Material issues and objectives

Community

Community is a material issue because local and global communities provide our ‘licence to operate’. Because we impact them, we must be accountable and give something back.

2008 Objective:

• 10% increase in group-wide volunteering

Through our Reed Elsevier Cares programme we concentrate on education – a common focus across the group – for disadvantaged young people. We saw a 51% rise in volunteering and donated £2.1 million in cash donations (including matching gift programmes) and the equivalent of £3.8 million in gifts of products, services and staff time in 2008. Our Two Days programme allows all employees up to two days off per year for their own community work.

2009 Objective:

• 10% increase in group-wide volunteering over 2008