The ChattyDuck Pledge
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
At ChattyDuck, we believe positive change begins at a grassroots level. By making small, manageable improvements to our own lives, we can all play a role in making our world a better place.
ChattyDuck is a Fenton-based company founded by a proud Stokie who lives in the Staffordshire Moorlands. As you’ve probably guessed, we love the Potteries, which is why we feel a responsibility to work with other like-minded individuals and organisations to help improve the quality of life and long-term prospects of people living in our local communities.
When it comes to social mobility, for instance, Stoke-on-Trent is ranked 298th out of 324 local authorities in England. Life expectancy is three years below the national average for men, and two years below for women. Nearly a quarter of the city’s children live in poverty, compared to a national average of less than 17%*.
In light of these challenges, ChattyDuck’s immediate CSR-related priority is to have a positive impact in Staffordshire and its surrounding areas. In the longer term, we hope to extend our approach to the wider UK and any overseas markets in which we operate.
Here are our commitments:
Social
We promise to donate at least 3% of our annual profits to charitable causes. If you’d like to suggest a worthy cause – especially in Staffordshire – please write to info@chattyduck.com. We continue to offer concessionary rates to startups, charities and non-profits (please see pricing information to learn more). We’ll consider social, financial, environmental and ethical factors before agreeing to work with any client, partner or supplier. We also strive to assist people who share our values, offering discounted or pro bono support to those tackling issues such as poverty, malnutrition, climate change, and inequalities in health and education**.
Financial
We promise to support local communities and businesses by focusing our procurement efforts on Staffordshire. Wherever possible, we will work with suppliers in our vicinity to ensure we are making a positive contribution to our region’s economy. If local providers are unable to meet our requirements, we will endeavour to work with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in other parts of the UK in a bid to support the wider economy and organisations that share our values. ChattyDuck’s membership of organisations such as Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) will facilitate these goals.
Environmental
We promise to continuously monitor our operations in a bid to minimise our environmental impact. If we identify a more sustainable method of delivery and we are in a position to cover the associated costs, we will implement the practice at the earliest possible opportunity. As a small business, any new sustainable practices we employ will be informed by our own research, and recommendations from our clients (please feel free to contact info@chattyduck.com if you have a suggestion). However, as the scale of our business grows (fingers crossed!) and if financial resources allow, we also intend to seek expert advice from an environmental consultancy.
* Opportunity Action Plan, Staffordshire University
** Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), United Nations