The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has recognised Gripple as a UK Business Hero for its efforts to brighten and counter the bad effects of the pandemic on local and business communities - and HRH The Countess of Wessex approves!
Sheffield Chamber of Commerce chose Gripple from the city companies nominated and 19 were forwarded to BCC as part of its UK Business Heroes Campaign. Gripple has received a letter of congratulations from the countess.
The BCC launched the UK Business Heroes Campaign to recognise the incredible work that UK businesses and individuals are doing in the most challenging of years.
A BCC representative commented: “We have received some fantastic stories from a wide range of companies and Gripple is one of them. We are paying tribute to its efforts by giving Gripple our UK Business Heroes stamp which demonstrates that the company has gone the extra mile to support its local community during the Coronavirus outbreak.”
Gripple produced social distancing t-shirts with a Yorkshire-twist message for staff to wear on-site. They were an immediate hit and put for sale online which raised £2,000 for the NHS after selling 300.
Several social distancing and hygiene protocols were put in place and the challenge preventing the spread of the virus made the company think differently in terms of innovation.
Gripple’s in-house product designers came up with lightweight protective face shields and screens for people working in close proximity on its production floor and a free version to be offered to key workers.
A way of opening and closing a door without touching a handle was also developed and manufactured in-house with 800 door openers donated to local NHS hospitals. Some were sold to suppliers with all proceeds going to Gripple’s charity of the year, Weston Park Cancer Care.
Annually committed to donating 1% of pre-tax budgeted profit to charity, the company chose this year to donate £10,000 to health care charities in its core regions, split between the NHS charities in the UK, Meals on Wheels in the USA and Conquer Covid-19 in Canada.
