Points of view

We work with partners and suppliers who share our values in CSR. Sustainability, responsibility and citizenship are integral to business. Targets are important too. Ours – to be the Best Beer Company in a Better World – helps guide us in our efforts towards improvement for our people, our communities, our consumers and the environment.
Mike Kelly, ABInBev

Working for good causes and supporting local communities is no longer just about personal motivation and being a good citizen. Rather, it has become an integral part of our business model.
Christian Bunsen, partner, Frankfurt

A service provider such as a law firm should be sensitive to the corporate citizenship concerns of its clients.
Laurence Harvey Wood, counsel, Paris

Working to become more sustainable and less wasteful makes business sense. It's as simple as that. Companies should be open about their progress – and report the bad as well as the good!
David Jackson, BP

Businesses cannot be seen to be operating separately from the wider community, particularly where there are areas of poverty on the doorstep.
Jill Delaney, senior associate, London

Working with the Legal Outreach programme in New York – which helps students from middle school through college to provide them with legal skills and knowledge – has been both challenging and gratifying. It has also been a lot of fun.
Shellka Arora, associate, New York

Our charitable work is growing quickly in the Middle East. Importantly, such efforts allow our people – especially ex-pats – to get closely involved with the local community and learn more about ethical and moral views in the region.
Shanel Hassan, personal assistant, Dubai

We have a good pro bono and community programme. I think we probably still have things to learn from other organisations, though. Many of our people turned up to hear a great presentation by BT on diversity recently – and it is right that we look to improve by sharing best practice in this way.
James Keane, business development executive, London

From a practical perspective, the structure of large organisations lends itself to the quick and efficient implementation of a culture of environmental awareness and tolerance of diversity. Together we can make far faster progress than we could as individuals.
Daniel Chertudi, associate, New York

The CSR programme at Freshfields is well thought through. There is something for everyone – no matter what their talent or interest. It's a great leveller too – and an opportunity to build teams with others in the firm.
William Deeprose, associate, London

We get great satisfaction from the work we do for Half the Sky, a charity that cares for orphaned children in China. It gives me great pride to tell friends and clients that we are taking the time to contribute to the community.
Chris Carr, associate, Beijing

Leaving your comfort zone and working for a worthwhile cause can have huge benefits for both sides. The 40+ hours of work my team members and I each put into charity work last year really made a difference to the organisations we were supporting.
Mary-Anne Anderson, senior marketing manager, London

We are working hard to develop programmes to benefit causes that are close to home. I find it exciting to be part of a CSR programme in China as it is really a developing field here and we are always looking to be innovative.
Hose Mitamura, business development executive, Shanghai

Every element of CSR is important. But for me, community work is the most important of all. Providing knowledge, skills, shelter, clothing and food to people who need such things encourages hope and faith in humanity.
Joanna Connelly, legal secretary, New York

As a global NGO, called on to respond at short notice to crises all over the world, we value the ability to call on a global law firm that can see the big picture and bring in legal expertise where it is most needed.
Joss Saunders, Oxfam

Getting diversity right is an imperative for the firm, and our goals must be about more than just raw numbers. If we can't bring out the best in our own diverse workforce, how can we expect effectively to advise clients operating in hundreds of countries and cultures around the globe?
Melissa Raciti & Timothy Wilkins, partners, New York

Through my membership of the Gender Working Group, it is encouraging to see the firm increase its focus on how it can provide more effective support for women in developing their careers from the earliest stages.
Catherine Balmond, partner, London

Choosing how to contribute to the wider community is fundamentally something for the individual. But working as a team we can concentrate our efforts and look for ways to make a greater difference. Every Freshfields office now plays its part, and our work for good causes has the additional benefit of bringing us closer together as a firm.
Guy Morton, joint senior partner

Diversity and inclusion are central to our mission of using the power of the Games to inspire lasting change. We are breaking new ground ourselves through our recruitment, procurement and service delivery work, and we expect our suppliers and partners to help us achieve great things.
Terry Miller, LOCOG