North East firms prove 'charity starts at home'

BUSINESSES in the North East are most likely to donate to charity, a new report says.

- GRAEME WHITFIELD

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), which helps people and organisations give more effectively to charitable causes, said that only 25% of UK firms donated to charities in the form of time, cash or goods last year.

But North East firms showed more generosity, with 41% donating to voluntary groups. The CAF report highlights North East firms Greggs, Northumbrian Water, Newcastle Building Society, Port of Tyne and Ringtons for their charitable giving.

The lowest rate of giving was seen in the South East, where only 12% of firms supported charities.

CAF says firms should commit to donating at least 1% of pretax profits each year as best practice, and that charities would receive almost £5bn in additional funding if they did so.