Hallmark Cards has been recognised for its continued excellence in corporate responsibility and the environment with a prestigious Business in the Community award.

This week the leading greetings card publisher received Platinum status in Business in the Community’s (BITC) annual Corporate Responsibility Index.

The annual BITC awards, which are the UK’s most influential, independent, peer assessed corporate responsibility awards, are run in association with the Financial Times. They recognise and celebrate companies who have shown innovation, creativity and a sustained commitment to corporate responsibility.

Bradford-based Hallmark Cards continues to improve its ranking year-on-year and this year moved from Gold to Platinum status after its continued commitment to robust corporate responsibility throughout its business.

Areas which contributed to Hallmark receiving Platinum status include:

·        Increase in the use of materials from well-managed and recycled sources in UK manufacture

·        Reduction in waste generation and increase in the proportion of waste recycled. Reduction in energy use

·        4th consecutive year of the Mother’s Day Cards for a Cure™ campaign, which annually see’s the company donate £1/4 million to fund research into finding a cure for breast cancer

·        Improved supply chain working standards

·        Introduction of an internal diversity programme

·        Employees raised over £30,000 for Help for Heroes Charity

Richard Campbell, Group Operations Director at Hallmark Cards, said: “We are dedicated to achieving excellent corporate social responsibility standards and it is testament to this hard working approach that we have continued to improve our BITC status year-on-year. 

“Corporate social responsibility is something that is intrinsic to our organisation and all of our staff work extremely hard to ensure that we continue to excel in all areas. We are extremely pleased to receive this award which is very well deserved and demonstrates the huge strides that we continue to make in all areas of corporate social responsibility.”