SPEAKER_00 0:00

Um hi everyone, I'm Johnny Thompson and welcome to another episode of our People at the Heart podcast, where we like to chat about all kinds of things, both serious and lighthearted, connected with our team and our work here at Risk Stop Group. Now, every so often, something comes along that really brings our social responsibility agenda here at Risk Stop Group to life. And recently, around 50 of our colleagues altogether got involved in something that, on the face of it, well, seems fairly simple. Sit at a screen, map out some buildings in a remote part of the world, and job done. But when you zoom out of that a bit, it connects into something way bigger because the work we were supporting feeds directly into MSF or Medicine Sans Frontier, or to give it its English translation, Doctors Without Borders, an organization operating in over 70 countries, but with tens of thousands of people delivering emergency medical care in conflict zones, disaster areas, and places where health care simply doesn't exist. They're often first on the ground in a crisis, running hospitals, carrying out surgery, responding to disease outbreaks, and doing it all independently wherever the need is greatest. So today is really about that connection and how a relatively small action from our team links into something genuinely life-saving on a global scale. And I'm joined by someone who's been absolutely instrumental in making all of this happen. Nat Joyce. So Nat, welcome.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

Thank you, Johnny.

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Great to see you again. So this exercise that we carried out now, the map a thon. Um tell me a bit more about that, but also importantly how this fits in with the wider work that MSF does.

SPEAKER_01 2:11

So uh a map a thon is is what it's actually known as is the Missing Maps Initiative via MSF. It's a map a thon because it's a group of people doing it. So the map a thon itself is about building better data so organizations like MSF have a clearer picture of where people are and how to reach them, especially in areas that are not very well mapped in the world. So we organise an event called a map-a-thon due to it being a team of people at Ristop Group involved. So, in practical terms, our map a thon was a group activity where we came together to map areas using satellite imagery. So essentially, what you're doing is you're tracing roads, buildings, and key features on digital maps, and where you often focus on areas of the world that are not very well mapped.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Yeah, I mean, I this really struck me because obviously I took part in the exercise with you as well. And you know, beforehand, I was a little bit confused as to understand what this is all about. But like everything, when you get hands-on and you get practical with something, you suddenly start to realise if people turn up to deliver the fantastic work that MSF does, I don't know, to build, you know, a temporary hospital like they do, or you know, bring medical care because there's been, I don't know, an earthquake or because there's conflict in the area, where are the people? Where where actually are they and how do we get to them? Can we even get to them? Are all questions that you would ask in that situation? So that's really the the huge importance, isn't it? And when you start zooming in on those satellite images, is what you did, you start to realize that these are very remote places and and and nobody would would know without us, nobody would actually know that there's somebody there.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

Exactly that. So what it comes down to is giving the teams a clearer picture of what they're walking into. So by mapping the buildings remotely, you're helping to create a more accurate view of where people are likely to be and how communities are laid out. So for the teams on the ground, it really helps them to plan where to go, how to get there, and how to reach as many people as possible, especially in places where the maps are limited or out of date.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yeah, so we we mapped uh an area known as Chad, didn't we, which is uh which is a country in Africa.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

Um and I mean that was just fascinating in itself, wasn't it? Because uh the well the satellite images weren't weren't that detailed, but we learned some stuff like buildings, for example, or or or these kind of round shape. And you realise, as I say, in the in the moment where you're doing it, that every single one you are highlighting and circling as a potential residential building could be a family, uh it could be a could be a group of people there. So it was just an interesting experience all around, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 4:59

It really was. Um, I too went into it, even though I was involved in the setup of the event, um, I too went into it not being sure what my abilities were going to be like. Um, it was really interesting looking at the wrist stop staff that were involved because there's some links to what we do in rebuildcostassessment.com around mapping, and then you've got somebody like me who has never done anything like that. And you know, you get some hints and tips and tricks during the session to be looking at shadows and looking at communities that might be in one area together. So, yeah, you're absolutely right.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

And I think how long how long were we on with this all together? It was about an hour, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 5:34

What's incredible? So the full session was only one and a half hours via Teams that included a demonstration. Yeah. Um, we you're right, we mapped about a thousand buildings, and they say on average, there's probably three to five people living in each building. So when you look at the multiples of potentially how many people we supported during a one and a half hour session, it's pretty incredible.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

And the other thing I liked was there was a hashtag, wasn't there? It was a hashtag Rist Stop Group2026, and just to explain what what what that meant was every building that we mapped or any element that we mapped was tagged with that. So we can kind of quite proudly um go back to this and and and we're not limited to to just that session, are we? In our time now, if we feel like we've got some spare time, we can go in and we can carry on mapping. And and so over the course of this year, who knows what that number could potentially be, and we as a group could be able to subscribe to the case.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

Our colleagues are already doing that.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Yeah, they already are.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

And I don't know about you, but I I really like that as well. That it's nice to be able to do something. It's another kind of feeling, isn't it, when you are actually playing a part yourself in the in the in the delivery of something?

SPEAKER_01 6:50

I totally agree. And that was something that came through in the session from the feedback from our colleagues as well. It felt like a really simple, practical way to make a difference. So, how did this come about? Um, Ardonna Community Trust, known as ACT, um, they're the non-profit arm of the Ardonna group, and their chosen charity currently is MSF. So I was very aware of the charity because I'm a social champion for Ardonna. Um, and I was on a social champion call and we were talking about the Missing Maps initiative, and um basically it sparked an idea. Um, once I understood what the initiative looked like, understood what we'd be doing and how simple it would be, I was convinced that wrist stop group colleagues would want to get involved. And yeah, they really did. It was over a third of us were at the actual event itself.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

And how difficult was it to set this up?

