A new charitable arm within the Karbon Group, designed to help create lasting social impact in the North East and Yorkshire, has received approval from the charity commission.
Karbon Foundation, which is gearing up to go live in the summer to help address the key challenges faced by communities across the regions, will focus on improving social and financial wellbeing and delivering community investment.
Led by Karbon’s Assistant Director of Customer and Community Engagement Philip Pollard, and guided by a newly appointed board of trustees, it will continue to build on the work of the group’s Customer and Community Engagement teams, providing inclusive, practical and locally-led support services to people who need it most.
Paul Fiddaman, Chief Executive of the Karbon Group, said: “We’re pleased to receive the news that Karbon Foundation has been approved by the charity commission.
“As a responsible social landlord and an anchor institution within the communities where we operate, we recognise the role we can play in supporting our wider communities. We see the addition of a charitable arm within the Karbon Group as an opportunity to strengthen our community-impact activities, at a time when it’s needed most.
“Karbon Foundation will help people in our homes and wider communities to have more secure, connected and empowered futures. Through it, we can widen the reach of our existing support services and access different funding, ensuring more people feel supported, and continue to build on the strong relationships we have with local charities, community groups and partners.”
Once launched, Karbon Foundation will provide services and support around financial wellbeing, employment, skills and training, community investment and grants, social value, placeshaping and tackling social isolation.
It will work with all subsidary organisations of the Karbon Group, operating across both the North East and Yorkshire, providing a consistent and inclusive approach to charitable delivery across the board.
Six trustees were appointed to Karbon Foundation last autumn, to provide strategic oversight and ensure it delivers the right support, in the right way.
The externally appointed trustees are Clare Mosley, Chief Executive of North east health and wellbeing charity Rise, John Knight, Chief Executive of the Together Initiative, Tessa Assadian Financial Controller from Northumbria University and Karbon customer Michael Lisle.
They will sit alongside Ian Johnson, Karbon’s Executive Director of Customer Services and Russell Hall Karbon’s Group Director of Governance.