When is a Christmas hamper more than just a Christmas hamper?

When it’s also an extraordinary project that brings together social enterprises and for-purpose companies from across the UK including ODS.

At ODS we want to recognise our teams and reward them for the hard work and dedication that they deliver for the business throughout the year.  In December 2021 even more so, after the impact Covid 19 had on our services.  But we also wanted to do this in a meaningful way, in our ‘doing Good’ way.

We decided to partner with Ethical Stationery, a Community Interest Company (CIC), to provide a hamper full of treats for each staff member. Importantly this partnership would also benefit the suppliers whose products were inside the hampers and the people involved in the distribution process.

The hampers and the ethos of Ethical Stationery truly resonated with ODS and our staff, so much so that, we decided to repeat the exercise in 2022.

Ethical Stationery is a co-operative run by the people who work for it and owned by the people who use it. They are an inspiring social enterprise and the one in the sector that guarantees 100% of its profits will be given away to help some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Social Value and Sustainability lead for ODS, Maria Warner said: “We genuinely want to reward our staff but for us, it is vitally important that we remain true to our mission of ensuring what we source, brings genuine benefits to people, communities and the planet. 

“We believe the partnership with Ethical Stationery does all of this and more.  And we know that our staff are looking forward to receiving this year’s festive treats.”

Like ODS, Ethical Stationery are also passionate about the environment and creating positive change in society.  The hampers have helped victims of human trafficking, funded food banks, provided work for the homeless, given hope to families caring for relatives with dementia, supported single mums and people with failing mental health and they have removed plastic from the environment.

Last year’s ethically sourced hampers were filled with wonderful festive treats from mince pies to Christmas crackers, and the impact of their purchase, provided:

344 hours of Living Wage employment

8 Jobs were created

4 Mums were employed

1 Refugee was employed

3 Homeless persons were employed

1 Ex Offender was supported

The 2022 hampers have made just as big an impact:

456 hours of Living Wage employment
100% social value, and contents are all vegan, and plastic free

14 dementia pets and dolls have been purchased

6 homeless persons employed

600 pairs of socks donated to homeless people

A favourite in the 2021 hamper was the ODS travel mug.  Sourced and printed by Ethstat, the travel mug is BPA free and made in the UK from recycled plastic. It can be reused again and again replacing takeaway hot drinks and single-use cups on the go. 

But there will be no spoilers about the contents, until after the elves have concluded their deliveries, only Maria and HR Manager, Stevie-Ann Bedwell know because they went along to lend a hand with the packing.