Pictured above: Naturally Concerned's Rob Ball
A Birmingham human resources and management consultancy is
ploughing all of its profits into charities to conserve wildlife in
Africa in a unique "profit-for-good" initiative.
Rednal-based Naturally Concerned operates as a normal HR and
management consultancy, except that all net profits go to wild
animal conservation in central and southern Africa.
Naturally Concerned was set up in 2008 by personnel and
management expert Rob Ball, who previously held HR director
positions at GKN and before that at MG Rover. He established the
company in memory of his wife Alison who died from a brain
tumour.
All profits from Naturally Concerned go to Alison's favourite
wildlife charities. She was passionate about animal conservation in
Africa and travelled there often.
Rob Ball said his wife loved being in Africa observing and
photographing animals in the wild and she was enthusiastic about
helping animals under threat.
"When you lose a spouse it causes you to pause and re-examine
your priorities in life. Having spent more than 25 years in the
corporate world I decided it was time to use my expertise in a more
constructive and thoughtful way. That's how Naturally Concerned was
born," he said.
"We offer HR and management advice on a wide range of issues
including leadership, employee development, training, manpower,
recruitment and motivation. But we operate with a more ethical edge
than many consultancies. Our starting point is the firm belief that
businesses should treat their employees and partners in a
principled and moral way, and that those values should hold firm,
even when a company is under economic and financial pressures," he
said.
Rob Ball is a former director and head of HR development at MG
Rover. He was made redundant when the company collapsed in 2005 and
soon after was appointed HR director with GKN
Autostructures.
He left there to set up Naturally Concerned following his wife's
death in 2008.
Aged 56, he is president of the Warwickshire Cricket League,
president of Bournville Cricket Club and a former committee member
at Warwickshire County Cricket Club. He is also a graduate of
Common Purpose, the people development charity which encourages
managers to become better leaders at work and in society.
His daughter Natalie - a professional actor who trained at
Bristol Old Vic - is a co-director in Naturally Concerned and helps
with training programmes.