Building with conscience

Corporate Social Responsibility

Building with Conscience goes beyond our manufacturing approach and system designs. Staff are actively encouraged to make a positive influence and afforded additional leave to volunteer for good causes. As a Group we also donate materials and know-how to construction projects in impoverished areas, and sponsor young architectural talent.

Sto has sponsored a number of charities from local fund raisers to global campaigns supporting Friends of the Earth and OXFAM. In 2011, won over by the great work they do, we decided to become a patron sponsor of CRASH.

CRASH is the UK construction industry's charity for homeless people. As part of our commitment to corporate social responsibility, Sto has become a patron partner of this worthwhile charity.

CRASH is a unique and practical charity that focuses on improving the buildings used by homeless people. This is provided in 3 ways:

• Awarding cash grants
• Providing on-site professional expertise
• Supplying free building materials

As an industry charity, they encourage patron partners to get directly involved in helping the projects that ask CRASH for assistance. Matching industry support exactly to the needs of a particular project delivers better standards of building. The industry goodwill also helps to provide a safe, sustainable and welcoming refuge for people in need.

What is a patron partner?

Patrons of CRASH commit to making an annual donation of £7,800 to the charity for a minimum of three years. This more than covers all running costs and the surplus donations are then directed to projects. This enables the charity to deliver a high level of practical support to frontline homelessness agencies throughout the UK.

Francesca Roberts, Chief Executive, CRASH: "We are so pleased to welcome Sto as a patron partner. As a charity, we have already done a huge amount to support the quarter of a million people in the UK living on the streets, in hostels or temporary accommodation. With the help of generous businesses like Sto, we can continue to do so."

Iain MacDonald, Managing Director, Sto Ltd: "As a company that takes its corporate social responsibility seriously, Sto welcomes the opportunities offered by CRASH to help us meet our obligation to benefit vulnerable members of our society. As the recognised construction industry charity, CRASH is an appropriate recipient of our support in its many worthwhile projects."

Supply of free materials and expertise

Whenever a request for free materials or expertise for a particular project is sent through to us from CRASH, Sto considers this carefully. If there are any materials we can supply or any expertise we can provide, we aim to do so.

Sto has already supplied 4 bathroom sinks towards a bathroom renovation project based in Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Cyrenians applied to CRASH for assistance. They provide advice, information and help as well as food, shelter and laundry for homeless people.

CRASH receives no government backing and is 100 per cent funded by the UK construction and property industry. The charity is cost effectively run by just three full-time staff. This has enabled over 45 projects across the UK to be helped in the last year.

For more on CRASH, please visit www.crash.org.uk.

Press Release: Sto Raise Over £2000 for CRASH London Dragon Boat Challenge

In 2005 Sto launched the Sto Foundation, a charitable body that offers scholarships to talented architectural students. Up to three scholarships are awarded annually to allow the students the time and resources to concentrate on their work. A running theme is our Building with Conscience motto, looking to promote a sustainable approach in our future city builders.