Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can only have a meaningful existence as an extension of Individual Social Responsibility, as without the genuine commitment of individuals within the company, it can never be any more than window dressing. If a company's interest in CSR was purely altruistic then there would be no need to seek publicity or even mention it on a web site. 

We can have more impact acting ethically within our area of operation than we can by making a donation to a donkey sanctuary. The interest of the directors and employees of Sandwood in the environment is genuine, and leads to a commitment to sustainable building practices but there is also a commercial advantage from the experience gained in an area of great interest to our clients. Our apprenticeship scheme and our attempts to develop a diverse workforce may have community benefits - but they are also the best way to find and keep a high quality, committed workforce.

We have recently introduced an employee volunteering scheme as being the best way for us to contribute to the local community. We encourage our employees to become involved and the company assists by providing small grants to the charity or organisation involved. The scheme has the added advantage that the staff involved can gain new skills through volunteering.

All our sites are registered with Considerate Constructors and a number of our managers have been on courses to improve their understanding and implementation of the scheme.