RBS International has teamed up with a range of Guernsey charities to share skills and support the wider community, from planting trees to teaching children how to read.
The bank offers colleagues three days a year to volunteer during business hours.
The team in Guernsey has made good use of the scheme and has volunteered over 120 hours of time to charity so far this year, including at Bright Beginnings Children’s Centre where a group of volunteers rotate weekly to support children with reading at a local primary school.
Working with Guernsey Trees for Life, employees have also helped to replace trees after the destruction of Storm Ciaran, while others have assisted and entertained care home residents with the Guernsey Dementia Society.
Susan Fouquier, Guernsey Country Head and Institutional Banking Managing Director, RBS International, said: “Our team is proud to live and work here on Guernsey and giving back to the community can make a real difference to peoples’ lives.”
The GSPCA Animal Shelter has also benefited from recent volunteers helping with gardening and clearing the centre. Meanwhile, an additional group has been working with GROW, a charity supporting adults with learning disabilities to develop skills for the workplace.
Steve Byrne, Manager, GSPCA Animal Shelter, said: “RBSI has offered their time and knowledge with a number of tasks around the animal shelter over the last two years and the team makes an instant positive impact each time they volunteer.”
RBS International employees across all locations globally can decide whether to take their volunteering allowance in one go, or in parts by dedicating a couple of hours on multiple occasions throughout the year. In 2023, the Guernsey team logged 841.25 hours overall, equating to nearly 9 hours per full time employee.
