Corporate Social Responsibility

Overview
Virgin Active is committed to being a responsible and contributing corporate citizen.
Virgin Active’s strategy for community investment is therefore designed to enhance the relationships between the clubs and the communities in which they operate and be an added platform to communicate the brand values and vision to key stakeholders.

Virgin Active’s CSR Vision
To engage people, inspire them and activate positive change in their lives by promoting health and well-being.

CSR Policy
The purpose of the CSR Policy is to:

• Outline the company’s CSR strategy and therefore its involvement in community development and upliftment;
• Set out the processes and procedures by which the company will select, manage, and support its corporate social investment and donation activities.

 Virgin Active’s Investment Footprint

•  Investments will mainly be made within the surrounding communities within which Virgin Active South Africa operates.

FOCUS AREAS

The focus areas outlined in this policy indicate areas in which Virgin Active shall direct investment of company’s social disbursement.

The key focus area of the Virgin Active CSR program is Healthy Living. Within this:

• The primary focus is on: Encouragement of Physical Activity
• The secondary focus is on: Exercise, Health and Wellness Education

Criteria for Selection:

• Projects should be serving disadvantaged communities within South Africa
• Projects should focus on communities within which Virgin Active operates
• A clear sustainability plan must be in place
• Organisations must be registered as NPOs
• Application forms need to be completed
• Feedback reports on use of donation must be submitted

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT
Virgin Active realises the value of involving employees in the CSR activities of the organization. As such Virgin Active will constantly endeavour to implement programmes that involve employee participation whilst also achieving the corporate objectives.  

GENERAL EXCLUSIONS

Virgin Active will not offer financial support to:

• Conferences
• Profit-making organisations and companies
• Individuals, or small groups in their personal capacity
• Travel, either by groups or individuals
• Political parties or groups with partisan political affiliations
• Labour unions
• Gala dinners and other fund-raising events
• Bursaries
• Sports Clubs

VIRGIN ACTIVE'S CSR PROJECTS

Redundant Equipment Donations

When Virgin Active Clubs are refurbished, the old equipment that is still good to use is donated to correctional facilities, special needs schools, rehabilitation centres and non-profit organisations to upgrade their gyms.

During 2008, donations were made to the following organisations:

• Johannesburg Society for the Blind, Gauteng
• Hope House, Pinelands
• Cape Academy School, Tokai
• Ethel's Place Youth Care Cente, Mitchell's Plain
• Sanparks Marine Team, Simonstown
• Stark Rehoboth Centre for the Aged, Hanover Park
• Marsh Memorial Homes, Rondebosch
• Harmony Addictions Clinic, Hout Bay
• Alexandra Hospital, Maitland
• Môreson Children's Home, George
• Life Community Services, George
• Iliso Youth Organisation, George

In 2009 we donated to:

• Minnesota House in George
• Department of Correctional Services Free State & Northern Cape
• Hans Moore High School, Johannesburg
• Azaadville Recreation Centre (Mogale City)
• Polokwane Correctional Centre
• Project Walk in Edenvale
• Mosaiek Gym in Johannesburg
• Twilight Kids in Hillbrow
• Umsingisi Foundation East London

Community Gyms

Coming soon, Mbekweni Fitness Centre in Paarl...

Ikasi Gym - Alexandra Township

In 2005, Virgin Active in conjunction with Virgin Unite opened a Community Gym in Alexandra Township, in response to a request from a granny to keep her grandson off the streets. 

•  Body Building Team: A group of young men from the community have been training together and have entered body building competitions in and around Johannesburg. The group also now does workshops at schools and motivates young people to develop dreams and passion to avoid falling into the poverty cycle
•  Running/Walking group: Despite the space constraints, this did not deter the team from pursuing additional ways to engage the community. For the past two years, they’ve been doing aerobics classes in the road with a group of about 30 women and have expanded this to doing regular running and walking as part of their fitness regime.
•  Rehabilitation for stroke patients: One can describe this programme as restoring hope where hope has been lost. Within Alexandra Township there are many elderly people who have suffered strokes, who do not have the means to make it to hospital or clinics for physiotherapy treatment. One of the gentlemen in the community then approached the gym to assist in this regard. Since then, Tumi (the owner) has taken it upon himself to obtain the necessary training and advice from physiotherapists in order to assist these patients. Because of the close proximity of their homes to the gym, they can now manage to go for physiotherapy up to four times per week and as a result a few of them are close to regaining their full strength.
• Twilight kids: This is the newest programme supported by Ikasi Gym. Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of street children in and around the community of Alexandra. The twilight kids programme is aimed at taking these kids off the streets, bringing them into the gym during the day to distract them from the negative influences of the streets and to find shelter for them in homes and places of safety.  

Health of the Nation

This event, of which Virgin Active is a co-sponsor, is a 50-hour sports challenge organised by Sporting Chance for primary school children, to encourage them to participate in sports and physical activity in order to develop healthy lifestyles.

The event took place on 17 -19 September 2010 at the Western Province Cricket Club in Rondebosch, Cape Town and on 15 - 17 October  2010 at the Southern Suburbs Sports Complex in Rosettenville, Johannesburg.  Virgin Active facilitated the Health Track, which is a play area that that incorporates movement sessions focussing on the development of motor activity and involves sensory motor experiences that are fun, entertaining and beneficial for childhood development.

Click here to see some photos of the 2010 event.

For a glimpse of 2008's action, have a look at this video clip.
(Flash file: 13.4 MB)

Click here to see some photos of the 2008 event.

www.sportingchance.co.za

Blister's for Bread

Virgin Active was the Official Wellness partner for the Blister's for Bread Family Fun Walk in August. The event which drew close on 14 000 participants was hosted in aid of the Peninsula School Feeding Association.

 Ad hoc initiatives

Virgin Active also occasionaly makes ad hoc donations to various non-profit organisations.

Donations made 2008:

• A donation of blankets to the Keep Cape Town Warm this winter campaign
• Old Staff uniform donated to I Care Africa Project, Kwazula-Natal
• A donation of lever arch files to Men on the side of the Road and Chrysalis Academy
• A donation of multi-function colour printers to The Carpenter's Shop
• Polaroid Cameras which were donated to Bonteheuwel Community news project
• Various items of toys donated to Oasis Association and
• Office furniture items donated to Educo Africa.

Donations made in  2009:

• A donation of computers to Action in Autism in KZN.
• Donation of carpets to Children's Evangelical Fellowship in Potchefstroom.
• Towels donated to: Louis Botha Home in Pretoria, Twighlight Kids in Hilbrow, Mooikloof Nursery in Pretoria and the CHOC Children's Home in Johannesburg (June)
• Towels donated to: Compass in Edenvale and Johannesburg Child Welfare.

Spinathons:

Throughout the year, Virgin Active also supports various organisations with  Spinathons to raise funds for their particular causes. Spinathons partnered with to date include:

• Employability Spinathon, Hyde Park
• Beeld Kinderfonds Spinathon, Centurion Mall
• Steve Tswete high Spinathon, Pretoria
• Hospice Witwatersrand Spinathon, Nelson Mandela Square and
• Friends of Child Protection Spinathon taking place on 05 December 2009.

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Branson School of Entrepreneurship (BSoE)

Virgin Active is a proud supporter of the BSoE, which is an entrepreneurial school in Johannesburg, which develops small businesses through incubation and funding. The school, which is located in Johannesburg CBD, is an important vehicle for the creation of jobs and bringing young people into the economic stream.

For more information regarding Virgin Active's CSR projects or to submit a request, please contact the CSR Manager in writing on fax 021 - 684 3220 or kim.webster@virginactive.co.za