At Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), working from home “has not dampened the energy and innovation of the CSR team”, according to CSR sponsor Ann-Marie Fanning. For the time being, all of the company’s initiatives in this area – fundraising for partner charities, focusing on sustainability and volunteering – are virtual. This allows those working from home and critical on-site staff at Cruiserath to participate.

For example, its sustainability education series is now delivered through virtual webinars, and a virtual 5km company run is planned for July with all donations going to St Francis Hospice and Jigsaw Dublin 15.

“During this time when many traditional fundraising events are getting cancelled, the BMS sports and social clubs teamed up with the CSR team to create some fun, but also an option to donate,” Fanning said. They put together a quiz, which 200 employees joined, and raised €3,000 for St Francis Hospice.

A challenge presented by remote working has been communicating with staff about CSR initiatives. To maintain employee awareness, Fanning said, the team has launched a new CSR newsletter to keep everyone up to date with fundraising, events that have taken place, upcoming events and “general good news