From river restoration in York to child bed bundles in Leeds, this is what corporate community support really looks like on the ground.
Genuine community impact isn’t measured in oversized presentation cheques or boardroom pledges – it happens on the ground in our local towns, rivers and community hubs.
Across Yorkshire, major employers are increasingly replacing one-off corporate donations with sustained, hands-on investment. From clearing invasive species along the River Foss in York to funding specialist children’s bed bundles in Leeds and operating all-terrain mobility scooters in the Dales, regional businesses are integrating grassroots support into their everyday operations.
Here is how nine leading Yorkshire employers are putting their staff, skills and funding to work for local communities.
Introducing our nine organisations:
- Northern Powergrid: The regional electricity distribution network operator keeping the lights on for eight million people across Yorkshire, the North East and northern Lincolnshire.
- Yorkshire Building Society: One of the UK’s largest member-owned mutual financial institutions, rooted in West Yorkshire and supporting communities nationwide.
- Jet2: With its headquarters at Leeds Bradford Airport, Jet2 is a leading UK leisure airline and holiday operator, employing thousands of flight, ground and head-office staff across Yorkshire.
- Specsavers: The nationwide optical and audiology care provider, operating a network of locally owned and managed practices across Yorkshire towns and cities.
- Redrow Yorkshire: Part of Barratt Redrow, the UK’s leading housebuilder, developing high-quality, sustainable residential communities across the Yorkshire region.
- Leeds Building Society: Operating from its historic head office in central Leeds, Leeds Building Society is a mutual financial institution delivering housing-focused social impact across the UK.
- Flutter: The global sports entertainment company whose central UK technology, marketing and operational hub is located at Wellington Place in Leeds.
- Damart: The Bingley-based fashion and home shopping retailer, employing over 400 people across its head office beside the canal and its logistics hub in Steeton.
- Northern Trains: One of the country’s largest passenger rail operators, running hundreds of daily services across Yorkshire and employing train crews, station staff and engineers network-wide.
The causes driving local impact
Credit: Yorkshire Building Society
For Yorkshire’s leading employers, choosing where to focus their community investment starts by listening to the distinct challenges right outside their office, branch, site or depot doors. The scope of these regional initiatives is broad – addressing everything from child poverty and elder isolation to career accessibility and ecological restoration across Yorkshire’s riverbanks.
At Yorkshire Building Society, tackling regional inequality begins with addressing financial vulnerability and employment barriers. Alongside a nationwide partnership with Felix (formerly FareShare) that raised over £1 million to fund the Building Skills for the Future employability scheme, YBS has focused targeted support on West Yorkshire.
“As a Yorkshire-based organisation with a national footprint, supporting communities across the UK matters to us,” says Sasha Pauley, Lead Community Manager at Yorkshire Building Society.
“Through Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation’s Building Bradford Skills Fund, Bradford Central Foodbank, Lower Grange Community Association, The Cellar Trust and Smart Works shared a £1 million, three-year investment to address local skills and employment challenges. We believe the skills and opportunity to secure employment can help people improve their employability prospects, build financial security and, ultimately, have a safe and secure place to call home.”
Across town at Leeds Building Society, social purpose is viewed through the lens of housing security and personal wellbeing.
“Our roots are in Yorkshire, so supporting communities here is really important to us,” says Kiana Stacy, Social Impact Manager at Leeds Building Society.
“We do that in different ways, from funding local charities to working with partners and giving colleagues time to volunteer. One recent example is a £2,500 grant from Leeds Building Society Foundation to Doncaster Housing for Young People. It will help cover staff support for counselling and emotional wellbeing services for young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.”
Credit: Redrow Yorkshire
For homebuilder Redrow Yorkshire, making sure that a home represents genuine comfort and security extends directly to the region’s youngest residents. The housebuilder has built an enduring relationship with Zarach, the Leeds-founded charity dedicated to ending child bed poverty.
“Redrow Yorkshire has been a dedicated supporter of the bed charity Zarach since 2022,” says Steve Jackson, Sales Director at Redrow Yorkshire. “We make a donation with every new show home bedroom opened in Yorkshire and provide additional contributions throughout the partnership. Zarach was started in 2017 in Leeds by deputy head teacher Bex Wilson and offers support to families across Yorkshire. We support the charity’s ‘Every Head a Bed’ project, which provides bed bundles, including a new bed, mattress, bedding and pyjamas. Since it began, our partnership with Zarach, across Yorkshire and the North West, has generated donations in excess of £50,000, equating to 330 bed bundles.”
Credit: Jet2
For Jet2, giving back combines regional community funding with industry skills. Through its Community Fund, the airline provides backing to organisations including Smart Works Leeds, which empowers women entering the workforce, and East Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre, which supports young people with special educational needs. At the same time, Jet2 opens its facilities for aviation STEM insight days to inspire young people into aerospace careers.
Out in Bingley, retailer Damart connects its community work with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust directly to its core customer base through its charity foundation, On Seniors’ Side.
