Sheffield-based business development specialist Office Friendly will launch its new social sustainability programme, Weaver, on Monday 1 July.

The programme will award participants certification across five possible areas of sustainability and has been designed especially for SMEs by Office Friendly in partnership with London-based independent sustainability consultancy, Carbon Smart.

Office Friendly has worked with Carbon Smart for over 10 years to deliver the multi-award winning So-Go-Eco programme. The development of the Weaver programme is a direct response to modern attitudes towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a whole as well as increasing demands from stakeholders for accountability and meaningful action on the part of industry and business. 

The Weaver programme will offer a structured framework across five key CSR areas: carbon footprint, waste management, single-use packaging, sustainable products, and social responsibility.

Alongside the certification, participants will be able to access free introductory training, learning materials, templates and guidance documentation for each area using the Pioneer platform. The programme is also highly flexible, allowing participants to pick and choose which area they would like to address at their own pace.

Julie Hawley, Managing Director of Office Friendly, sees the Weaver programme as a valuable opportunity for SMEs to make meaningful changes in their supply chain, communities and the environment. “SMEs shouldn’t be frightened off by the phrase corporate social responsibility (CSR) or ignore it because they think it’s for large corporates. Many consumers are challenging their supply chains and SMEs need to be prepared.

“Reputation and professionalism is a vision all businesses should continually strive for and CSR is one comprehensive way of showcasing this very well. Done well, it’s meaningful, commercially advantageous and can’t be called ‘greenwash’.”