Community

Building a strong relationship between Kingspan and the communities in which it operates has been a long-lived tradition of the Group. These links have been forged in many and various ways. Through the sustainability programme, Kingspan actively promotes sourcing from local suppliers for business operations. Other community involvement includes:

• supporting local initiatives;
• sponsoring local sport;
• supporting local educational and environmental initiatives and
• contributing to a variety of good causes both locally and overseas where we feel we can make a difference.

In October 2006, the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust was established at Kingspan Insulation Board’s largest plant in Pembridge, England, in which Kingspan matches employee contributions. During 2007, the Trust sponsored local community and environmental projects including enhancing Pembridge village green and helping conserve its wildlife, improving local school car parking and active play facilities, and funding youth sports kits and training equipment. Further information on this initiative and the projects sponsored during 2007 can be accessed at the following website, http://www.kingspaninsulation.communitytrust.org.

In October 2007 and 2008, the Trust, in collaboration with Arts and Business-West Midlands and Herefordshire Council, funded a major performance-based educational and environmental event at the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford entitled ‘SPeAR the experience - walking gently on the Earth’. All 7th year state secondary school children from Herefordshire were invited to participate in this interactive performance that brought together extreme sports, music and dance. It highlighted the choices we all face in ensuring a future for planet earth.

Kingspan has also participated in or initiated several large scale community participation events. These include hosting the breakfast launch for “The Big Dee Day” on behalf of Flintshire Countryside Services, supporting the clean-up of the Dee Estuary. Over 600 people took part from local businesses, community groups, schools and local authorities including many from Kingspan. The Dee Estuary has been designated as a Ramsar site under the Ramsar Convention of Wetlands of International Importance and as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EC Birds Directive. The site is of ecological significance due to its populations of internationally important wintering waterfowl and tern species and its intertidal mud and sandflats, salt marsh and transitional habitats. Kingspan is also supporting the Welsh Assembly’s “All Wales Coastal Path Project” for 2012.

Kingspan staff photographed at the Big Dee Clean up Day with David Bellamy

Kingspan have also worked together with Cross Cause to help relieve the plight of the less fortunate in Romania and Eastern Europe. Kingspan provided insulated panels to roof all the buildings that provide residence, education, therapy and medical care at the Cross Cause centres.

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