The South Tyneside Pledge aims to encourage South Tyneside organisations to focus on local activities and practical steps such as local procurement and recruitment, that can help South Tyneside to thrive.
The Pledge does not involve targets or difficult reporting, or an obligation to carry out every step in the Pledge. Below are a range of suggestions and ideas you may wish to consider, along with contact details and ways in which South Tyneside Council and the wider Partnership can help.
Spend South Tyneside
Could you increase the proportion of procurement spending in South Tyneside and, if relevant, explore joint procurement and commissioning?
Top tips and ideas:
- Ensure you are registered on Open, the new e-procurement platform launched by NEPO and the North East local authorities.
- Sign up to the NEPO Business Club who offer support and upskill businesses with access to webinars and free training across the region and virtually.
- Consider buying locally or regionally where possible?
- Endorse other South Tyneside businesses where possible with positive reviews
- Attend our Pledge networking events to understand what other businesses offer and sell.
How South Tyneside Council can help
South Tyneside Council are keen to raise local spend (and are working with other public sector organisations, like the NHS to do this). Where applicable South Tyneside Council will host ‘Meet the Buyer’ events to support South Tyneside small businesses to bid for opportunities with larger organisations.
South Tyneside Council will recognise consortium bids or sub-contracting arrangements in its procurements. The procurement team can be contacted with queries by email procurement@southtyneside.gov.uk
Encourage employees to spend, shop and eat in South Tyneside, and visit and engage with our attractions
Tips and ideas:
- Could you commit to booking business guests or customers visiting the borough into South Tyneside hotels or B&B’s?
- Are you having a work’s night out? Consider visiting one of South Tyneside restaurants and bars?
- Do you reward staff with gift vouchers? Consider a gift voucher from a local restaurant or shop?
- Consider hiring a room in a local hotel or venue for your next meeting?
- Sign up to the Visit South Tyneside newsletter, and share details of upcoming events and festivals with staff.
- One company provided a Christmas bonus to staff and requested they spend the money in South Tyneside!
How South Tyneside Council can help
Use the Visit South Tyneside website for inspiration and up to date details of events and activities going on across the borough: https://visitsouthtyneside.co.uk/
We will let you know about special offers, events and latest developments through our Pledge newsletter.
Recruit South Tyneside
We want local people to be able to access jobs within the borough to help your organisation.
Could you hire more South Tyneside residents and advertise jobs locally?
Could you ensure your adverts appeal to people across the borough?
How South Tyneside Council can help
Visit our Recruit, Retain, Empower webpage which outlines all of the support available to help you widen your recruitment and selection pools, and encourage more local candidates, particularly those with diverse or additional needs.
We have a support service available for you to facilitate the recruitment, selection, training or upskilling needed for your business, whether that is for one person or an entire workforce. Please contact claire.cook@southtyneside.gov.uk
Could you work with local schools and students?
Our work in schools means that pupils, starting at primary school age, understand the possibilities of the world of work. We aim to inspire, empower and educate South Tyneside school pupils about careers and industry.
Tips and ideas:
- Attend a mock interview session as an interviewer
- Attend a careers fair with a stand and provide information on your sector, opportunities and career pathways
- Attend an assembly, lesson or lunchtime drop-in session to give a short talk on your job role or sector?
- Be part of a careers speed dating event – speak to students for approximately five minutes about your job role in a carousel style format
- Sign the care leavers covenant to ensure care leavers are up to date with potential opportunities within your organisation
- Provide a work experience placement for one or more students allowing them to gain knowledge, skills and experience
- Provide a work shadowing opportunity or welcome a site visit of students to offer insight into what your business is all about and the job roles within it
- Provide face-to face guidance for a student on a regular basis through a mentoring scheme
- Hire an apprentice
How South Tyneside Council can help
We can facilitate all engagement with local schools and link your business with relevant opportunities. Please contact Alex.whelan@southtyneside.gov.uk
Promote a healthy workplace and workforce
Tips and ideas:
- Consider becoming ‘A better u’ champion and share information about health and wellbeing with your staff, colleagues and friends
- Be a positive health and wellbeing role model
- Consider signing up to the Better Health at Work Award
- Encourage lunchtime walks around our green spaces
- Consider joining a ‘litter and laugh walk’ or the ‘Adopt your patch initiative’
- Support staff in your organisation who have caring responsibilities
How South Tyneside Council can help
Visit http://campaigns.southtyneside.gov.uk/a-better-u/get-involved.htm
South Tyneside Council has access to Carers UK digital resources which can help you identify and support carers in your workforce. Contact Jacqui.kaid@southtyneside.gov.uk for information.
If you would like information or advice on the ‘Adopt your patch initiative’ launched by Goldfinch Estate Agents to encourage businesses to keep the area outside of their business clean and tidy please contact Angela Todd Angela.Todd@goldfinchestateagents.co.uk
Support South Tyneside
Could you encourage employees to volunteer in the community?
Tips and ideas:
- Could your business set up staff volunteering days in which staff can choose a charitable activity to get involved with?
- Could your business offer any of the following to a local charity or community group?
- Finance and accounts
- Health, safety and risk management
- Web design or development and hosting
- Property renovation, management and maintenance
- Business planning
- Surplus furniture and equipment
- Free or discounted goods and services
How we can help
Inspire South Tyneside (IST) is the infrastructure organisation for the voluntary and community sector in South Tyneside. They offer information and guidance to anyone interested in volunteering, acting as a volunteering recruitment agency. If you could spare staff time, skills or other resources Inspire can match you with a local group or charity that need help. Please visit Inspire South Tyneside or contact Shabana.bibi@inspiresouthtyneside.co.uk for information or advice.
Implement a climate change action plan that includes carbon reduction targets and the use of environmentally-sustainable supply chains
Tips and ideas:
The energy crisis and climate emergency are at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. Your business can tackle both problems by following the tips set out below, which will help you to reduce your energy bills as well as your carbon footprint.
- Install a smart meter and monitor your energy (gas and electricity) consumption. In addition, you should also monitor your fuel receipts and deliveries of oil, LPG, diesel or other fuels to site. It is important to know how much gas and electricity you are using (in kWh) and how much fuel is delivered to site or used by your fleet (in litres, L).
- Make staff aware of your consumption and how much it is costing the business. Start a behavioural awareness and modification campaign to reduce consumption. This might involve:
- An opening up and closing down routine to ensure lights, heating, appliances and equipment are switched on only when they are needed and are switched off at the end of the day.
- Using timers on the heating, and the full use of thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) instead of opening windows.
- Dressing appropriately for the season, wearing jumpers in the winter to keep warm and avoid using the heating, and shorts, skirts and T-shirts in the summer to avoid the use of the air conditioning.
- Switching off lights when leaving any room.
- Turning down the heating by (at least) 1C.
- Avoiding leaving external doors open.
- Avoiding standby on all appliances.
- Upgrade your lighting to LEDs.
- Insulate your building/premises/site as much as possible.
- Once insulated, investigate upgrading your heating to a low carbon heating solution (e.g. heat pumps, IR panels or biomass boilers).
- Consider on site generation such as solar (or wind, if applicable).
- Investigate offsetting/sequestration.
Visit our Business Toolkit for more useful advice and guidance on reducing energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. See Business Toolkit
How we can help
For more information about what South Tyneside Council is doing to make the Council carbon neutral by 2030 visit: https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/3751/Overview
If you need further information or support please e-mail: climatechange@southtyneside.gov.uk.
South Tyneside Council offer a competitive and efficient commercial trade waste and recycling service and one off commercial waste clearances. For more information e-mail: tradewasteservices@southtyneside.gov.uk