CUMMINS is celebrating its centenary as a global leader in the manufacture of engines this year – and its commitment to Darlington is also historic.

The company’s Darlington plant opened in 1965 and Cummins has gone on to be one of the town’s most important employers.

The company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility began in 1972, initially focusing on financial support for good causes. However, the emphasis is also now on employees volunteering their talents for the good of the local community.

Every staff member has a basic entitlement of four hours of paid employment to commit to volunteering but there is no time limit if they wish to make out a case for additional CSR activities.

The Great Parks Auction is a shining example, with Cummins staff spending more than 2,000 hours helping to improve Eastbourne Park, with special attention to the bowling green and turning the pavilion into a café.

That work has been widely recognised, with the company being named as a national finalist in the Keep Britain Tidy Awards, as well as the Darlington plant winning Cummins’ global impact awards.

Darlington staff have also won a global impact award for their work on STEM projects in local schools, and their support of the Festival of Ingenuity.

Meanwhile, the Cummins Foundation continues to give grants to a range of worthy causes.

Lorraine Bulloch, Cummins’ Business IT Analyst, says: “CSR definitely helps to keep morale high because our staff take a great deal of pride in working for a globally important company that is also passionate about making a difference to local communities.”

Lorraine serves on the board of Darlington Cares and she acknowledges the value that brings to Cummins. “Darlington Cares has a wider strategic view of what’s needed locally and does a fantastic job in bringing so many organisations together,” she says.

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