“Our charitable arm provides funding to projects that predominantly deliver intergenerational collaboration and support older adults,” explains Ben Northrop, Health, Safety and Facilities Lead at Damart. “We’ve partnered with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust for the last couple of years. There is a real synergy between our demographic and their supporters, alongside a shared passion to improve regional natural landscapes, tackle isolation and enhance wellbeing by connecting people with nature.”
At Specsavers, community work is driven by individual practices identifying immediate local needs which align with the business itself.
“We recently supported a parkrun event in Sheffield, where our Optometry Director, Jack Poad, volunteered as a guide runner for someone with a visual impairment,” says Owen Williams, Field Marketing Manager for Yorkshire.
“We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live life to the fullest, regardless of disability or impairment. Supporting an inclusive event like parkrun is a fantastic way to put that belief into practice.”
For train operator Northern, public transit provides a platform to address social isolation and build community bridges. Through partnerships with Child Friendly Leeds, scout groups and NHS maternity teams, Northern runs dedicated programmes like the Families and Sling Express, helping new mothers, young families and vulnerable groups build the confidence to explore their region.
Stepping out from behind the desk
Credit: Northern Powergrid
True social value relies on more than donations – it requires boots on the ground and hands-on dedication from employees.
At Northern Powergrid, the ‘People Powered’ programme gives employees the opportunity to volunteer during working hours on projects directly supporting biodiversity, nature recovery and community welfare.
“Our Commercial team gathered in York to help local charity Friends of St Nicholas Fields clear Himalayan Balsam from the River Foss,” says Simon Buckingham, Senior Quantity Surveyor at Northern Powergrid. “The Head of Commercial Management and one of the Senior Surveyors donned waders in the river, whilst the rest of the team dealt with clearing the invasive balsam plants, covering over 500 metres of the riverbanks. This was an incredible opportunity to help the natural environment to thrive, whilst leaving other species in place to preserve habitats for indigenous animals, insects and plants.”
At Leeds Building Society, practical colleague activity often centres around transforming living environments.
“A lovely hands-on example is our work with LATCH (Leeds Action to Create Homes),” says Kiana Stacy. “They’re a Leeds charity that turns empty and run-down properties into supported homes for people who are homeless or in housing need. Recently, eight colleagues helped decorate a whole property, and the Society donated an additional £1,622 towards furniture.”
At Redrow Yorkshire, staff roll up their sleeves both in the distribution warehouse and across their regional offices. “The team has actively volunteered, supporting the team in the distribution centre,” explains Steve Jackson.
“The team has also raised additional funds through office-based fundraising initiatives. Throughout the year, colleagues donate prizes for raffles and competitions, including Christmas hampers and popular ‘guess how many sweets are in the jar’ challenges. More recently, surplus items from a sales office were sold, with all proceeds donated to Zarach. These activities help the team make an even greater impact while bringing colleagues together for a worthwhile cause.”
Credit: Damart
At Damart, field volunteering takes colleagues into rural landscapes for intensive physical work.
“We’ve held five volunteering days with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust so far, involving over 30 volunteers and around 180 volunteer hours,” says Ben Northrop. “Colleagues have done tree planting, removing plastic tree guards, wildflower plug planting and meadow scything. On our first volunteering day in January, it was cold but glorious sunshine, and our group planted 500 trees in a single day.”
Colleagues at Flutter have similarly taken to the field, recently spending a volunteer day at AMT Headingley Stadium alongside the Leeds Rhinos Foundation. Over 20 Leeds-based staff helped coaches with adapted physical activity for people living with Parkinson’s disease and hosted social activities at a dementia-friendly cafe morning.
Meanwhile, through their Big Jet2 Clean Up, Jet2 colleagues have partnered with charity Planet Patrol to remove more than 13,000 items of litter from public spaces, while company apprenticeships have funded staff training at the NSPCC via a £120,000 levy donation.
The human impact of social value
Credit: Leeds Building Society
Behind every volunteering hour and corporate grant are individuals whose lives are altered by community investment.
In Leeds, the physical decorating work delivered by Leeds Building Society staff produced an immediate, emotional milestone.
Kiana Stacy says: “The decorating and furniture support we offered LATCH helped get a home ready for a parent and three children to move into before Christmas. That’s what the time and funding meant in practice: a secure home ready for a family to live in.”
For Redrow Yorkshire, partnering with Zarach ensures that children across Leeds and the wider county have the basic foundation needed to learn and thrive at school.
“We are honoured to work with the team at Zarach and will continue our pledge to support the charity and the incredible work it carries out,” says Steve Jackson.
“The team at Zarach are dedicated to providing much-needed support to children and families across Yorkshire, often during challenging times. Their commitment makes a lasting difference in the community, and we will continue to support their ongoing efforts.”
Credit: Flutter
For Flutter, continuing its investment in the Leeds Rhinos Foundation has protected vital services that faced closure due to wider funding cuts. Alongside colleague volunteering at Headingley, the company provides £36,000 in funding to help Leeds Rhinos Foundation maintain dedicated health programmes for 180 local people living with dementia and Parkinson’s.
“Quite simply, these services would not be possible without their support,” says Dan Busfield, Head of Partnerships and Development at Leeds Rhinos Foundation.
