Measuring our impact through the B Corp framework has meant aligning our work to the UN Sustainability Goals. Because we work with clients across diverse sectors, our indirect impact supports virtually all of the seventeen goals, however recent analysis showed that the three goals we align with most closely are SDG’s 8, 15 and 17. On SDG flag day 2024, we reflect on the work we do within our aligned goals.
8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
2023 saw the launch of our “4A Model of Sustainable Leadership” a ground-breaking, evidence-based, consensus model of sustainable leadership, designed to transform the way recruiters and employers assess leadership candidates for their potential to deliver sustainability. Together with this, our 4A Sustainable Leadership Assessment Platform is an innovative tool to aid the recruitment and development of effective sustainable leaders, essential for businesses to drive economic growth in the changing world we live in.
We passionately believe that the executive search profession has a responsibility to make the world a fairer place by recruiting leaders in a way that gives marginalised and under-represented groups the same chance as everyone else to apply for our client’s positions and using techniques that remove as much bias as possible from the recruitment process. We have scrutinised our recruitment practices and made a number of strategic enhancements to support DEI, including investment in search technology that uses algorithms specifically designed to remove bias, using nameless CVs where required and promoting certain roles within groups and networks where minority candidates are more likely to apply.
Our own Staff and Partners are our most valued resource. We ensure equal pay for equal work and promote the professional development of our team members, supporting them through courses and opportunities to progress in their careers.
What’s more, our work also supports organisations who play a key role in delivering economic prosperity and jobs to our region, such as our recent project to recruit a Chair and ten new Board Members for private-public sector initiative Enterprise Cheshire & Warrington, successfully completed this month.
15 Life on Land
In April 2022 we took out Ecologi Subscriptions for all Sherrington employees in an effort to offset our business and personal carbon emissions, making us Carbon Positive! We chose Ecologi because they use subscription fees to reduce emissions and take climate action. Along with the planting of over 700 trees to date, our contributions have also aided the protection of forests in Columbia and Brazil, peatland conservation in Indonesia as well as helping to fund renewable energy projects globally.
We are also proud supporters of Chester Zoo’s reforestation work, with our MD Rob conceptualising the idea for their Race for the Rainforest campaign, which aims to raise funds with to buy a plot of land to work towards the reforestation of forest corridors along the Kinabatangan in Borneo, providing a vital lifeline to the species that call the area their home. Between our contribution and the fundraising efforts of our team, we have donated over £6000 to the cause so far, with the wider project collectively raising significantly more.
17 Partnership for the Goals
Sherrington Associates have been long term supporters of the Cheshire Community Foundation, who raise funds to support hundreds of amazing small charities and voluntary groups across Cheshire and Warrington. We are proud members of the “Cheshire 100” – a group of supportive businesses who commit an annual donation to fund CCF’s essential work and have supported CCF on an advisory basis since 2020.
We are proud members of the “UK for Good” collective of ethical businesses with a vision to inspire, inform, and enable businesses to better understand and improve their impact on their people, communities and the planet, so that they can grow successfully and sustainably. Sherrington have supported since the beginning and are proud to be one of a growing number of purposeful businesses to pledge support.
We pride ourselves with the partnerships we have built with our Third Sector clients, including local charities such as The Land Trust, Chester Zoo, Changing Lives Together, Hospice of the Good Shepherd, Active Cheshire, Sefton Palm House and Greater Manchester Moving. We are proud to be able to support charities by offering reduced rates to help them continue the exceptional work they do in their communities.
As well as supporting our Third Sector partners with their recruitment needs, we also offer our support in other ways. Our Executive Search Consultant Joe sits on the board of trustees for Active Cheshire and is a member of Cheshire Constabulary’s Independent Ethics Panel. Our MD Rob sits on the board of trustees of local charity Cheshire Connect, who provide strategic matchmaking between charities and volunteering businesses as well as delivering leadership training for CEO’s in the sector. Our Non-Executive Director Ian is a passionate volunteer for Koala North West and a Governor at Lache Primary School.
