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Corporate Social Responsibility

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At NECS, we care about our colleagues, our customers and the environment around us.

We are committed to our social purpose of reducing inequalities, creating jobs and generating wealth for communities. NECS2025, our very own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, has been developed to support this in line with our values and vision which define how we act.

NECS2025 embodies who we are as an organisation and is there to help us meet local and national legislation and guidance. We want to help keep sustainable business at the heart of our success and create a more sustainable, more inclusive society.

NECS has an established CSR group which is accountable for the delivery of the objectives and success measures detailed in our action plans. The group has representatives from our Estates, IT, Governance, HR, Communications, Procurement, Medicines Optimisations, NECS Council and the Health and Safety, Fire and Security Committee teams and is chaired by NECS Director of Organisational Development and Corporate Services, Claire Gooday.

We have also created a CSR Champions Network which offers colleagues a chance to contribute towards our CSR agenda and make a positive impact personally.

Net Zero Commitment Statement

NECS is committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2040 for emissions scopes 1 and 2 and achieving emissions targets by 2045 for emissions scope 3.

The commitment was made on 17 May 2024 by the Executive Committee.

Greener NHS

Read more about the ‘Greener NHS‘ and the ‘Healthier Planet, Healthier People’ staff engagement campaign.

 

Key areas of focus for NECS2025 are:

  • Social value (people and place)
  • Supply chain (planet and place)
  • Adaptation (climate change and business continuity)
  • Engagement and communication (underpinning enabler).

Our achievements to date include:

  • The NECS100 programme for graduate trainees and apprenticeships
  • Achieving social value through our supply chain
  • A Carbon Reduction Plan to help us achieve Net Zero by 2045
  • Working with our NHS partners in the North East and North Cumbria to deliver their ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030
  • Membership of the CSU sustainability network, established by NHSE, to share sustainability and carbon reduction best practice and learning
  • Training programmes where all NECS colleagues are encouraged to complete online training modules to help us work together to meet our targets
  • Charitable support and fundraising. NECS colleagues have taken part in a number of activities including charity golf days to raise money for FareShare North East, a humanitarian aid collection for the Ukraine and a Bake Off at our Durham HQ to support the Ukranian appeal efforts.

Read more about our CSR plans

As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, NECS has also signed the Armed Forces Covenant and gained the Bronze Defence Employer Recognition and the Better Health at Work Awards. For more details, visit our Awards and Accreditation page.