Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Group
At the Chamber, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles sit at the heart of how we operate, how we support our members and how we contribute to a successful, inclusive and sustainable regional economy.
Our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Group is a dedicated team of passionate volunteers from across the organisation, bringing together experience from a wide range of departments. Working collaboratively, the Group is responsible for developing, embedding and continually strengthening our ESG strategy, ensuring sustainability, social responsibility and strong governance are fully integrated into everything we do.
At Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, our environmental responsibility is deeply rooted in our core values. As a non-for-profit organisation, we are committed to sustainability and ethical practices that reflect who we are and how we work with others.
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We are taking a structured, measurable and transparent approach to ESG, aligned with recognised good practice and accreditation standards. Our ESG strategy focuses on three core pillars:
The ESG Group oversees the development, implementation and monitoring of our strategy, with clear goals, defined milestones and regular progress reviews. Our work is supported at senior leadership and Board level, with our performance monitored, reviewed and reported as part of our governance framework and annual reporting
We are committed to continuous improvement and to exceeding our existing goals, including maintaining and progressing our CSR Accreditation providing independent validation of our responsible practices.
Our ambition is to lead by example and to be a trusted voice on ESG for the regional business community. We aim to:
Achieving this relies on the collective efforts of our Chamber team,through sharing ideas, contributing expertise, participating in initiatives and embracing positive change, as well as collaboration with our members and partners.
We recognise that ESG can feel complex, particularly for small and medium‑sized businesses. As a Chamber, our role is to make ESG practical, accessible and relevant.
We support our members by:
Birmingham Hospice is the main provider of adult hospice care for Birmingham, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and Sandwell and provides specialist palliative and end of life care for around 670 people each day at hospice sites, in the community or in patients' own homes. Birmingham Hospice supports people at the end of their lives or living with life-limiting illness, as well as their loved ones. From expert palliative and end of life care to community support and wellbeing services, everything we do is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves dignity and compassion when it matters most.
We are committed to ensuring our services are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the needs of all communities we serve. As a charity, fundraising and awareness raising are essential to what Birmingham Hospice does. This year, they estimate it could cost £20 million to run Birmingham Hospice. They need to raise £8 million through fundraising activity, income from retail shops and voluntary donations to cover the costs of running Birmingham Hospice.
Kids’ Village will be the UK’s first holiday village for sick children & their families. A place for imagination, enjoying nature together and feeling free from daily challenges battling a serious illness.’
We are creating the UK’s first holiday village offering free respite breaks for critically ill children and their families.
Founded by the Fletcher family after their daughter Sammie was diagnosed with cancer aged nine, the charity was inspired by a similar village in Florida and the need to create that same support in the UK.
The first site, Charlotte’s Kids’ Village, is being built on a 30-acre woodland site in Wychnor, Staffordshire, following a successful £5m capital appeal. Named in memory of Charlotte, who sadly died of a brain tumour aged 11, the village is now under construction and is planned to open in 2027.
Kids’ Village’s long-term aim is to create several respite holiday villages across the UK, giving families facing childhood critical illness the chance to rest, reconnect and make precious memories at no cost to them.
The Mel Evans MBE foundation honours the legacy of Mel Evans MBE, a champion Crown Green Bowler responsible for bringing the sport to TV with more than 100 caps for Staffordshire County.
The aim of the foundation is to spread awareness of MND while organising dedicated bowling events to raise funds for research and promote Crown Green Bowls at a grassroot level.
It was founded by Mel’s wife Lynn Pritchatt, following his death. Both Mel and Lynn have enjoyed illustrious careers in the sport and spearheaded media coverage on platforms including Sky TV and Channel 4.
Since Mel’s passing, the Crown Green Bowling community has rallied around the foundation, helping raise more than £100,000 for MND research.
Grace Cares is a not-for-profit organisation which has been set up to support health and social care workers, older people, their families with support and care equipment and health and social care providers on their net zero and sustainability journeys across the UK.
We are on a mission to save care equipment from landfill – make it available to the public, NHS, health and social care providers at less than half the original RRP and use those profits to support health and social care workers and older people nationwide with grants and support, our local community with monthly sustainable and dementia friendly activities and health and social care providers across the UK with ESG and sustainability resources and support.
Solihull Hospital Charity is the official NHS charity of Solihull Hospital and funds added extras that are over and above NHS provision at Solihull Hospital. The charity is part of University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, supporting needs across Solihull, QE, Heartlands and Good Hope Hospitals.
Being in hospital can be really hard physically and emotionally. This is why we as a charity want to do all we can to make our patients, and their families feel as supported as possible during their treatment. From lollipops to wall art and from therapy dogs to staff-wellbeing, the charity raises vital funds to support needs at Solihull Hospital that make a real impact on patients, families, and staff. We are incredibly grateful for all support received!
The Cancer Support Centre is a local charity supporting those affected by cancer in the West Midlands. We are here whenever you need help. Founded in 2001, our centre is a place of sanctuary and support where everyone from the West Midlands area and beyond is welcome. The Cancer Support Centre can help anyone who has received a diagnosis and also their support network, and we are here whenever you need help. At The Cancer Support Centre we know that the impact of having cancer isn’t just a physical one. Cancer affects everything, you, your family as well as those surrounding you, and we believe in supporting the whole of you – mind body spirit and those who are around you.
