Despite dot.com boom and bust and the relative youth of the
sector, technology-related companies are behind some of the
most innovative moves to get business to give back to the community.
A good example of this is the recently launched HighTech Women
Skills Bank for Society project, which aims to bring together
voluntary organisations and technology companies to share time
and skills. Ideas include mentoring, secondments and employee
involvement schemes.
The project was set up by HighTech Women, a 1,400-member network
for women working in technology and related sectors.
Based on the idea of "doing good and doing well",
HighTech Women already encourages its members - who range from
CEOs to students - to mentor and share career advice. The skills
bank will act as a brokerage service between individuals or
their companies, and the voluntary sector.
HighTech Women managing director Lucy Marcus says a recent
survey of members found that many were concerned about corporate
social responsibility.
"The message came through loud and clear that they feel
that 'doing good and doing well' is a powerful way to achieve
balance, no matter where they are in their careers," says
Ms Marcus.
"Their experiences with mentoring others and giving back
to the community have been among the most satisfying and energising
things they do."
This ethos echoes government thinking. The Department of Trade
and Industry is urging all areas of business to support literacy,
numeracy and community investment projects as part of its corporate
social responsibility programme.
Suggestions for action include staff secondments, allowing
local groups to share company facilities and acting as business
brokers to attract project funding.
IT start-ups are among the supporters of a national foundation
designed to provide all British children over the age of four
with a laptop by 2006.
BenefisU, Bladerunner, Businesshr and Chalkscape have pledged
donations to the fund, which will work with charities and schools
to promote e-learning. It is funded by a £5m government grant
and £1m from Microsoft.
Bridging the digital divide is the focus of a new project by
AOL UK. The company has teamed up with youth development charity
Fairbridge to help disadvantaged young people to develop basic
web design and IT skills.
The aim is to improve their access to future education and
job opportunities. AOL UK staff will work with young people
to teach them about computers and the internet.
Charlie Ward, project co-ordinator at Fairbridge, says the
initiative will boost young people's skills and confidence.
"The majority have not had any previous access to computers
or the internet," he says. "This project will enable
them to enter the information age on an equal footing with their
peers."
The IT sector lags behind other industries in the corporate
giving stakes. Latest research by the Directory of Social Change
shows IT companies contributed a mere £3m to charities last
year, compared to the £60m given by the banking sector and £21m
from the oil and gas industries.
One man on a mission to change this is Shaun Orpen, Microsoft
director and newly appointed member of the NSPCC's corporate
development board.
His task is to encourage others in the IT sector to help raise
£5m for the charity's Full Stop campaign.
Mr Orpen says IT companies are "incredibly willing"
to share their time and skills with voluntary groups but have
yet to fulfil this potential. "I'd like to see the IT industry
in the UK rise to this challenge," he adds.
