Gala Coral’s talent development programme
Charity projects over 8 weeks formed a major part of a talent development programme.
Learning & development and CSR at Gala Coral came together when 15 managers on Gala Coral's talent development programme were given projects designed to help three charity partners with their most pressing strategic issues. RAPt (the Rehabilitation for Addicted Prisoners Trust) was seeking a business plan for its new social enterprise, Headway (the brain injuries charity) was planning how to adapt to a new funding system and The Friary (a homeless drop-in centre in Nottingham) needed a new three year strategic plan. The Gala Coral managers worked closely with their charity partners over an 8 week period, at the end of which they presented their recommendations and solutions to the charities' staff, trustees and stakeholders. Working outside their usual environments provided the managers with an opportunity to develop their business skills in a very different setting, with an emphasis on strategic thinking, innovation, personal impact and communications.
"Designing a talent development module around real-life charity projects was a highly effective way of building our CSR agenda into another core business consideration — learning & development. The projects connected our people with issues in society that matter to us, they were original and compelling, and they benefited our people as well as the charity partners"
Dr Colin Morgan, Group Corporate Responsibility Manager, Gala Coral Group