corporate social responsibility report for the 2008/09 season CONTENTS 04 Executive Summary Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck reveals how the club’s charity work is improving the lives of people both at home and abroad 08 Social Inclusion Kickz programme is changing the lives of hundreds of children in London 10 Charities Four-year relationship with CLIC Sargent raises millions to support children fighting cancer 14 Football in the Community Blue Pitches scheme provides opportunities for youngsters to get into the game 22 Education Club offers programmes for young and old alike, using football to enhance the experience 28 Anti-discrimination Chelsea’s support for vehicles such as Kick It Out in building tolerance in society 32 Environment Award-winning ways in which Chelsea has reduced its carbon footprint 34 Promoting Engagement Ways in which supporters can have their say on how the club conducts itself 38 Promoting Healthy Living Highlighting issues which can affect the well-being of men and encouraging exercise 02 CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB CSR REPORT 2008/09 CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB CSR REPORT 2008/09 03 FOREWORD • BRUCE BUCK FOREWORD • BRUCE BUCK OUR COMMITMENT TO HELPING COMMUNITIES IS A WINNER Chairman Bruce Buck reflects on how our Corporate Social Responsibility work has helped improve lives not only at home but throughout the world The 2008/09 season marked turnover into community and good Partnership Award for our work another hugely successful year causes – three-and-a-half times higher helping prevent conflict, poverty for Chelsea Football Club’s Corporate than UN guidelines. and disease in Africa and Asia. This Social Responsibility (CSR) work, with The 2008/09 season also marked engaged 700,000 people every record figures for both participation the final year of our partnership with week in 23 of the poorest countries rates and CSR investment. CLIC Sargent, which helped raise in the world. Once again, the club’s success on more than £2million over its four-year Our environmental work was also the pitch was matched with world- duration to assist families battling recognised by the Mayor of London class programmes in our communities. against childhood cancer. Boris Johnson, who awarded Chelsea In addition to building on the work The partnership helped establish the Silver Standard for our work carried out in our traditional areas CLIC Sargent as the leading children’s engaging staff and fans to help reduce of London and Surrey, the club also cancer charity in the country and we the carbon footprint of the club. expanded its CSR activities into Essex, thank everyone at the organisation We were also delighted to be Sussex and Hampshire. Through the for their hard work and commitment the first, and still the only club, to implementation of our soccer schools, in helping to alleviate the suffering proactively tackle the lack of Asian coaching clinics and outstanding social of the thousands of children and players within the game with our inclusion and community initiatives, young people diagnosed with cancer ground-breaking Search for an Asian this proved an instant success. every year. Star initiative. In the first year of the Every week during the season, an While we said goodbye to CLIC programme, two young players went average of 17,903 young people in Sargent, we were delighted to on to play football in professional London and the South-East were welcome Help a London Child into the Academies and hundreds more were engaged on our programmes which Chelsea family. They are an amazing encouraged to join local affiliated provided coaching, social inclusion organisation that provides grants to clubs in their area. initiatives, education and healthy help alleviate poverty right here in This CSR report is not meant to be lifestyle information. London. We are sure the partnership a definitive list of every course, This means that throughout the will be a huge success. initiative and coaching session we campaign almost 900,000 young Of particular pride to the club run but a snapshot of our work and people – regardless of age, race or was that our work was recognised its impact on our community, our fans ability – benefited from one or more on a domestic and international and our club. of our schemes. level. We were proud to receive the However, we hope that the pride Over the course of the season the Intermediate Award from Kick it Out with which we view this work, along club’s CSR investment was an amazing for our work tackling racism and with our passion and commitment in £5.7million, including £1.6million discrimination both at Stamford Bridge helping to create better communities raised directly for charities. Once and in our communities. at home and abroad, comes through again, this more than exceeded the The club swept up half the loud and clear. United Nations recommendation of honours at the Positive Futures 0.8 per cent investment of turnover National