Corporate Social Responsibility

At BT we are proud of our reputation as a socially responsible organisation. Our shareholders and partners have told us that we should support members of society who need extra support and this includes older and disabled people.

Our support of telephone helplines, websites and national telethons demonstrate how communications technology can help in charity fundraising. You may be aware of our work with Childline and Children In Need but we also support other campaigns, including projects to help older people get online. More information on our Community work, which in the 2007 financial year saw £21.8 million invested, can be found in BT's Sustainability Report including BT's work with Age Concern  to help older people.

We are also committed to promoting digital inclusion. This means making sure that groups who are often excluded from society due to age, ability or lack of money are able to use the Internet if they want to. We believe that by having access to more information, people can get more out of life - from jobs to entertainment. If you are involved in a community group for older and disabled people and you are looking for support for an Internet based project visit our Community Connections website for further details.

A recent winner of the BT supported eWell-Being awards was the Funky Flamingo Club night in Cambridge, run by and for disadvantaged and disabled adults and young people from Cambridgeshire. The aim of the club night is to combine technology with arts and culture to promote social inclusion.

However Corporate Social Responsibility is not just about providing financial support but ensuring that older and disabled people are able to use technology. As part of this commitment, our Age and Disability Action Team work with our product managers to ensure that we offer phones that take into account different needs for example the Big Button 100. Visit our Home Phones section for further details. We are also managing a project to assess the value of websites in British Sign Language (BSL) for deaf customers, see our BSL Broadband Guide.

See also:

BT's Social Responsibility pages