Chamber gains glowing tribute following prestige CSR accolade
Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has been awarded a prestige CSR accolade –earning the Midlands premier business organisation a glowing tribute.
Richard Collins, CEO of national body CSR Accreditation, praised the work of the Chambers’ executive office manager Kate Warnaby (pictured) and her team following the business group’s bronze award.
Mr Collins said: “Congratulations to Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce for achieving a well-deserved Bronze CSR Accreditation. Great work by Kate Warnaby and the team for an exceptional application.
“The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC), has over 210 years of heritage, their mission is simple yet powerful: to support and grow local businesses. This mission is underpinned by core values— Customer, Culture, Community, and Core—which serve as guiding principles for its activities and internal culture.
“GBCC recently relocated to a new premises, which has served as a catalyst to accelerate its CSR strategy.
“This move has provided both opportunity and momentum to embed sustainability and social responsibility at the heart of its operations. Initial progress in colleague engagement, strategic direction, and interdepartmental cooperation has laid strong foundations for long-term CSR integration.”
Kate and the ESG team say they are delighted with the Bronze award and aim to achieve a higher award next time while knowing that the organisation is making a positive difference for the Chamber and future generations.
Kate Warnaby said: “When I and the ESG team started this journey, it was challenging to determine where to start.
“We explored numerous websites, government sites, consulted with other organisations who had started the process and utilised AI to help develop our initial strategy.
“As a group we divided into working groups, focusing on environmental, community and inclusivity areas.
“Using the CSR Accreditation guidelines, it became apparent that we were already addressing many of these issues, which was reassuring and gave us the momentum to build upon.
“Over six months, we gathered data and evidence to support the activities and initiatives we were actively participating in, whilst introducing new ideas to further our commitment to this crucial subject.
“As a group we were enthusiastic and driven to show to ourselves and the CSR Accreditation that we were engaged and committed to our CSR journey, whilst encouraging our colleagues at the Chamber to get involved and understand that we can make a difference.”
Kate said it was “rewarding” to read the conclusion from the Bronze CSR Accreditation award stating “The Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce has made significant strides in embedding Corporate Social Responsibility across its operations.
Through clear values, committed leadership, and an authentic focus on people and planet, GBCC is not only supporting businesses—it’s shaping a better future for the wider community.”
Richard Collins added: “Through clear values, committed leadership, and an authentic focus on people and planet, GBCC is not only supporting businesses—it’s shaping a better future for the wider community.
“A CSR Accreditation can help your organisation set better goals, make better decisions, and improve relationships.
“You can use your CSR Accreditation to address ESG compliance, prepare for the race to net zero, build a culture that empowers employees to do environmental and social good, attract new talent, win tenders, and enhance brand reputation.”
