Corporate Social Responsibility at GM School Minibus
For more than 38 years, GM Coachwork has been a family-owned business driven by one clear purpose: to make a genuine difference to people’s lives. That sense of purpose has remained at the heart of our business throughout, defining our values and the way we work.
We believe strongly that businesses have an obligation to contribute positively to the pressing challenges the world faces today.
Through our CSR policy, we champion local and national initiatives that advance inclusion, wellbeing, and meaningful long-term social value.
Our approach is guided by three pillars:
Ethics and people
Governance
Being a family business gives GM School Minibus a distinctive governance structure rooted in strong values. It allows us to plan for the long term, keeping sustainable growth and customer satisfaction at the forefront across generations.
Health and safety in the workplace
GM Coachwork’s operations are aligned with ISO 45001, the internationally recognised occupational health and safety management standard. This underpins our proactive approach to identifying, managing, and reducing risk in the workplace.
We regularly review and enhance our working environments, putting in place proportionate controls and procedures to reduce risk effectively. We encourage all employees to play an active part in safety by flagging hazards and helping to develop improvements. Every employee receives thorough training to give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to work safely.
We recognise that mental and physical health are equally important, and we are dedicated to supporting the overall wellbeing of everyone who works for us. Through the RISE health and wellbeing service, employees can access a broad range of support and resources. We are committed to building a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.
Diversity, equity and inclusion (equal opportunities)
We employ 300 people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, and we consider this diversity to be one of our greatest strengths. It enriches our business and enables us to better serve the needs of our customers.
Developing and producing wheelchair accessible vehicles and minibuses places inclusion at the very heart of our identity. We are motivated by a shared drive to create a more accessible world and to give our customers the freedom and independence they deserve.
We are dedicated to building a workplace where every employee is treated with respect, feels valued, and is given the opportunity to thrive. We promote a culture of open communication and mutual respect throughout the organisation.
Community and social impact
For a family business like ours, community is paramount, both within our organisation and in the wider world. We are proud to partner with local and national organisations that share our values, working together to strengthen communities, support those facing hardship, and build a more inclusive society.
Exeter Otters Wheelchair Basketball Club
The pursuit of greater mobility and independence drives everything we do, which is why we are proud to sponsor the Exeter Otters Wheelchair Basketball Club. Established in 1980, they are one of the UK’s longest-standing wheelchair basketball clubs and compete at Division One level in the GBWBA League. In addition to their competitive programme, they host inclusive training sessions for participants of all abilities, building community spirit and encouraging physical wellbeing throughout our region.
Trussell Trust
GM School Minibus proudly donates to the Trussell Trust, a leading anti-poverty charity that operates a national network of over 1,600 food bank centres. Our corporate donations help support the provision of emergency food and practical assistance to individuals and families experiencing hardship.
Family Fund
We are acutely aware of the challenges that come with raising a child with additional needs, and we are proud to support families in these circumstances as annual corporate donors to Family Fund. As the UK’s largest charity providing grants and services to low-income families with disabled or seriously ill children and young people, Family Fund helps over 66,000 families annually with grants for items including white goods, computers, sensory toys, and family breaks; all designed to improve day-to-day quality of life.
Rotherham Parents Forum
Our dedication to the SEND community is further reflected in our support for the Rotherham Parents Forum, to whom we have donated equipment. This vital charity provides peer support and a sense of community for families of young people with SEND and neurodivergent adults across the Rotherham area, ensuring no one has to face these challenges alone.
ProTouch Football Academy
We are honoured to be a Team and Kit sponsor for ProTouch Football Academy, a Community Interest Company (CIC) running elite football and community sports initiatives across 10 London boroughs. Through FA-licensed coaching, ProTouch supports young people between the ages of 4 and 25 in accessing not only sport, but also routes into education, professional football contracts, and scholarships to give them the foundations to build a successful future.
Environment
Transition to low-emission mobility
We are committed to supporting the transition to electric mobility, developing electric wheelchair accessible vehicles and minibuses, including the Kia PV5 and Ford eTransit, as part of our contribution to reducing carbon emissions across the transport sector.
Reducing our environmental impact
Our commitment to quality, safety, and environmental responsibility runs throughout everything we do. We align our operations and continuous improvement practices with ISO 14001, the internationally recognised environmental management standard, ensuring our environmental impact is consistently monitored and reduced.
We are fully aware of the critical importance of environmental health, and we actively support global conservation by funding projects that protect and restore ecosystems across the world. As part of this commitment, we pledge to plant five trees each month through Green Earth, a practical step towards offsetting the carbon emissions generated by our manufacturing activities.
Demonstrating our commitment to quality, safety and industry excellence.
