CSR

At Bonfire we are committed to making a positive contribution, both now and in the future, to our staff, clients, communities and the environment. We have always, and will continue to, help young designers to reach their full potential through supporting their education and providing advice and meaningful work experience for them.

We are passionate about building a creative community, as we believe that there is a lot to be gained from working collectively. We believe that charitable giving can provide a lot more than the feel-good factor and we actively involve our staff and clients in our activities, allowing us to harness the staff development, team-spirit and motivation that meaningful partnerships with charities, educational establishments and community groups can provide.

Our Goals

• It is our goal to be a conscious member of the communities in which we operate: the Bonfire community, the local community and the creative community.
• We aim to be fair and respectful in all of our dealings with colleagues, clients, suppliers, competitors and all other stakeholders and to always nurture good working practices. We encourage others to do the same through seeking accreditation of the Design Association and the Chartered Society of Designers.
• We seek to meaningfully support one charity of our team’s choice per year, encouraging our team members to take positive action to do the same by match-funding sponsored activities, encouraging fundraising and enabling payroll giving.
• We hope to help build communities through creativity, both professional and local.
• We pledge to support new designers by offering support to local colleges, schools, Higher Education Institutions and to individual designers through our work experience programme.
• We wish to minimise any negative impact on the environment that our business practices may have by following the principles of reducing, reusing and recycling. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint through our membership of the Green Business Network. We actively support the planting of new trees in the Forest of Marston Vale.

Our Targets

• We pledge, that in 2008 - 2009, we will
• Reduce our carbon footprint by 10%.
• Achieve at least the silver kite mark for payroll giving.
• Recycle 100% of our waste paper.
• Host 2 work experience placements.
• Donate £1000 to our chosen charities and fundraise at least 50% more.
• Donate 200 hours to charitable work (both creative and voluntary)

Our progress so far

• We have been awarded a gold kite mark for payroll giving and achieved ‘highly commended’ in the best SME campaign at the payroll giving excellence awards 2009.
• We have hosted 2 work experience placements and led brand workshops at Bedford College.
• We have donated 50 hours of creative work to Keech Cottage and Marston Vale (and 210 hours overall to CSR activity).
• We have donated £500 each to Keech Cottage and Marston Vale and have fundraised almost £1000 more for Keech Cottage through sponsored activity, team building events and payroll giving.