Giving Sir Gâr is a Welsh Assembly Government initiative which aims to encourage businesses in Wales to enhance their policies regarding Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Social Investment in their local communities. The initiative promotes the significant corporation tax allowances and positive PR opportunities available to companies that give donations, goods, services or staff to the voluntary sector. This includes all charities and not for profit organisations within Carmarthenshire.

Why is Carmarthenshire so special?

Carmarthenshire is the only county in Wales to have been chosen by the Welsh Assembly Government to conduct this pilot scheme. The Carmarthenshire pilot will develop examples of CSR policies to form a model of best practice which will then be rolled out across the Principality in a future phase. Giving Sir Gâr is being administered by Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) which has received funding to staff, actively promote, and provide support for companies wishing to engage in this innovative and highly beneficial programme.

Giving Sir Gâr aims to increase business involvement in three specific action areas:

• Enhancing partnerships between businesses and the voluntary sector by participating in events such as “Seeing is Believing” which give business leaders a first hand experience of the voluntary work being undertaken in the county.
• Corporate support for employee volunteering and donation of surplus goods or redundant equipment e.g. IT or office furniture.
• Corporate support for, and promotion of Giving Sir Gar.