Making the world a better place starts with the little things
In the ever-accelerating run down towards the holiday season, with all the busyness both at home and at work, my thoughts are both contemplative and full of optimism.
It’s the time of year where I try to pause for a second and take a step back from the festive tunes and twinkling lights, to reflect with gratitude on the last 12 months and think about the new year that’s just about to be welcomed in.
This year I’m thinking about the amazing team of people that I am lucky enough to work alongside at OneFamily and Beagle Street. They inspire me every day with their passion, commitment and determination.
This was celebrated at our recent Values Awards, which highlighted eighty team members who were nominated for achieving extraordinary things in their working lives – going well beyond their job descriptions to make the world a better place for others.
Some of the winners are pictures below.
The winners included Morgan, who started a neurodiversity network that supports its members and is an information source for others in the business.
Bejal, who has tirelessly worked to build the culture within her team so that everyone feels included and cared for.
Emily, AKA “The Queen of Getting Things Done”, who led the team that rebuilt 300 webpages from scratch with layout, links and functionality… no mean feat.
And, finally, Gabby who got stuck into changing over our entire HR system so it worked perfectly from Day 1.
And this is just a snapshot of the work that goes on behind the scenes – my incredible team deserves all the good things that Santa can fit on his sleigh for them this year.
"Bejal has worked tirelessly to build the culture within her team so that everyone feels included and cared for"
So, what of 2025, what’s that going to look like?
Well, it’s undoubtedly going to be a time of great change and challenges in the world – which brings with it uncertainty and worry.
But I find hope in the spirit of humanity, which begins with the kindnesses that are sometimes hidden in the seemingly inconsequential of the everyday.
"Kindnesses are sometimes hidden in the seemingly inconsequential of the everyday"
It could be that friendly conversation about the weather with the person standing next to you in a supermarket queue, checking in on an elderly neighbour or simply lifting someone’s spirits with an unexpected mug of tea.
It's the little things that matter, the things that we can change, the places where we can bring light to someone else’s day.
Because making the world a better place for others starts small…. and you can make a difference.
Jim places great value on the importance of education, citing it as the foundation stone upon which social mobility can be built. As OneFamily’s CEO, he wants to hold out his hand of support to those who don’t know where to turn and to use his platform to lift people up and inspire them to fulfil their potential.
He encourages thinking big, having great aspirations and setting audacious goals to free potential. With education, encouragement and empowerment he thinks that any child can achieve their biggest and most colourful of dreams.
Jim was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of financial mutual, OneFamily, in December 2023.
OneFamily is the UK’s third largest mutual with over 2m customers.
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