Acquarius COO Gareth Cross highlights the company’s CSR initiatives in Gibraltar, emphasizing community engagement and environmental sustainability.
Acquarius views its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme extremely seriously. A vital aspect of our business operations in Gibraltar, we feel that CSR demonstrates our commitment to ethical, social and environmental concerns beyond merely improving “the bottom line”. Indeed, managing our staff expectations and developing them into a cohesive team is fundamental to maximising our profits – in a socially responsible way.
We consider CSR as one the fundamental pillars of our business approach and we seek to integrate social and environmental issues into all our operations. The interaction with a range of Gibraltar stakeholders including our staff, charities and organisations leads to sustainable ongoing development whilst achieving a positive impact consistently.
Acquarius’ contribution within a CSR setting includes a number of diverse initiatives aimed at benefiting both local people and the environment – provided those goals ally with our own values and objectives. We include as many of the staff as possible on our CSR progress thus the chances of a mis-alignment are very much reduced.
We manage our corporate contribution in two ways. Philanthropically, we donate regularly to several local social causes. Through this assistance, we are looking to make a tangible difference in our local community. We aim to encourage our staff and indeed other local businesses to make similar contributions as by cooperating and working together we can make a real difference. Recent examples of our philanthropic efforts include sponsoring the “Ladies that Rock the Rock” event as well as a forthcoming celebration when John Mascarenhas, one of our longest serving colleagues, will be inducted into the Gibraltar Music Hall of Fame.
We have posted content in the past about our commitment to Wellbeing in the Office and in particular the sterling work done by local group GibSams. We have agreed to be a corporate sponsor at their forthcoming Wellbeing Seminar and our Managing Director, Oliver Andlaw, will be sitting on one of the panels. Thus we demonstrate that contribution need not be purely financial but include personal interaction too, which can in itself be extremely rewarding for all concerned.
We have sponsored a float in the annual Three Kings Cavalcade, which is always an exuberant display of colour and sound and for Gibraltarians marks the end of the Christmas festivities. We support local sporting prowess too and were proud sponsors of this year’s Gibraltar Rugby youth tour to Lisbon.
Apart from philanthropy, corporate volunteer programs enable employees to engage directly with communities by offering time and their skill sets. This fosters a sense of social responsibility within the team facilitating meaningful interactions with the community. There are those who view this kind of contribution as being more important than merely “writing a cheque”. Acquarius believes that both are important. Recent examples of volunteering in the community include a beach clean – with a second already planned for later in May.
Furthermore, corporate contributions in CSR often extend to environmental sustainability initiatives. Companies invest in renewable energy projects, implement energy-efficient technologies, or adopt eco-friendly practices in their operations to reduce their carbon footprint and mitigate environmental impact. We are already playing our part in all of these important areas.
In conclusion, corporate contribution in a CSR setting encompasses a range of initiatives, including philanthropy, volunteer programs and environmental sustainability efforts. By actively participating, Acquarius is able to demonstrate our commitment to being responsible corporate citizens whilst contributing positively to the well-being of society and Gibraltar as a whole.
We are delighted to share our thoughts on these areas. If other businesses, both locally and further afield, wish to become involved, please contact us.
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