The British Association for Adoption and fostering (BAAF) stopped by 1E's London office yesterday to receive a donation from CEO Sumir Karayi. 1E are proud supporters of BAAF, and earlier this year Sumir resolutely took to the streets of the capital for the London Marathon to raise money for their work. 1E has pledged to always match the fundraising efforts of any of its staff, and Sumir was delighted to be able to hand Marta Montague, Corporate and Major Donor Fundraiser at BAAF, a cheque bringing the total raised from his Marathon exploits to just over £10,000.
Marta said "1E and Sumir are fantastic supporters of BAAF's activities, and I'm thrilled to accept this cheque on behalf of the charity."
Sumir, who co-founded 1E in 1997, and completed what was his first Marathon in 04:32:22, said "I want to contribute to helping disadvantaged children to a more stable and better future. A disproportionate number of those in state care end up in prison, whilst only two percent go on to further education, so it seemed best if we can contribute to get children out of state care.
"My goal for the Marathon was to finish the course, enjoy the run, and feel privileged to raise so much money for the charity. I'm delighted to be able to hand over this cheque to such a worthy cause, and one that we will continue to support wholeheartedly."
BAAF, the UK’s leading adoption and fostering membership association, promotes the highest standards of practice in adoption, fostering and childcare services in social work, health, legal and other professional bodies on behalf of children separated from their birth families. The charity aims to increase public understanding of the issues and to act as an independent voice for children, informing and influencing policy-makers, all those responsible for children and young people and public opinion at large.
In March this year, 1E was proud to achieve a two-star accreditation from the Best Companies Guide and a coveted position in The Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For, where 1E ranked fifth for making a positive difference to the world, with 86 percent of staff agreeing with that statement. Eighty nine percent of employees believe the company has a strong social conscience and 72 percent agree that it encourages support for the community. Charity work is also part of the company’s culture at 1E with 98 percent of employees stating they are encouraged to participate in charitable activities. Indeed, staff are allowed to take five days of company time for voluntary projects every year.