The value of giving is woven into the history and fabric of our business in a way that is unique in our industry. This ethos was inherited from our principal shareholder – The Robertson Trust – Scotland’s largest independent grant-making trust. Since 1961, through the dividends received from Edrington, The Trust has donated £283m to a variety of causes. Last year alone, to help deliver its vision of a fair and compassionate Scotland where everyone is valued and able to flourish, The Trust gave £20m to charitable organisations and supported talented young people facing barriers to education.
In the UK, Edrington and The Robertson Trust continue doing good together – both matching the charitable fundraising of employees. Thanks to this support, £1 raised for charity by an Edrington employee in the UK becomes £3 after additional contributions from The Robertson Trust and Edrington. In 2019/20 the total raised and donated by Edrington employees to causes in Scotland was £697,700 (2018/19: £674,000).
The value of giving that lies at the core of Edrington’s company history is something that every employee cherishes and is proud of. As Edrington has grown internationally, we have encouraged our people to contribute to the wellbeing of the communities in which they live and work. Across our office locations, employees are supported in making a real difference by championing causes they feel passionate about. To do this, Edrington sets aside 1% of pre-tax earnings each year for charitable giving by its employees worldwide, with their fundraising efforts being double matched. Last year Edrington empowered its people across the world to make donations valued at £2m, bringing the total raised and donated by Edrington’s international employees to £11.7m since 2012.
Over the years, Giving More has supported an impressive breadth of activities, ranging from environmental, to educational and broader social causes across APAC, the Dominican Republic, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico and the United States. In larger Edrington locations we have also established long term partnerships with charities to enable and accelerate positive change.
At Edrington, we see participation in Giving More as a key ingredient of a healthy lifestyle and staying true to our heritage. A healthy lifestyle is as much about getting involved and contributing to the health and wellbeing of our societies as it is about personal wellbeing. That is why in 2019-20 we increased the volunteering days from three to four days’ paid leave to encourage employees to volunteer in their communities. Our staff are encouraged to make use of these days to give back and support inspirational causes.
