Why charity shop workers' friendliness is worth £15bn

The total social value generated by charity shops, including the impact of the friendliness of staff, has been revealed in a report published by the Charity Retail Association.

This report aims to put a value on the role of charity shops in society beyond the millions of pounds they raise through selling good and found that the total social value is £75.3bn.

Of this a £15.1bn is generated “through customers and donors feeling met by charity shop staff with friendliness and compassion”.

Meanwhile, £22.1bn of the total of social value of charity shops for customers and those donating clothes and other goods is being able to give back to others.

The research also estimates that a sense of protecting the planet through recycling goods is worth £14.9bn, and £7.1bn is generated in terms of social value by giving people a sense of community spirit.

The highest total social value per person (£3,177) was created for volunteers. The value for each staff member was similarly high at £2,644, while the value for each customer and donor is estimated at £2,107 and £1,157 respectively.

“The publication of this report is a major milestone in understanding the importance of charity retail above and beyond the sums raised for parent charities,” said CRA chief executive Robin Osterley.

“Using widely accepted Cabinet Office methodology, this is the first time that we have been able to quantify the social value that charity shops bring to their customers, staff, volunteers, and donors – in other words to the communities in which they operate.

“The results of this research establish beyond any doubt the crucial importance of charity shops in the high street and to UK PLC as a whole.”

The CRA hopes the reports findings are used to help the charity sector “demonstrate its immense social value” as well as inform charities retail strategies to “maximise the positive social value created”.

Anna Philips, head of charity property at law firm Foot Anstey, which has supported the research, added: “We are entering an unprecedented period when the power of ‘good’ is being recognised and valued by modern society perhaps like never before.

“Charities in the UK are an incredible force for the positive and charity shops often form their most accessible public face.”

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