Big Issue Group and C&C Group join forces across mentoring, skills and access to employment opportunities as part of new three-year partnership

All 2,800 C&C colleagues can get involved, challenging stereotypes and empowering marginalised communities

Leading drinks manufacturer and distributor C&C Group (‘C&C’) is embarking on a brand new, three-year partnership with the Big Issue Group as part of its ongoing commitment to support the communities it serves across the UK and Ireland, aiming to change lives through enterprise.  

C&C already works across complex societal areas, covering homelessness, addiction, food poverty and mental health, as part of its established Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Agenda, which closely aligns with the Big Issue Group’s core mission of changing lives through enterprise.

A key partnership priority will be identifying opportunities for Big Issue vendors and others who face barriers to employment to transition into internships or permanent employment with C&C and across the wider hospitality industry, via Big Issue Group’s Employability Programme. This builds on existing outreach initiatives led by C&C which have empowered people from marginalised communities into work.

Together, C&C and Big Issue Group will deliver four wide-reaching social programmes tackling challenges and providing social and economic opportunities for Big Issue vendors, people from underrepresented and less privileged backgrounds, as well as social enterprises and charities, as part of several key Big Issue Group’s projects:

• Sheltered pitches and on-street support initiatives – creating opportunities for vendors to reach more customers
• Big Issue Breakthrough and Big Issue Invest investee mentoring – offering practical mentoring, training and skills development to the individuals and organisation Big Issue Group supports
• Employability Programme – providing opportunities for people facing barriers to work to transition into supported employment
• Cause-related Marketing Campaigns – collaborating on joint campaigns, including colleague fundraising initiatives

Richard Hayhoe, Corporate Affairs & Communications Director, at C&C comments:

“Our colleagues can’t wait to get involved in the huge range of opportunities that exist as part of this exciting initiative. Seeing all elements of this partnership come to life – whether that’s through connecting with vendors on the streets of our towns and cities, transferring skills to support others, and working together to identify opportunities for people to secure employment in the hospitality industry and beyond – is set to be extremely rewarding and will have a real impact and improve livelihoods.”

Lara McCullagh, Group Executive Director at Big Issue Group, adds:

“We are incredibly excited to be entering into this partnership with C&C Group. This is a relationship which will enable us to further our mission of changing lives through enterprise by creating opportunities for many of those with whom we work, including vendors, trainees coming through our paid internship programme, candidates coming through our employability schemes, as well as the organisations we invest in. I very much look forward to seeing the brilliant impact this partnership will have over the next three years.”

For further information about C&C’s ESG Agenda, please visit www.candcgroupplc.com/esg