A recent survey and report from global recruitment firm Robert Half on ‘How to Attract and Retain Gen Y Employees’ showed that amongst the most important things they look for in a potential employer was a company’s charitable and philanthropic efforts. As one respondent quoted in the report said ‘The companies that stand out most are those that provide for their employees and community just as much as they provide for their customers’.

There were similar findings from research by Walden University in Baltimore which found that Gen Y is supportive of social causes, with 81% donating money, goods or services on an annual basis to such causes. A company with a strong social responsibility makes for an attractive proposition.

Many businesses support of a range of charities, which often instils a similar sense of responsibility in their employees. We have heard of a range of initiatives from creative fundraising to allowing each member of staff ‘charity days’ when they are able to take paid time off work to support a local charity, all helping to create an engaged workforce.

However some companies go much further than fundraising and offering supporting for charities and none more so than niche recruitment business McCarthy Recruitment, who recently won the Best Recruitment Agency to Work For at the 2012 Recruiter Awards.

Managing Director Kate McCarthy became involved with JUMP, a charity focussed on working with children with life threatening health conditions to enable them to capture special and unique memories for themselves and their loved ones.

Kate told us “I got involved with JUMP a local Charity that provides an incredible and much needed service as I wanted to make a difference to their sustainability as a Charity. I know my expertise of running a business could be shared to the benefit of others and there seemed no better way of doing this than helping a Charity fulfil its ambitions and potential.” She is now a patron of the charity, playing a key role in rebranding and design of its new website.

McCarthy Recruitment are also organising and hosting the Jacob’s Moonlight Ball, a major fundraising event for the charity, in October 2012. The Ball is sponsored by the PFA and in addition to dinner and entertainment there will be a major auction including items such as signed and framed football shirts from both Lionel Messi and David Beckham.

It isn’t only Kate that is involved in the project…many employees at McCarthy Recruitment are also playing a key role in the organisation and logistics management of the Ball. We asked Kate about the benefits to the business and staff…

“Working with JUMP reminds you every day how lucky we all are and as a team it brings us together to help others to give them something really special. Working as a team to create the Monnlight Ball is fun and challenging and has given us a brilliant focus on other than our day to day jobs. It is great to spend time together brainstorming, designing and organising and provides us with a real sense of giving and satisfaction – its teambuilding with the most special outcome, memories captured for children with life limiting illnesses”

You can find out more about the Ball through this link.

And let us know of any charitable or philanthropic initiatives that your business is getting involved in…