Let Alliance affirm commitment to local community through charity initiatives
Posted by Ellie Dreisenstock on June 14, 2022
Barbon, the UK’s largest tenant referencing group, is putting its weight behind employee enterprise to support the communities they live and work in.
Leading lettings suppliers Let Alliance, HomeLet and Rent4sure unite under the Barbon brand and are part of the PIB Group, which provides specialist insurance solutions across specialist sectors in the UK and beyond.
Barbon’s regionally-based referencing teams are due to complete over one million references for new tenancies this year.
Andy Halstead, Barbon’s Chief Executive Officer, is proud to champion community engagement and said that HomeLet’s recent challenge to fire walk over hot coals in aid of St Barnabas Hospice in Lincolnshire was a great example of positive values in action.
“Alongside Barbon’s reputation for excellent customer care, our support for local fundraising activities demonstrates the central commitments that are fundamental to the culture of our group.
“As a market leader within the UK’s thriving lettings industry, we’re also part of a wider community with a responsibility that extends beyond the high streets where our offices are based,” he said.
“We’re dedicated to helping our teams engage with and support their local community through charitable endeavours that benefit and connect everyone because together we really are stronger.
“Each initiative represents a unique story, often closely linked to the lives and wellbeing of our staff, their families and the community in which they live.”
Fundraising efforts across the Barbon group have included sponsorship of the recent Dragon Boat Race in Essex, where property professionals battled it out on the water for charity; impressive and challenging personal sporting achievements; foodbank collections; crocheting daffodils; cake sales; and hosting quizzes or village events.
PIB is committed to contributing a share of revenues to charitable causes and provides additional backing and substantial support through their Community Trust, ensuring that funds raised within the group are topped up or matched.
The Community Trust was created in January 2021, benefiting more than 160 charities and causes by its first anniversary. This year around £10,000 has already been donated in direct grants to employee-nominated local charities or to help colleagues with their fundraising initiatives.
Nigel Salisbury, Chief Commercial Officer for PIB, said the approach was to encourage fundraising and team building at a grassroots level rather than campaigning for a single cause.
“By actively supporting charities and causes that have personal meaning and are close to our employees’ hearts, we can help make a significant difference to many more communities across the UK.”
More recently, colleagues have been eager to get involved in providing humanitarian aid for Ukraine, including supporting their local Polish community to transport urgently needed items such as medical supplies and baby items to Poland or directly to Ukraine.
Their activities have been fully supported by PIB, which has also established a donation facility whereby colleagues can back initiatives led by PIB businesses in Poland that are helping those arriving in the country from Ukraine.
On top of all the fantastic community involvement, Barbon Group has earned a reputation as a great place to work, grabbing a spot in the Sunday Times UK’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.
As the leading go-to experts for the lettings industry with over 25 years ‘experience, Barbon has also recently been crowned with 2 stars for the Outstanding Levels of Employee Engagement category in the Best Companies Survey.
