1. positive
impact
Partnerships with Business 1

2. Partnerships with Business
Business in the Community
comm.unity and the New Renaissance
Engaging business in partnerships
Issues and Concerns
Set up by businesses concerned about competitiveness and social exclusion in the ‘Digital Age’
BT EDS
Experian The POST OFFICE
Lorien BBC
KPMG DTI
Philips Hill and Knowlton
ICL Oracle
challenges business to get involved (especially companies who use IT who doesn’t or won’t be?) to build capacity and develop partnerships

3. Business in the Community
A unique movement of companies across the UK committed to continually improving their positive impact on society 2

4. Business in the Community
National Charity
650 Members
75 of the top 100 FTSE Index
12 Regional Offices, 250 employees
Thematic Campaigns
A/C Management
Seeing is Believing
Business Excellence Awards

5. comm.unity (pronounced comm-dot-unity) inspires and engages business in supporting the community’s use of information and communication technologies
Set up by businesses concerned about competitiveness and social exclusion in the ‘Digital Age’
BT EDS
Experian The POST OFFICE
Lorien BBC
KPMG DTI
Philips Hill and Knowlton
ICL Oracle
challenges business to get involved (especially companies who use IT who doesn’t or won’t be?) to build capacity and develop partnerships

6. A new renaissance? in work in education in communicating information
in entertainment
in community
in business
Types of work and organisations
Virtual Teams, distance working
Network organisations
Rapid changes and uncertainty, need to continually learn and develop. Use technology.
Link public services and government to the public. Use it for consultation and participation, digital democracy
pastimes?
Ecommerce mainly business to business but need customers for ICT products and relevant uses that people develop for themselves

7. comm.unity aims to:
Inspire and mobilise business knowledge and resources
Build the capacity of the voluntary and community sectors through technology
Develop partnerships for regeneration and inclusion
………?

8. Why Business gets involved.
71% of the general public agreed that industry and commerce do not pay enough attention to their social responsibilities
28% chose or boycotted a product/service
because of a company’s ethical reputation
Source: MORI, 1998

9. Why Business gets involved.
Profile and Reputation
Belief and Purpose
Skills Gap/ Digital Divide
Developing markets
Business Excellence
Networking

10. the skills gap
51% of companies slowing down the adoption of technology
48% of companies delaying projects
15% cancelling projects
ATSCO, November 1999
340,000 extra people,
IER
Association of Technology Staffing Companies, November 1999
Education
IER-Institute of Employment Research, University Of Warwick
Alan Stevens, former CEO EDS ….nearly one million already employed in skilled Information Technology, Communications and Electronics occupations
Equal Opps
in 1998 of 872,000 people employed only 33% were female
total shortage of skills could be 12% of demand by 2002
SMEs
ICT relevant for ALL business
Environment
IT and Sustainability current study reporting at our conference in November

11. the digital divide 72.5% have not yet used the Internet
Internet take up is lower in poorer communities
up to 50% do not have access to a telephone at home
The Government expects its services to be accessed by 100% of the population via technology by 2004
Low levels of access
Lack of confidence or awareness
Need higher levels of skills
Increased polarisation in society
low skilled jobs decline and not replaced
some overworked, other underworked and implications for work/life balance
disconnected communities
destabalised
PAT 15 report
DfEE Capital Modernisation ICT Learning Centres

12. Initiatives Events to Inspire Awards TheDOT Partnerships
Bespoke Projects
Mainstream initiatives
Managing Matching
Set up by businesses concerned about competitiveness and social exclusion in the ‘Digital Age’
BT EDS
Experian The POST OFFICE
Lorien BBC
KPMG DTI
Philips Hill and Knowlton
ICL Oracle
challenges business to get involved (especially companies who use IT who doesn’t or won’t be?) to build capacity and develop partnerships

13. Building Partnerships
Access
Learning
Content
Integration
power
people
premises
profit
product
For use during discussion if appropriate

14. Engaging Business Support to the voluntary sector (TheDOT) Sponsorship
Strategic Advice
Technology Action Plans
Web Development
Implementation
Continuing Support
Evaluation
Sponsorship
Employee volunteers
Learning Centres

15. Engaging Business Use BitC or similar
sell the benefits to business, employee and community
develop new skills
raise their awareness
less philanthropy
avoid obvious pitfalls
Less about money more about long term sustainable relations
make it straightforward
reduce misunderstanding
clear needs and objectives

16. Positive Impact Telecentres Training Programme Access awareness
Business Development
Mentoring
Equipment
management advice and support
Access
awareness
confidence
skills
content creation
active participation
community access and awareness

17. Issues and Concerns Costs and Benefits powerful politics
complex needs require partners
control, accountability, parachuting
grants, passive and active partnerships
top down - bottom up
risk avoidance

18. positive impact www.comm.unity.uk.net www.business-impact.org 1