“The additional funding means we can not only continue delivering our existing health programmes to 120 people, but also launch Try Club, providing even more people in Leeds with access to free, expert-led support to improve their health and make lasting lifestyle changes.”
For Flutter marketing specialist Jordan Fiddes, taking part as a corporate volunteer at Headingley was deeply personal: “They’ve given me loads of good memories over the years. But now I feel like I can do something for them. To them it might only seem like a small piece, but to me it’s massive.”
In Bradford, long-term funding from YBS has helped residents overcome prolonged periods of unemployment. In 2025 alone, its Building Bradford Skills Fund supported nearly 1,100 people, with 63 securing paid roles – including David, who had spent 10 months out of work after caring for an elderly parent before working with a dedicated job coach at Bradford Central Foodbank.
In the Dales, Damart’s funding has tackled rural isolation through the provision of two specialised £10,000 ‘Tramper’ all-terrain mobility scooters, permanently stationed at Malham Cove and Grassington visitor centres.
“Just hearing the feedback from visitors about what the trampers mean is incredible,” says Ben Northrop. “It has enabled people with mobility issues to go out and experience nature with their families or friends, where previously they might have been left behind in a café or sat waiting in a car. Without being melodramatic, it is life-changing for those individuals.”
What employees take back to the workplace
Credit: Yorkshire Building Society
While the primary aim of corporate volunteering is helping local causes, the internal benefits to company culture and employee wellbeing are substantial.
“Here at Redrow Yorkshire, we support the communities we build in. That comes in many forms from monetary donations to supplying materials or skills,” says Steve Jackson.
“As a business, we believe volunteering in the community is about much more than giving back. It provides our team with the opportunity to develop new skills, build confidence and strengthen relationships with colleagues outside of their day-to-day roles. At the same time, it allows us to support local charities that make a real difference to the communities where we work. By encouraging volunteering, we can create a more engaged and motivated workforce while helping to build stronger, more connected communities.”
“Volunteering gives colleagues an opportunity to step outside their day jobs, work alongside people they might not normally meet and see first-hand the difference their time and talent can make,” says Sasha Pauley at YBS.
“There is also a real sense of shared achievement. Alison, our Bradford branch manager, described a recent Leeds fundraising walk for Felix as a brilliant team effort, bringing together colleagues from branches right across West Yorkshire.”
At Damart, working side by side in the countryside breaks down traditional corporate silos.
“You don’t realise we’ve got this beautiful landscape on our doorstep,” says Ben Northrop. “Going out during the week feels special – it’s a day away from the laptop, the phone and the screen. You’re working alongside people from different departments who you might never have spoken to before, and that builds real connections back in the office.”
Credit: Specsavers
For Specsavers, community work reinforces professional pride.
“Seeing our teams go the extra mile to make a difference beyond the store makes me particularly proud,” says Owen Williams. “Our expertise in eye and hearing care puts us in a unique position to help. Getting involved in local initiatives gives our colleagues the opportunity to put that expertise to good use, build stronger community connections and see the positive impact of their work first-hand.”
At Northern Powergrid, colleague Jamie Lowe points out the deep personal satisfaction that comes from hospice volunteering: “Volunteering at Wakefield Hospice helps create a pleasant environment for people facing end-of-life care. I volunteered because my family members have been in the hospice, and the organisation survives primarily on charitable contributions. The work they do is amazing, and anything we can do to help is extremely worthwhile.”
How businesses protect and support volunteering
Credit: Yorkshire Building Society
Across the region, employers are increasingly building volunteering day allowances into baseline employee contracts. Yorkshire Building Society provides up to four paid volunteering days per colleague each year, while Leeds Building Society guarantees 14 paid hours annually. Flutter colleagues receive two dedicated paid volunteering days under the firm’s global Do More initiative.
At Redrow Yorkshire, paid time off is backed by generous charitable matching. Every colleague receives two paid volunteer days each year to give back, while parent company Barratt Redrow runs a matched funding programme offering up to £1,000 per employee each year for personal fundraising efforts.
Organisations are also leaning into skills-based volunteering. At Leeds Building Society, five colleagues provided 15 hours of coaching to regional non-profit leaders, while three colleagues actively serve as trustees of the Leeds Building Society Foundation. Specsavers empowers local directors through its ‘Own Your Town’ framework, celebrating stores that establish relationships with regional charities and offering free visual care through its homeless VIP scheme.
And it’s not just the people on the shop floor who are donating their time and skills. At Northern Powergrid, executive teams join scrub-clearing operations on regional rivers, while Northern Trains regularly hosts cross-cultural immersion events where senior railway directors visit regional faith centres across Leeds, building relationships with community leaders and opening up rail career pathways for underrepresented groups.
If these nine Yorkshire employers prove anything, it is that corporate social value is no longer a tick-box public relations exercise. By integrating genuine action into operations, offering protected time away from the desk, and directing funding straight into grassroots community projects, the region’s employers are ensuring that the benefits of getting involved are felt both within company walls and far beyond.
Cover image credit: Leeds Building Society
