The document outlines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) investments made by BGC members in 2021, in addition to the 119,000 jobs they support, the £4.5bn ($6bn) in tax they generate and the £7.7bn they contribute to the economy in gross value added.
It highlights efforts made by big-name brands, such as Flutter, Entain and William Hill, to drive diversity, assist public health programs and invest in local communities and grassroots initiatives, as well as various charitable donations.
For example, the Entain Foundation earmarked £100m to invest worldwide in grassroots sport, responsible gambling, health and community projects. The company also supported Covid-19 testing efforts at football grounds, alongside greyhound tracks Crayford and Monmore.
Kindred meanwhile made investments in mental health initiatives, including a £140,000 per year contribution to various Team Talk projects, while William Hill partnered with the Scottish Football Association to help deliver services around mental wellbeing to players and coaches.
In addition, BGC members donated almost £3m to NHS Charities Together and £1.25m to Prostate Cancer UK, Marie Curie, the three armed forces charities and Care Radio.
BGC Chief Exec Michael Dugher commented: “Across the board, we see examples where members and their employees are making a real difference to the lives of others, through their support for the post-pandemic recovery, their backing for local communities, charities and grassroots sports clubs hit hard by the pandemic, their commitment to inclusion and diversity and their determination to tackle climate change.
“I’m especially proud of the contribution made by so many people who work in our industry. I know that many of them — with the support of their employers — are active in their local communities and our report includes several inspiring examples of industry employees who have gone the extra mile to help others.”
