Measuring outcomes

We now measure our corporate community investment using the London Benchmarking Group (LBG) model. The LBG model helps businesses to improve the management, measurement and reporting of community investment. It moves beyond charitable donations to include contributions in time, in kind and in cash and assesses the actual results for the community and the business.

Our Cats' Eyes for Kids road safety scheme has had highly positive outcomes, by distributing more than 12 million reflectors to schools throughout the UK. The Department for Transport has estimated that 12,000 child pedestrians have escaped death or serious injury as a result of the governments road safety strategy. Read more about Cats' Eyes for Kids in this report.

The Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) programme, supported by Nationwide, closed this year and provides another clear example of how our community investment has provided leverage for further funding and investment. A case study of our support for the LHI has been identified by the LBG as a best practice example of how businesses are making progress in quantitative measurement of the business benefits of community programmes.

The LHI was set up to raise awareness of heritage and encourage stewardship by local people. LHI was supported from its establishment in 2000 by Nationwide. Our initial funding of around £1.25m enabled the release of £22m from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as well as additional funding from other sources.

The overall economic benefit of LHI to the 1,400 communities involved is estimated at around £45m. Many of the projects had diverse and wide participation from local communities, including children, ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities and young offenders. Read more at the Local Heritage Initiative website.