For many years, Oliver & Co has been dedicated to supporting ethical and sustainable business practices while striving to make a positive impact on our local community.
In recent years, we have formalised our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by developing a comprehensive CSR policy and establishing a dedicated core team. This team is responsible for reviewing and enhancing our CSR initiatives, ensuring that our efforts are both effective and impactful. They meet regularly to discuss our programme of events, monitor progress, and brainstorm new ways to serve our community.
We firmly believe that businesses have a responsibility to support the communities they operate within. With the guidance and efforts of our CSR team, we actively seek out and implement practical ways to fulfil this responsibility and embed Oliver & Co within the local community. From organising community events to supporting local charities and adopting sustainable business practices, our goal is to create lasting positive change and contribute meaningfully to society.
Through our ongoing commitment to CSR, we aim to inspire others and demonstrate that ethical and sustainable business practices can drive both community well-being and business success.
At Oliver & Co Solicitors, we are committed to giving back to our community through pro-bono legal services and sponsorships. By supporting local initiatives and charitable organisations, we provide the legal expertise needed to help them thrive.
We offer a range of pro-bono legal services, from ad-hoc advice to comprehensive business support for charities. Our goal is to make a meaningful impact on our community.
A key partnership is with the Hospice of the Good Shepherd. Through our Will Clinics, we provide free Will writing services, encouraging donations to the Hospice instead of fees. In the past year, this initiative has raised £15,505 for the Hospice. Click here to read more about our work with the Hospice.
Our pro-bono and sponsorship efforts reflect our commitment to creating a positive and lasting impact. We are honoured to contribute to the well-being of our community and to support organisations that make a difference.
For many years, we have donated money as a company and supported our staff in fundraising events for many charitable organisations. These include:
At Oliver & Co Solicitors, we are incredibly proud to announce Hope House Children’s Hospices as our Charity of the Year.
Hope House Children’s Hospices provides vital care and support to seriously ill children and their families across Shropshire, Cheshire, Powys and North Wales. Through Hope House in Oswestry and Tŷ Gobaith in Conwy, the charity offers specialist care both at its hospices and within family homes, helping children and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives.
Their support includes respite care, end-of-life care, counselling, sibling support, bereavement support and practical guidance for families. Hope House supports more than 750 local families and works to ensure that children with life-threatening conditions, and those who love them, receive compassionate, professional care when they need it most.
As a firm that has been serving Chester for over 60 years and cares deeply about our local community, we are honoured to support Hope House Children’s Hospices through fundraising, volunteering and events throughout the year. We look forward to working closely with the charity to help raise awareness and vital funds for their incredible work.
We believe partnerships like this are about more than fundraising — they are about building genuine, long-lasting relationships that benefit the charity, our local community and our own team.
To learn more about Hope House Children’s Hospices and the difference they make, visit their website.
We at Oliver & Co Solicitors are committed to the participation in the Sustainable Palm Oil Communities project in Chester. With immediate effect, we will ensure that all food provided by Oliver & Co come from companies who have excellent sustainable palm oil practices.
This process is facilitated by using the Palm Oil Scan App to scan the barcodes of food products, only purchasing those which have a “excellent” rating. This ensures that we are buying from companies who actively use and support sustainable palm oil.
We are also going one step further to prioritise sustainable palm oil in our cleaning products by purchasing cleaning products from companies rated “good” or higher. By doing this, we know that we are helping to protect wildlife around the world from the impact of unsustainable agricultural practices.
Our people
We encourage professional development, and actively foster an environment of openness and understanding of mental and physical health issues. This last year we have supported our team in the many ways, including a ‘couch to 5k’ running group, personal development learning opportunities, training 7 of our staff as mental heath first aiders, free fruit and monthly dog walking (dogs not essential!).
Disabled access
Disabled access has always been important to us and as such our offices have disabled facilities for wheelchair users and clients with other disabilities.
We have a hearing loop in Reception and a portable hearing loop for use in meetings. Our employees have also had ‘Deaf Awareness Training’, allowing them to offer the best services to clients with hearing impairments.
Environment
We encourage all staff to think about the environment and have put several measures in place company-wide to do our bit. These have included investing in a new energy efficient climate control system to heat/cool our office, installing hand dryers in all toilets, providing reusable glasses instead of disposable plastic cups at our water dispensers and employing intelligent waste management for all our waste.
At Oliver & Co, we prioritise the professional growth and overall wellbeing of our team. We actively foster an environment that promotes openness and understanding regarding mental and physical health issues. Over the past year, we have implemented various initiatives to support our staff, ensuring they feel valued and cared for both professionally and personally.
One of our key initiatives was launching a ‘Couch to 5K’ running group, encouraging employees to improve their fitness and enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. Additionally, we provided numerous personal development opportunities, empowering our team to enhance their skills and advance their careers.
Understanding the importance of mental health, we trained seven of our staff members as Mental Health First Aiders, equipping them with the skills to offer support and guidance to colleagues in need. To further promote a healthy lifestyle, we offer free fruit in the office and organise monthly dog-walking events—though bringing a dog is not essential for participation!
Through these efforts, we strive to create a supportive and enriching workplace that prioritises the development and wellbeing of our employees.
Ensuring accessibility for all has always been a priority at Oliver & Co. Our offices are equipped with comprehensive facilities to accommodate wheelchair users and clients with various disabilities, reflecting our commitment to creating an inclusive environment.
To support clients with hearing impairments, we have installed a hearing loop in our reception area and provide a portable hearing loop for use during meetings. This technology ensures clear and effective communication for those who rely on hearing aids.
Moreover, our commitment extends to staff training. Our employees have undergone ‘Deaf Awareness Training,’ enabling them to better understand the needs of clients with hearing impairments and provide the highest level of service. This training equips our team with the skills and knowledge necessary to communicate effectively and empathetically with deaf or hard-of-hearing clients.
At Oliver & Co, we continually strive to enhance our accessibility features and training programs, ensuring that all clients feel welcomed and supported. Our dedication to inclusivity is an integral part of our mission to serve our community with compassion and respect.
At Oliver & Co, we actively encourage all staff to prioritise environmental responsibility and have implemented several measures across the company to minimise our ecological footprint. Our dedication to sustainability is reflected in the initiatives we have introduced to create a greener workplace.
We have invested in a new energy-efficient climate control system to regulate the temperature of our office, ensuring that heating and cooling are both effective and environmentally friendly. This system helps us reduce our energy consumption and lower our carbon footprint.
In an effort to reduce plastic waste, we have replaced disposable plastic cups at our water dispensers with reusable glasses. This simple yet impactful change significantly cuts down on single-use plastics and promotes a culture of sustainability among our employees.
Furthermore, we have adopted intelligent waste management practices for all our office waste. This includes comprehensive recycling programmes, proper disposal of hazardous materials, and initiatives to reduce overall waste production. By managing our waste more effectively, we aim to lessen our environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Through these efforts, Oliver & Co is committed to fostering an eco-conscious workplace where every team member is encouraged to think about and act on environmental issues. Our ongoing commitment to sustainability is a testament to our belief in doing our part to protect the planet for future generations.