At the core of our not-for-profit organisation lies a deep commitment to social value. We’re dedicated to creating meaningful, positive change in our local communities.
By prioritising social value in all our decisions and initiatives, we aim to foster a widespread culture of responsibility and community engagement.
£500 Employee Community Donations
Every employee at EEM is allocated £500 per year to donate to a community group or charity of their choice.
Employees have used these donations to provide football and rugby kits for local teams, donations to local hospices, churches and several other fantastic charities and causes.
Employee Volunteer Days
Everyone at EEM is permitted one paid volunteer day per year, and all are actively encouraged and supported to make full use of this entitlement.
The volunteer day provides an opportunity to support charitable causes, contribute to community initiatives, and engage in activities that reflect EEM’s values and social purpose.
Our Annual Christmas Community Event
Each year, EEM holds a Christmas Community Event in our local village hall.
We invite members of the public to come and join us for light refreshments, Christmas music, children’s activities, and a chance to meet Santa Claus!
Our Annual Foodbank Collection
At our Christmas Community Event, we invite members and suppliers to come along to join our festivities. Each year, we issue an appeal for food items and are proud to have collected an incredible 5 tonnes of donations in 2024 and 2025 combined, which were divided between South Normanton Trussell Trust Food Bank and Bassetlaw Food Bank. We also issued an appeal for monetary donations for these foodbanks and were grateful to receive a total of £2,567 since 2024.
Work Experience – Jack
In September 2025, we were pleased to provide Jack with an opportunity to complete work experience at EEM. He spent his time with our Finance Team gaining hands-on experience and even earned a Xero qualification. This is a huge asset for his future, as many of the roles he’s interested in require Xero experience. He’s now one step closer to his career goals!
Work Experience – Maisie
In July 2025, we welcomed Maisie for work experience. She spent time across the business and showed a strong interest in marketing and photography. As this is what she hopes to do when she is older, Maisie created a hypothetical events photography business focused on fast cars, developing the company name, branding, logo, and original artwork.
Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge
In June 2024, six EEM employees, plus friends and family, took part in the gruelling 24 mile circular challenge to raise money for ANDYSMANCLUB.
The team raised a total of £5,291 in donations and would like to thank everyone who contributed.
Office Furniture for Local Hospice
EEM had spare desks and chairs which were in perfect condition, so we offered them to John Eastwood Hospice who gratefully accepted them to spruce up their office.
Cake Sale for Breast Cancer Now
In August 2024,we organised a cake sale for the benefit of Breast Cancer Now, raising a total of £240.
To find out more about this charity, please visit https://breastcancernow.org/
EEM supporting Rhubarb Farm
EEM Chief Executive, Rebecca Dermody-Simmons has held a place on the Rhubarb Farm Board of Directors since 2023 and she feels passionately about supporting them to drive forward in their mission.
Our support for Rhubarb Farm, a horticultural-based environmental social enterprise, based in Langwith on the Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire border, started back in 2019 when we chose them to be a beneficiary of our fundraising at the EEM Building Communities Awards. Thanks to the generosity of our members, suppliers, as well as our own contributions, we were able to purchase a minibus to enable them to support even more people with complex needs.
Rhubarb Farm has also benefited from the generosity of several EEM suppliers such as Smith Bros (supported by R&S Security Specialists Ltd) and Matthews & Tannert, to upgrade their facilities and security.
To find out more about Rhubarb Farm, please visit https://www.rhubarbfarm.co.uk/
EEM Supporting Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS)
Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS) is a charity that aims to provide hot meals to vulnerable members of society living in challenging situations, such as homeless members of the community and those living on the poverty line, as well as children in deprived households.
It is built on the foundation of Sikh Ethos ‘VandKeh Shakna’ (Share what you have with others) where help and support is given to all, regardless of social status, race or background.
The charity received £28,100 which was raised at the EEM Building Communities Awards, as well as a further
Several members of the EEM team went along to volunteer at the Birmingham city centre street feed in 2022. It was overwhelming to see the amount of people reliant on the support provided by MLSS.
In December 2023, we joined in on the MLSS Shoebox Appeal, encouraging our supply chain to get involved and use our office as a collection point. We managed to collect an
overwhelming 80 boxes and 72 bags full of vital necessities for those in need, including non-perishable food items, warm clothing, hygiene products and treats. They were also grateful to receive £1600 in monetary donations from EEM suppliers and members.
