Community Integrated Care recognition

14 January 2010

Community Integrated Care (CIC), an £85m turnover social enterprise which has a strong relationship with the LJMU European Centre for Corporate Governance (ECCG) team, recently reached the final stages of the Corporate Responsibility award at the 2009 UK National Business Awards held in London. The prestigious event, which was sponsored by Orange, is the UK's premier, cross-industry business awards programme.

With over 300 sites within 43 local area authorities, CIC - the 15th largest adult social care charity in the UK  - supports adults with learning difficulties or physical disabilities, mental health concerns, older people, people affected by addictions, and people in personal crisis or homelessness.   The charity has increased its turnover by about 50% since 2003, and has managed to be a profitable business whilst delivering on its charitable objectives – a key balancing act for a large social enterprise. The CIC brand is encapsulated by the statement 'putting individuals first'. Although CIC did not win first prize, they did receive exceedingly favourable comments from the judging panel.

Principal Lecturer at ECCG Nick Hawkins, who has been a Director of not-for-profit organisations for 11 years, has worked as a Trustee for CIC since 2003.  He was Head of the CIC Business Planning Group for 5 years, Chair of Trustees in 2005-2006, and in 2004 was awarded a University 'Good Citizen' award for his work with CIC. 

Nick commented: “This was a superb achievement for CIC, and it also showed how a leading edge, not-for-profit organisation can make a big impact on the national stage.”

Following their excellent performance at the UK Business Awards, CIC hosted a one-day event with the theme of building relationships in the social care sector.  The event, which was held at the St George’s Hall, was aided by illuminating speeches from key Government officials and senior guest speakers working within the CIC sphere of business.  In the evening, a black tie dinner was held to celebrate the achievements of key CIC staff on the frontline of service delivery and formal awards to recognise excellence across the organisation were presented.

The guest presenter for the event was Esther McVey, who in July graduated with distinction from the MSc in Corporate Governance at ECCG, and who is also doing her PhD in leadership and governance at the Centre. Esther, who works in a variety of fields from politics to her own charity for women, was a superb host, and the event was brilliantly organised by CIC staff. 

There was another star turn at the event from a member of ECCG when Alison Lui, a research associate doing her PhD at the centre, played a magnificent grand piano to deliver a wonderful repertoire of classical piano pieces to a very impressed set of guests from a whole range of businesses. As well as being an award winning professional diploma level pianist, Alison also sings with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.

Also in attendance as an invited guest was Professor Steve Letza the Director of the ECCG, who with Gary Evans, a hugely experienced PhD student at ECCG, delivered a strategy symposium at CIC Head Office in 2007.

Nick commented: “It has been a genuine honour and a pleasure to work with superb people at all levels of CIC, but it is particularly humbling to see the work done at the grass roots levels in care home and addiction services.

“The culture within CIC is one of a team ethos oriented, can-do spirit which is very energising.  CIC has relationships with gerontology specialists and research departments, and has a lot of specialist advisors in areas such as dementia care. It is a truly innovative leading edge organisation, and one which will increasingly be recognised at an international level.

“It is a tremendous experience for the Corporate Governance team at LJMU to be so closely associated with such an inspiring company as CIC, and it is a great example of a successful partnership between the University and the real world. This is all fed back to our Corporate Governance students who gain from this also.”

Pictured top: CIC team before the National Awards at Grosvenor House in London

Pictured bottom: Nick Hawkins with Alison Lui and Esther McVey at the ECCG event at St George’s Hall