Community contributions
During 2008/09, our community contributions totalled £4.6 million, compared to £5.1 million in the previous year. A large proportion of these contributions were made to healthcare related projects reflecting our focus on pharmacy. Donations are usually made either at a national or a local level within the countries that we operate.
How we contribute |
Year ended 31 March 2009 |
Year ended 31 March 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| £million | £million | |
| Cash donations | ||
| - Charitable | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| - Other | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| 2.2 | 2.7 | |
| Employee time | 1.6 | 1.1 |
| In kind donations | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Management costs | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| 4.6 | 5.1 |
Charitable cash donations totalled £1.5 million, compared to £2.0 million in the previous year. This reduction was primarily the result of reduced donations from promotional product sales in Boots UK stores, where Boots UK agrees to donate a percentage of the price paid by customers to charity. In 2007/08 Boots UK organised a Christmas toy promotion in support of Children in Need, which was not repeated this year.
The reduction of in kind donations is a consequence of improvements made to our Health & Beauty Division's supply chain, which has resulted in less stock wastage. Through tighter stock management processes and improved clearance activity in our retail stores, fewer products were available during this period to be donated to charity.
During the year, we worked hard to compensate for these reduced cash and in kind donations by focusing our efforts on encouraging volunteering amongst our people to help their local communities. As a direct result, employee time contributions increased year on year from £1.1 million to £1.6 million.
What we support |
Year ended 31 March 2009 |
Year ended 31 March 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| £million | £million | |
| Health | 2.3 | 2.5 |
| Education | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Social welfare | 0.5 | 0.9 |
| Other | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| 4.6 | 5.1 |
The decrease in contributions towards social welfare was primarily the result of reduced donations during the year from promotional product sales in Boots UK stores.
Where we contribute |
Year ended 31 March 2009 |
Year ended 31 March 2008 |
|---|---|---|
| £million | £million | |
| Local | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| National | 3.2 | 4.1 |
| International | - | 0.3 |
| 4.6 | 5.1 |
The increase in the proportion community contributions at the local level reflects the Group’s increasing commitment to directing community investment wherever possible to our local areas of operation. In addition, this also highlights the success of our 'local' approach to corporate social responsibility across the Group.
