Social Impact Report 2021-22
A Bolton social enterprise is proving you don’t have to choose between making a profit and making the world a better place.
Starts with you, a social enterprise that provides property services including caretaking and safety inspections, works to create opportunities in Bolton to help local people access quality employment.
The organisation is celebrating five years in business and has launched a brand-new Social Impact Report video which chronicles its achievements from the past year.
Hayley Hulme, Managing Director of Starts with you, said: “We want to make the world a kinder, fairer place and change starts with “you”. For us, that means delivering ‘Positive Change’ in our local communities by supporting people in Bolton and Greater Manchester.”
As a Living Wage employer and Member of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Starts with you helps local people access quality employment. More than a third of its employees were previously unemployed and in the past year, its career coaching service supported 68 customers into work.
Hayley added: “Quality employment is a key driver of wellbeing, impacting individuals, their families and communities. Therefore, supporting local people back to their feet continues to be a major part of what we do, whether you work here or access our services.”
Starts with you also aims to spend locally where possible. In the past year, it spent more than a third of its budget in Bolton and more than half in Greater Manchester, demonstrating its commitment to the local economy.
Hayley added: “The cycle of creating and spending locally strengthens the regional economy, benefitting the entire community. It’s a bonus that Bolton and Greater Manchester are home to leading businesses and social enterprises which serve as invaluable partners to Starts with you.”
In the past year, the organisation also raised £1,500 for Bolton Hospice and supported the Woodland Trust’s initiative to plant 130,000 trees at Smithills, Bolton. It also recycled 100% of its electronic waste through Recycle-IT – a fellow Bolton social enterprise that provides reusable equipment back to the community.
