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INTERVIEW THE BIG
IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
THE WRIGHT APPROACH
In one short sentence Jeremy Hartley neatly sums up the ‘Wright’ way of doing business. It is, he explains, all about creating “profit with a purpose”.
Long before CSR and ESG came onto the corporate world’s radar, the Lancashire company he heads had taken the view that the role of business in society was not to create wealth for the few but rather to help in building a strong community.
The Eric Wright group of companies, which today spans construction, civil engineering, property development and facilities management, has been working to do just that.
In 2016 it became wholly owned by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, with 100 per cent of profits either reinvested in the company or passed back into the community through its and the group’s charitable works and donations.
The “profit with a purpose” phrase captures founder and chairman Eric Wright’s vision for a sustainable business model which plays a wider part in the community. His philosophy provides the strong foundation on which the Bamber Bridge headquartered group has been built.
Group managing director Jeremy, who has been with the business for a quarter of a century, says: “If you break down what Eric says, it is not just about the business making money, it is about how we approach our day- to-day business activities and ultimately what we do with that money.
By Ged Henderson
“We have to make money. We face the same challenges as any other business, and we have wages to pay. The charity couldn’t do what it does without us being a successful business. That is an integral part of Eric’s sustainable model.
“The way we operate means investing the money we make in order to secure people’s futures and to improve the lives of people in the communities around the business. It is about having a positive and lasting impact.
“The trust was created to capture Eric’s vision for a sustainable business, because he felt it was the right way to connect with our communities, the places we live and work in.
“He didn’t shout too loudly about it. Eric has never been one to publicise his actions, he likes them to speak louder than his words.
“In recent times the business community has begun to realise companies should or could pay a much bigger part in society. The future is around people and social value.
“The developing ESG agenda means lot of businesses are just starting out on that journey, we have been out there doing it for a long time.”
While the trust receives funding from the business, it has its own board of trustees and is own independent giving strategy.
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