As well as being a brand expert, Jane is also responsible for bringing onHand into the business — and she’s a passionate advocate for their work.
How did you first hear about onHand?
I first volunteered with onHand in 2019 and took part in their ‘befriending’ missions — generally helping those who are elderly, isolated, or just looking for companionship. I came across their work on social media and have loved seeing them grow over these last few years.
Tell us about some of the work that D&G people have been doing with onHand?
Across the business, we’ve taken part in lots of different missions and activities — from making new lifestyle choices as individuals to collaborating on bigger team missions.
Things like washing at 30 degrees, choosing reusable coffee cups and opting for vegetarian meals all add up. Then, as a team, we’ve volunteered with some fantastic groups, including The Felix Project, Food for All and Sustainable Merton.
We’re always keen to support our local communities in the areas we operate, and Sustainable Merton is one of the organisations close to our Wimbledon HQ.
Recently, our Compliance and Legal team won the Employee Volunteer of the Year award for their work providing food bank donations.
We encourage our people to put forward organisations and charities that we can add to the onHand app. And it’s great to come together for some team-building time, while doing some good.
Also, staff are actively involving their families in missions, so it’s brilliant to see the next generation making an impact too — as well as learning more about sustainability and community work.
What’s the best way to get involved in volunteering, if you don’t have much time on your hands or don’t know where to start?
The great thing about onHand is that it’s designed for everyone. However busy you might be, there will still be something for you. Some missions are as simple as swapping one meal a week for a vegetarian option. It just shows you how small acts can add up to big change if everyone gets involved.
What makes D&G’s brand unique?
For over 100 years, we’ve been repairing household appliances, rather than replacing them. Right now, that’s more important than ever.
We want to make it easier for our customers to know what’s available to them, through our content, communications and partnerships. Our relationship with the Reuse Network, for example, helps us to support local communities — but it also gives our customers the chance to donate their old appliances, so they don’t end up in landfill.
This is where we see ourselves as different from other companies in the financial sector. There’s a real mission behind the work.
Other than working with onHand and the Reuse Network, what else is D&G looking to do in terms of sustainability?
At Domestic & General, we know that it’s important for us to act in a responsible manner — and we know that consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainability issues. After some preliminary scoping work and research with stakeholders, we’re really looking to push forward in this area.
Over the next year we’ll be working to measure the environmental impact of the services we provide. We’ll be setting science-based emissions targets and developing a decarbonisation roadmap.
We have a Sustainability team working hard on this already.
Finally, it wouldn’t be a Jane Enright interview without asking which celebrity TV show you’d like to be on?
I actually have a top three:
- I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
- SAS: Who Dares Wins
- Race across the world