Families and Babies charity partnered with Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce recently to deliver a workshop on building an inclusive workplace. They were joined by GRASSROOTS HR and CSR ACCREDITATION.
Families & Babies (FAB), long standing Chamber members, have been working relentlessly over the past 20 years to support young families and to provide businesses with guidance on how to provide an inclusive, ethical, and supportive environment for the benefit of all.
As a charity within this field, FAB offers a unique perspective on the significance of social value and inclusion.
Elaine Edwards is Chair of FAB, which she founded nearly 20 years ago. She first launched FAB in the North, in her hometown of Darwen Lancashire were she started to support mums in the local Sure Start centres as volunteers. Fast forward nearly 20 years and FAB now have over 35 paid staff and around 100 volunteers and have supported over 250,000 families from home visits to their amazing helplines, and within their communities. They have grown from a small local support group, through to a regional and now national charity of which Elaine is extremely proud.
Elaine and her team are keen to urge business owners to become a ‘Breastfeeding Supportive Employer’ and gain access to FAB’s ‘Infant Feeding Wellbeing Package.’ The package is unique in providing tailored assistance in drafting and implementing a Breastfeeding Policy to ensure compliance with statutory guidelines together with a whole host of access opportunities including 1:1 online Peer Support and much more. FAB works with any size of business and includes 'Breastfeeding Awareness' training for both teams and leaders.
GRASSROOTS HR provided valuable insights into developing and implementing effective HR policies that support an inclusive and equitable workplace. Their expertise highlighted practical approaches for businesses to enhance employee engagement, retention, and overall organisational performance through well-crafted HR strategies.
Richard Collins from CSR ACCREDITATION gave a presentation on the company’s aim to help improve the world for future generations by reducing the negative impact we have on the environment and by building a better and cohesive society. Richard is an international keynote speaker on sustainability.
Pictured: Elaine Edwards with Lewis Crowe (Head of Business Development at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce) and some members of the FAB Team