal Himalayan Festival; Macmillan Cancer Relief; and The Media Trust which helps not-for-profit organisations promote themselves through the media.

What impact it has
Benefits for our community partners have been as follows in the period June 2003 - August 2003 (our evaluations began in June 2003 but we had been providing free or discounted P.R. services since February 2002):

• Lloyds TSB Asian Jewel Awards: press release work, media centre and raising press and public awareness of the Awards
• Youth Charter for Sport: press release work
• South Asia Bulls: press release work, press and television coverage and raising press and public awareness
• The Media Trust: press release workshops for representatives of charities provided and delivered free of charge
• Macmillan Cancer Relief North West: provision of PR services pro bono to help raise awareness among ethnic minorities in the region
• Nepal Himalayan Festival: press releases and press desk at the festival free of charge to help raise awareness of the festival
  
• Monthly costed contributions to the community have averaged £1,026.

Business Benefits

• Professional satisfaction. Business benefits to Smith & Smith P.R. have been mainly intangible - my own job satisfaction benefits greatly, and I hope that any future employees will also enjoy increased job satisfaction because of our community work.

• Client recommendations. Tangible benefits have been recommendations by clients from the community organizations to other organizations and businesses requiring P.R. services.