Awards ceremony, while the in CSR. During the 2008/09 season, Score4Africa charity chose Chelsea Chelsea invested 2.8 per cent of and Right To Play as winners of the 04 CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB CSR REPORT 2008/09 CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB CSR REPORT 2008/09 05 SOCIAL INCLUSION SOCIAL INCLUSION WINNERS PROVE AN INSPIRATION POSITIVE FUTURES Yusuf Jimacale and Ricky Dewey During the 2008/09 season, representative of the great work started out as participants on one of Chelsea’s community coaches we as a club do with the community the club’s anti-offending initiatives, were rewarded with four out of the and London as a whole,” he said. designed to divert young people away eight Positive Futures awards at a “Our award winners deserve from crime and anti-social behaviour. ceremony held at the Park Plaza Hotel recognition for their hard work. The They excelled to such an extent in London. role model thing does work, so you that they became FITC coaches on The vital contributions made by can see there is a path to progress to their local schemes, giving other Yusuf Jimacale, Ricky Dewey and work for a club like Chelsea. young people the opportunities they Billy Thomson were acknowledged “Yusuf is now president of his themselves embraced. for their dedication and determination student union and plays for the Yusuf, 17, came to our to improve both themselves and their college football team; these are all Hammersmith & Fulham Kickz programme through a love of football. communities. traits that show the leadership which He went on to be the driving force Chelsea FC Football in the goes with the club’s identity, as well behind his college football team and Community (FITC) pact officer Ian as ours at FITC.” also took an introductory course in Jordan also won the special award for youth work. exceptional contributions to young “What inspired me to do this is people’s development. Recognition: Chelsea coaching sessions are renowned for helping just the work that the coaches do. We “It’s a great honour to be a children develop their skills don’t just cover football, we actually have one-on-ones with the children and find out what they want to do,” said Yusuf. “It is just good to get credit for the Chat: John Mikel Obi meets young people work we have been doing. You can from Chelsea’s Prince’s Trust scheme inspire other kids to do it because, once they see what I have achieved through voluntary work, maybe they will do the same.” Ricky, aged 19, initially started MIKEL HOSTS PRINCE’S TRUST as a participant on our Wandsworth Positive Futures scheme. Young people from Chelsea’s The programme culminated in a confidence, motivation, teamwork After completing a Prince’s Trust Prince’s Trust scheme were visit to Cobham where the youngsters and communication. During the course and both Level 1 and 2 FA guests of honour at our training enjoyed a coaching session and a course, young people take part in a coaching qualifications, he went on to ground, joining John Mikel Obi to healthy-eating workshop. But the team-building residential week and be a coach on our Positive Futures & celebrate the completion of their 12- ultimate prize was the opportunity to carry out projects which benefit the Kickz social inclusion projects. week personal development course. interview our midfield star John Mikel local community. “The main thing that inspired me The club has been working with the Obi, who was delighted to help out. They also undertake work was getting on the right path,” he said. “To me the award is a big step Trust since 1999. In that time, the “It’s great that Chelsea are involved experience and increase their forward. It is a bigger incentive; it club has supported more than 25 with things like this that give kids employability by producing up-to- makes you that bit more motivated, I team programmes. This has helped a chance to help themselves and date CVs, as well as identifying know I can still go further as well.” more than 300 young people, to get away from the street, drugs their progression routes to including six former participants and crime. I love things like this and employment or education on currently working with club’s players really enjoy getting involved,” completion of the programme. community department and at the he said. The young people then work Millennium and Copthorne hotels at Marion Walker from the Prince’s towards a nationally-recognised Stamford Bridge. Trust football programme added: City & Guilds qualification and The season saw Chelsea supporting “Football has the ability to unite key skill units. a wide range of Prince’s Trust people from all different backgrounds Almost three in four young people initiatives, including behind-the-scenes and communities and develops key the Prince’s Trust supported during the tours, exercise sessions, workshops, skills such as confidence, teamwork season moved into work, education providing signed merchandise and communication.” or training.