SPEAKER_01 7:40

Really easy and simple. Um, probably one of the easiest events we've done. So I was given a um contact MSF via ACT, a gentleman called Anthony. He was really, really helpful. He was great. He was fantastic, wasn't he? He obviously stayed with us during the session itself. Um, I had to agree a date and a time, and I had to promote it via our internal intranet. It was that easy. Anthony did everything else for me. So it's really encouraging when we know how busy people are and how busy businesses are. If they want to find a way to bring their teams together to give back, this is a really easy way to do it.

SPEAKER_00 8:14

Yeah, and what I like with Anthony as well, he spoke a little bit, didn't he, at the beginning about the incredible work that MSF uh so he you felt that even more um in that immediate aftermath. You know, when you when you when you're doing your your bit, you thought, wow, it's like I feel like I am part of MSF here and part of the great work that they do. So yeah, that was wonderful. With that, with that feeling in mind about the great work that was that was being done, what what what how did you find the atmosphere?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

Honestly, really quite special in true wristop group style. We had a laugh whilst doing it and we uh were quite competitive with each other. Um I mentioned it earlier, but there was a real mixed bag when it came to ability levels, and it just goes to show that genuinely anyone can get involved with missing maps. Uh, you don't need any previous experience whatsoever, but we had a really good laugh whilst knowing that we were, you know, adding some value.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

Yeah, it was even better because it was April Fool's Day, wasn't it? And there was there was one point that I claimed that I'd done hundreds in about, you know, just a few minutes, and uh and and not many people actually realised that I was lying.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 9:21

I think I've probably done about two by I've seen the leaderboard. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Did it did anything surprise you about how the people responded?

SPEAKER_01 9:32

It's interesting because I you know I've been at Ristock Group a very long time and I'm very used to how great our people are, but i I was surprised by how engaged everyone was, if I'm gonna be honest with you. Everyone from the start got really stuck in. Um, everyone seemed to understand why it really mattered. Uh, and it just felt really purposeful. But yeah, it was just engaging from start to finish.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

So what kind of what kind of difference do you think what we've done would could actually make?

SPEAKER_01 9:58

So hopefully it will help the teams get into these areas quickly, quicker, um, maybe make more informed decisions on the ground. Uh, in a real-life scenario, MSF teams have to use that information to plan their routes into communities, identify where the people are and decide where to set up their clinics or how to deliver support. So hopefully it helps them to prioritize and react in fast-moving situations.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

The other thing, I mean, you've already mentioned that that some colleagues have already carried on with this. I don't know about you, but I feel this is something we should do again.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

I agree. So, what we've seen, we've got some colleagues who are mapping in their evenings and weekends, which is incredible. Um, lots of colleagues are going to be using their annual volunteering day or charity day to donate their whole day mapping to MSF. I think Ristop Group should do another mappathon session in 2026. And something that's really stood out for some feedback from one of the colleagues who was involved is they're talking to their line manager. They have quarterly team meetings and they quite often do some kind of game in the team meeting, only a short one, up to 30 minutes. They're asking their manager whether they can do a group mapping session in their team meetings, which I thought was a lovely idea.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

Yeah. Yeah, no, and if you weren't in that first session, it doesn't, it doesn't matter, does it? I mean, I guess it's it's not that difficult really when you think about it for someone else to just jump on with a colleague. Um, or in a second map I thought and session, just come along and we can all we can all help each other now, don't we, can't we?

SPEAKER_01 11:33

You're absolutely right. And then anybody's listening who's outside of the business, they can actually go to the Missing Maps uh website page on the MSF website uh and they could do it themselves. So anybody can get involved.

SPEAKER_00 11:45

And presumably you're open to people getting in touch with you from the WIDER group or or outside of the business if anybody wants to find out about this.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

Yeah, absolutely. Please reach out to me. Uh I can help and obviously have direct experience of this now. Uh so it's Natalie Joyce.

SPEAKER_00 12:00

Fantastic. That's brilliant, that thank you very much. And thanks for the opportunity, by the way, to get involved in this because as I said to you before, somebody who's uh you know a huge fan of MSF and the work that they do, um just to be part of it, just just felt fantastic. And I think that's the thing that that comes through. You know, you don't you don't actually have to be on the front line of a crisis to make a difference. You can be, you know, that small contribution behind the scenes, sitting in your own desk, in the comfort of your own home or in the in the in the offices of as some of us were that day, but actually do something so much bigger, and the impact can be genuinely significant. So, yeah, all around just a fantastic experience.

SPEAKER_01 12:40

Thank you, Johnny.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

And that's all for this episode of our People at the Heart podcast. Thank you everyone for listening in. I, along with one or two other presenters, will be back soon with all kinds of things to talk about with different guests. So keep your eyes peeled for more episode announcements. And if you want to see more of what we're doing around social responsibility, head to risk.group.co.uk or follow us on social media. Remember, here at Risk Docgroup, it's all about keeping people safe and secure and believing in social responsibility and sustainability. Until the next time, everyone, goodbye for now.