Getting hands-on: Supporting our communities and environment

Hillier Hopkins LLP

Chartered Accountants & Tax Advisers

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Sustainability can sometimes feel abstract; a conversation about targets, frameworks and long-term plans.

While those things matter, we believe sustainability also lives in everyday actions.

It lives in the places we work, the streets we walk and the neighbours we support. That’s why, alongside our strategic sustainability goals, we make time to get hands-on in our communities.

Over the past year, our teams across all office locations have taken part in practical environmental and community initiatives. These activities might seem small in isolation, but together they reflect our belief that meaningful change often begins locally.

Caring for local spaces

We have organised and participated in litter picks and environmental clean-ups near our offices. Spending a morning clearing local green spaces is a simple but visible way of contributing to the wellbeing of the areas where we operate. It’s also a reminder that shared spaces belong to all of us.

Through our partnership with Ecologi, we have also contributed to the planting of trees for every existing and new member of staff that joins the firm. This initiative connects workplace wellbeing with environmental impact, ensuring that everyday business activity supports reforestation efforts. Planting trees may not solve climate change on its own, but it represents a commitment to taking responsibility for our footprint.

In addition, we have prioritised responsible recycling, including the recycling of electronic equipment. By ensuring that devices are reused or properly processed, we reduce waste and contribute to wider environmental goals while supporting digital inclusion.

Supporting people through the winter

Our hands-on work also extends beyond environmental initiatives. One particularly meaningful example has been our involvement with Small Acts of Kindness. During the colder months, our colleagues came together in group volunteering sessions to help pack warm winter care packages.

These packages are designed for individuals and families who struggle to heat their homes. Including essential items such as blankets, hats and thermal clothing, they provide practical warmth and reassurance during difficult months. Being part of these packing sessions allows us to see directly how collective effort can ease hardship in tangible ways.

It’s one thing to talk about community support, it’s another to physically pack items that will go straight to someone who needs them. These experiences stay with us.

Strengthening local commitment

Our involvement in initiatives like these aligns closely with our membership of the Watford Business Pledge. As a member, we commit to responsible and community-focused business practices in the area. Participating in local environmental and social projects reflects that pledge in action.

The pledge reinforces that businesses have a role to play not just economically, but socially. By contributing time and energy to local initiatives, we strengthen our connection to the communities that support us.

Small actions, lasting impact

What we have learned is that hands-on volunteering builds more than cleaner parks or warmer homes. It builds connection. When colleagues from different teams come together for a litter pick or a care-package session, they share experiences that deepen understanding and empathy.

These moments strengthen our culture internally while also contributing externally. They remind us that sustainability isn’t only about long-term targets, it’s also about immediate, practical care for people and places.

As a B Corp™, we are assessed on our impact across community and environment. But more importantly, we assess ourselves against our own values. Getting hands-on is one of the clearest ways we live those values out.

Do you need extra information?

Katie Harvard-Taylor - Audit Director at Hillier Hopkins

Katie is a Principal in Hillier Hopkins’ London office, specialising in audit and assurance. She leads the firm’s Sustainability Team and coordinates international work through the TGS network, supporting clients with cross-border needs. Since joining in 2012, she has built a varied client portfolio across multiple sectors. Outside work, Katie enjoys running, cycling, climbing, travel, and exploring London’s food scene.

Contact Katie at katie.harvard-taylor@hhllp.co.uk or on +44 (0)207 004 7135

London