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BHP
Billiton backs the battle on environment black spots
THERE’LL be
further improvements to Sefton’s environmental black spots in the
coming months, thanks to additional financial backing for an-ongoing
improvement campaign from oil and gas company, BHP Billiton. A
global leader in the natural resources industry employing 35,000
across 20 countries, BHP Billiton has pledged a £2,000 boost to the
Community Foundation for Merseyside’s Green Machine’ campaign.
Green Machine was launched last year across Merseyside, providing
schools and community groups with grants towards the cost of
projects designed to improve the environment within local
communities. The initiative had already helped generate real,
sustainable improvements in the region, including the development of
recycling schemes, fly tipping prevention and cleaning up disused
areas.
A long-standing commitment to environmental improvement triggered
BHP Billiton’s interest in the campaign. The funding will be
targeted specifically within Sefton and priority will be given to
projects focusing on environmental conservation, education and
Sefton’s coastal areas. BHP Billiton is the latest organisation to
announce its financial backing for the campaign. Barclays Bank,
Unilever, The Tubney Trust, Hemby Trust and HD Wills Charitable
Trust have also stepped up in support of the environmental
initiative.
BHP Billiton spokesperson Cara Bostock explained:- “BHP
Billiton has always had a commitment to protecting and enhancing the
environment and the Community Foundation¹s Green Machine initiative
is an excellent opportunity for us to help improve the environment
in the community in which we operate.”
Community Foundation for Merseyside’s Director of Fundraising and
Development, Emma Leaman added:- “BHP Billiton’s generous
support is a tremendous boost to our ongoing campaign. More and more
businesses and organisations are coming on board with the Green
Machine initiative, helping us invest in Merseyside and chip away at
urban decay afflicting the region¹s hard-pressed communities.”
BHP Billiton is also planning further support for the Community
Foundation¹s work through a legacy, which will help finance future
community projects.
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The benefits of
flexibility
TOURISM companies in
Merseyside could find it pays to offer flexible working
arrangements to their workforce, according to Tourism HR. The
service, supported by The Mersey Partnership, offers bespoke
human resources support to the region’s tourism businesses,
often at a generously subsidised rate.
Martin King, Director of Tourism at The Mersey Partnership,
said:- “The benefits of allowing flexible working, such as
offering varied shifts and giving time off for childcare, may
seem loaded towards the employee. In fact, encouraging a
work-life balance produces happy, loyal staff who feel valued
and appreciated. This leads to more effective working
relationships and benefits the business by increasing
productivity. The tourism industry’s flexible hours offer
particular scope for businesses to vary rotas, stagger shifts,
or offer jobshare schemes. Tourism HR can help these employers
to dramatically improve the way they manage their workforce.”
Employers resistant
to adopting work-life balance practices not only limit the
potential of their workforce and future growth of their
business. By failing to consider requests for flexible working
arrangements, they could find themselves facing tribunal claims
and significant legal costs.
A recent employment tribunal ruled that a BA pilot, who was
refused the right to work part-time to look after her baby had
suffered sex discrimination. Jessica Starmer, 26, said she would
have had to resign from her £50,000 a year job if her employer
did not cut her working hours.
Sarah Penrose, director of Tourism HR, said:- “The law
says employers have a duty to seriously consider requests to
work flexibly from employees with a child under 6, or a disabled
child under 18. But in fact it may pay you to consider offering
flexible working to other employees as well. The impressive
turnout for a recent Tourism HR event we hosted in Manchester
shows that employers are becoming increasingly aware of the need
to attract and retain talented workers in order to remain
successful and competitive.”
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