Environmental and social responsibility
We know we're a fortunate bunch, so we try to help others whenever we can. It’s not a PR thing, and it’s never a box-ticking exercise. It’s simply because we love making a difference, so when someone asks for help, we usually try to bend over backwards to make something happen. Here are just a few of the ways we’re inspiring, donating and volunteering.
Inspiring
This is all about young people, and inspiring them in their education and career. Working with both schools and universities, we provide career mentoring, interview advice, and regular work experience opportunities. We also offer paid internship roles every year, and you’ll often find us giving talks or guest lectures at local universities or schools.
![Social responsibility](/sites/default/files/styles/waterstons_standard_image/public/2021-06/social-responsibility-inspiring.jpg?h=c31db2d8&itok=uyiwvdvq)
Donating
We regularly donate to all sorts of causes in all sorts of different ways. Whether it’s our charity fund with the County Durham Community Foundation, gifts for a local women’s refuge, money for local hospices, or our support of community events like the Durham Lumiere festival.
We fundraise too, with the team-wide ‘On your feet’ initiative being just one recent example. Our people collectively walked, ran and cycled the distance between all five of our key locations (Glasgow, Durham, London, Sydney and Perth)… racking-up more than 5,000km to raise money for Mind, Beyond Blue and Wigs for Heroes.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/team_profile_/public/2024-06/michael.stirrup.jpg?h=689fb0ed&itok=1V5NxBGT)
Michael Stirrup
CEO
Meet Michael"I just think everyone here shares the same determination to do the right thing, and that's naturally reflected in our community work."
Volunteering
We’re proud to provide all sorts of pro-bono support to local charities. Michael gives his time on the Board of Trustees for Edbert’s House, a charity that’s pioneering social prescribing in Gateshead. Steve is on the Board of Trustees at Beyond Housing in Redcar, and we’re continually amazed by the way our people have supported the frontline fight against Covid-19.
![Social responsibility](/sites/default/files/styles/waterstons_standard_image/public/2021-06/social-responsibility-volunteering.jpg?h=c31db2d8&itok=63hHYF4J)
Diversity, equality and inclusion
We believe any team is strongest when it’s made-up of people from diverse and varied backgrounds. So our DEI team work hard to ensure everyone feels included, welcomed and fulfilled. Enjoying a true sense of belonging.
Find out moreWorking with Waterstons
There’s that old saying – ‘none of us is as good as all of us’ – and we couldn’t agree more. We know we’re nothing without an amazing team. So we make sure careers with Waterstons are enjoyable, rewarding and progressive.
Find out moreOur team
We’re proud of our people. They’re smart, creative, caring and switched on. And whatever their expertise, role or seniority, they all share the same passion for our clients, and the same belief in the transformational power of technology.
Find out moreEnvironmental responsibility
As a business we understand the need to do business responsibly and that means looking after our planet as well as our people and our communities.
We have updated our baseline carbon footprint for 2023, the first in the post covid era. We have also created a Carbon Reduction Statement which sets out our intention for improving our sustainability credentials as a business.
Part of our plan includes the formation of a ‘Green Team’ made up of people from all areas and regions of the business and across all levels of experience to ensure that we are listening to and implementing new ideas on how we can decrease our carbon emissions; not just at our sites and in our communities, but also through the services we provide to clients and providing support and input for their own net zero journeys too where we can.
![Litter Picking](/sites/default/files/styles/waterstons_standard_image/public/2024-07/1686401383736.jpg?h=ae2fb74b&itok=aZAbPO6X)
Advice and thoughts from our team
![Daniel Halliday](/sites/default/files/styles/team_profile_/public/2021-05/danielhalliday.jpg?h=689fb0ed&itok=0tOigeok)
We set Teesside University computing students a hackathon challenge to use artificial intelligence in a positive way.
![Helen Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/team_profile_/public/2023-06/Helen.Fawcett.jpg?h=c33e974f&itok=zMjvxWVX)
Sector Principal for Manufacturing, Helen Fawcett has been selected to be a member of Business Beats Cancer (BBC) Newcastle’s board to support the charity’s development and awareness.
![Lora Barclay](/sites/default/files/styles/team_profile_/public/2023-06/MicrosoftTeams-image%20%284%29%20-%20Copy.png?h=66c402c1&itok=fA0DOKEP)
Business Systems Lead, Lora Barclay, has been selected from over 30 applicants to be a new member of the Scottish Women in Business committee after a vote of all organisation members.