Summary
A small consultancy specializing in corporate community investment advice, ConciseConsultancy aims to practice what it preaches by being active in the North West region. As a company they have made a commitment to develop a partnership with a local school, participate in one fundraiser per year and develop a partnership to support the education and rehabilitation of young offenders.

Background
Founded by Paul Hodson in April 2002 ConciseConsultancy specialises in providing corporate community investment advice, development and delivery of innovative business and community sector partnerships. The consultancy has particular expertise in the development of such partnerships in the region's most socially and economically deprived areas.

Responsible business objectives 
We seek to invest in our staff, be responsible to and for our environment, support the communities in which we work and work with our clients and partners to develop and promote effective community investment practices.

How they do it

• Formalize community commitment in company policy. It is policy that any employee of the business should provide an element of their time to support the community in which we work or are based. Additionally, the business will support the fund raising activities of any member of staff and make a contribution to agreed charitable causes.
• Identify focus area. Initially we have identified education as a focus for our community investment programme and have developed a link with a primary school within a socially and economically deprived area of Bolton. A further link has been developed with involvement in a reading support scheme.
• Fundraising. The business has an annual fundraising activity and seeks to maximise its impact by working in partnership with other small businesses in the area.

 What impact it has

• Community Donation. Our first interaction with the school was to donate Halloween banners and materials from a business seminar held to promote the benefits of working in partnership with communities.

• Educational Impact. Evaluation with the local Education Business Partnership has shown the value and impact made via our reading support initiative. 

• Fundraising. Participation in the Great North Run with staff from Towncroft Construction resulted in raising £1000 for our chosen charity partner The Breast Cancer Campaign.

Business Benefits
We aim to practice what we preach. The success of our business relies upon our knowledge and expertise in the field of corporate community investment. It is fundamental to our business to demonstrate our corporate social responsibility and be a model of best practice.

This company is currently working towards achieving CommunityMark.