When people talk about “stakeholders” it sounds like corporate jargon, but it really matters at FMB. Our stakeholders are our clients, our staff, and our community, not just our shareholders. (Photo by Jonny Gios on behalf of Give a Day for Kendal)

We believe that the communities we live and work in are just as much a part of our stakeholder picture as the clients we advise every day. Over the last few months, that’s shown up in lots of different ways, with even more to come over the summer.

It’s not one big thing, it’s lots of small, meaningful ones

There isn’t a single “flagship” initiative that defines what we do in the community. Instead, it’s a mixture of things, some visible, some quieter, that all add up.

For example, our team are organising a charity bingo night in Kendal, raising money for Growing Well, a local mental health charity doing genuinely brilliant work supporting people through horticulture and outdoor activity in three Cumbrian locations. It takes place on Jul 31st at IBIS Sports and Social Club in Kendal and you can buy tickets here.

Putting something like that together is never just about the night itself. It’s the planning, the ticket sales, the posters, the raffle prizes kindly donated by partners, and the effort from the whole team to make it work.

And just as importantly, it’s about building an ongoing relationship. We will continue to support and promote Growing Well as our charity of the year beyond the event itself, because these things shouldn’t be one-offs. You might have seen videos on social media of us taking in part in the local council’s “Give a Day” initiative planting tomatoes at their Sizergh location.

Supporting what matters locally

A lot of what we do is deliberately local.

That might be sponsoring community sport, whether that’s a bowling league, cricket or rugby or supporting events like the Mint Gala through local swimming club sponsorship.

And that local focus continues into the months ahead. This summer, we’re really pleased to be supporting both Grasmere Sports and the Cockermouth Live music festival, two events that bring communities together in quite different ways, but with the same sense of shared experience and local pride.

These aren’t headline-grabbing initiatives, but they are the backbone of local communities, and we think they deserve support.

It’s also about people, not just events

Some of the most meaningful contributions are the simplest ones.

That might be:

• Supporting a colleague’s fundraising effort (like sponsoring a marathon for Cancer Research UK)
• Encouraging the team to take part in volunteering where they can, giving blood and getting involved in their own communities
• Making space for community involvement alongside day-to-day work with our day for good initiative

We even had team members contributing time to things like local community responder groups — the sort of work that quietly makes a real difference on the ground.

Why we see this as a stakeholder responsibility

For us, this isn’t about ticking a Corporate Social Responsibility box or having something to post on social media (although it’s always nice to share good things).

It’s about recognising that:

• Our clients live in these communities
• Our team lives in these communities
• Our business depends on these communities thriving

So, when we talk about acting in the best interests of stakeholders, it naturally includes:

• Supporting local wellbeing
• Contributing to community resilience
• Playing our part in something bigger than the business itself

It’s also part of how we think about long-term value. Strong communities don’t just happen; they’re built by lots of organisations and individuals doing their bit.

A team effort (as always)

Probably the thing We’re most proud of is that this isn’t driven by one person.

It’s:

• Team members suggesting ideas
• People giving up time to organise events
• Partners stepping in to help with donations and prizes
• And plenty of behind-the-scenes effort that never gets talked about

That’s when you know it’s part of the culture, not just an initiative. Because, for us, being part of the community isn’t an add-on. It’s just part of how we do business.