Summary
Impact's mission is to help people live and work together in effective organisations, locally and globally. It designs and delivers experiential learning programmes.  It uses its profits to expand the organisation globally, reward people and promote personal, social, environmental and corporate responsibility through experiential learning. 

Background
Impact was founded in 1980 and has always sought to put something back into the community. It has a team dedicated to social and environmental practices. its commitment to society is supported by signing up to the United Nations Global Compact and the Millennium Development goals; by setting up an independent Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility Advisory Board including Earthwatch and Oxfam; by senior management leadership; and the creation of an internal steering group (We Are What We Do team).

Responsible business objectives 
Impact is committed to becoming a model of sustainable enterprise, integrating social equity and environmental sustainability into our work so as to achieve better and more profitable business results.

How they do it

• Community Action Programmes. These offer clients learning via participation in community projects all over the world. Prior to 2004 the company had involved clients in 23 projects. In the past six months it ran 36 programmes involving 50 different community partners.
• Internal management. The company employs a full-time Health and Safety manager and a website accessible by both employees and clients. In 2005 the company appointed an Environmental Manager to develop its environmental policies and minimise the company's effect on the environment.
• Staff involvement. Learning in the community is incorporated into every individual's personal development plan and its internal training programme provides opportunities to meet both business and individual needs. Employees are given three days to work in the community. Since March 2005, 57 staff have given 137 days of time. A staff committee runs Impact's fundraising activities and decides which causes to support and each year it sponsors and runs a holiday for socially disadvantaged children from Cumbria.
• International development. Internationally, Impact has supported the Zambia HIV/AIDS Leadership Forum through the development of a leadership programme; the Tsunami relief effort through the provision of counselling and translation and support to the Thai Royal Navy; and sent a skilled individual to the Kashmir earthquake relief effort.

 What impact it has

• 20% of profits put back into the community via projects e.g. Asian Tsunami relief effort, HIV/AIDS work in Zambia and relief work in Kashmir.

• 10% of UK sales revenue generated by delivering Community Action Programmes which has supported 50 community partners in the last six months.

• Increasing attention to environmental issues throughout the business including compliance with local users agreements relevant to its location within the Lake District National Park.

Business Benefits
Exposure to commercial markets in the humanitarian sector has allowed the company to develop innovate products and services.

It has been recognised for its work by being awarded the 'Giving Something Back' Award in the Sunday Times Best Small Companies To Work For 2006. It was also named the Best Small Workplace in the FT's Best Workplaces UK 2006, and fourth overall.

Impact has a low staff retention rate and is seen as an employer of choice in the area with 63% of staff involved in Learning in the Community projects providing skills and time to local community organisations.