Leader – Dan Makaveli founded
Sunderland-based Media Savvy
almost a decade ago.
Award-winning social
enterprise Media Savvy
bucked the trend during
lockdown
SAVVY
WORDS: GRAEME ANDERSON
PICTURES: TOM BANKS
STREET
34
Instead of adopting the crouch position during
lockdown, Media Savvy looked at investment and
expansion in a bid to ensure that when business
confidence returns, those on society’s margins might also
prosper.
Longer-term, though, the key to success will be the
business communities of the Wear region spotting the
heart-warming social value companies like theirs can
deliver.
If there has been one optimistic call to action amid the
carnage of Covid-19 these last few months, it has been the
constant call to ‘Build Back Better’.
Dan Makaveli, founder of Sunderland-based Media
Savvy, is hoping that call will be heeded most by
businesses, big and small, when they begin re-assessing
their approach to corporate social responsibility.
A vague term, ‘corporate social responsibility’,
but its meaning could hardly be simpler – the idea
that successful businesses which have profited from
a community, should help give a little back to that
community.
The most common (and easiest) way to do that, of
course, is by simply donating to a charity.
But Dan wants companies to consider supporting
and partnering with not-for-profit agencies like Media
Savvy because in that way, not only do those companies
give something back but, in some cases, they also get
something in return.
Dan, who founded the multiple award-winning
Media Savvy CIC almost a decade ago, is hopeful that
third sector organisations like his will enjoy new-found
popularity once the business community begins to get
back on its feet.
His organisation, based in the historic Sunniside
quarter of Sunderland city centre, delivers an impressive,
high-quality range of commercial services to companies.
Through their team of experienced videographers,
designers, illustrators, web/app developers, animators
and even personal trainers, they deliver positive benefits
to companies and have already worked with impressive
clients including Tait Walker Chartered Accountants,
NHS England and the University of Sunderland.
But where they differ from limited companies, is that
any profits raised from delivering those projects are then
reinvested in their core purpose, rather than dispersed to
shareholders via dividends.
Their vision is “a society where each individual
feels valued, has access to suitable education and the
opportunity to realise their potential.”
Their mission is “to unite and empower the community
through creativity, innovation and education”.
Post-lockdown, and with the issues likely to face society
in the inevitable recession that follows, that’s surely a
smarter way to invest in community benefit and cohesion.