Fuller, Smith & Turner has been named as the Corporate Community Hero 2023. The award, given by PubAid and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, was presented at the latter's annual dinner on 4 July.

The Corporate Community Hero Award is made annually to a pub company that goes the extra mile to support charities and good causes. Fuller's was chosen this year in recognition of its outstanding support, in particular for its main charity partner Special Olympics Great Britain.

PubAid co-founder Des O'Flanagan said: "Fuller's is a very worthy winner of this year's Corporate Community Hero Award. In judging, we look for charity and community support that is consistent, involves the whole company in pubs and head office, and provides significant help to those in need. Fuller's delivers on all these criteria in spades! 

"We were impressed by their goal of donating 1% of their annual profits to charity, and their varied fundraising tactics to achieve this, from an annual Bridge Walk and company-wide football match, to donating a percentage from selected menu items. They are also planning to expand their partnership with Special Olympics GB by offering much-needed employment opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities - showing that support can come in many forms."

Fuller's chief executive Simon Emeny said: "We are thrilled to be recognised by PubAid and the Beer Group for our commitment to charity and local communities. Since we started our partnership with Special Olympics GB in 2018, our teams have been really engaged in raising money and awareness for the charity. It's been wonderful to see the whole business come together for fundraising events, which have been hugely enjoyable as well as raising healthy sums for the charity."

During its partnership with Specials Olympics GB, Fuller's support has allowed the charity to deliver sporting programmes for more than 6,500 athletes at 95 all-ability, inclusive sports clubs, covering 27 sports. Other charity and community support that helped Fuller's win the Corporate Community Hero Award included a partnership with Made in Hackney, a community cookery school and emergency food support service; OnSide, a new youth zone in West London and Only a Pavement Away, the charity that provides stability for homeless people by finding them employment. Individual Fuller's pubs also provide a huge amount of financial and in-kind support for causes local to them.

PubAid presents its Corporate Community Hero Award annually. The title went to Hall & Woodhouse last year and previous winners include Camerons, Joseph Holt, Stonegate, Greene King and J D Wetherspoon. Initially called the Corporate Charity Fundraiser Award, the accolade was renamed after lockdown to recognise the valuable non-financial support that is provided by the sector. Last autumn, PubAid also presented a special award in the House of Commons to Greene King, to celebrate their raising £13m for Macmillan Cancer Support.