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Johnston Carmichael has launched a new internal fund to support charitable and community initiatives, as the accountancy and business advisory firm prepares to mark its 90th anniversary this year.
The JC Impact Fund allows employees to apply for financial support to deliver projects linked to causes that matter to them, including fundraising challenges and community-based activities. The firm said the scheme was introduced ahead of its anniversary celebrations in February.
One of the first initiatives supported by the fund was a charity skydive undertaken by business advisory senior manager Derek Souter, based in the firm’s Dundee office. Souter carried out the jump in memory of a former colleague, Gail Croll, raising £2,872.50 for cancer charity Maggie’s Dundee, including a £1,000 contribution from Johnston Carmichael.
Since its launch, the Impact Fund has backed a range of other projects. These include providing travel funding for a group of young hockey players from Moray and Aviemore to attend a training camp in Sweden led by international and National Hockey League coaches.
Employees have also used the fund to support fundraising events such as the RSABI Great Scone Palace Challenge, which raised £1,455 for Scotland’s agricultural industry, and the Baxter’s 10k Team Challenge in Inverness, which raised almost £1,000 for DEBRA.
Additional support has been provided to the National Youth Choir of Scotland’s bursary scheme and grassroots charity Kick Mental Health, aimed at improving access to music and sport for young people.
Emily Young, chief marketing officer at Johnston Carmichael and a member of the JC Impact Fund committee, said the initiative was designed to strengthen the firm’s links with local communities.
She said: “The JC Impact Fund gives our people the chance to support charitable and community projects that matter to them. Sometimes those causes just need a small boost to reach a fundraising target or help a community group achieve its goal.
“Our commitment to communities has been a steady focus over the years, and it is a key part of our strategy. This dedicated fund is the next step in that journey.”
She added: “Gail was a lovely caring person, extremely well-liked by the rest of the team, and I wanted to do something in her memory to raise money for a charity that would be important for her family.
“I decided a skydive would be something out my comfort zone to generate funds for a good cause, and choosing Maggie’s Dundee felt like the right way to honour Gail.”
