The landmark has been achieved 32 years ago after it was set up by SJP founders’ Mike Wilson and Sir Mark Weinberg.

Since 1992 it has since become one of the UK’s largest corporate foundations, it said today.

More than 90% of SJP partners and employees take part in Foundation projects with 3.5m people supported by funding from the Foundation, the company said.

For example, last September 28 partners and employees completed a three-day trek cross Basque Country in Northern Spain to raise funds for the 604 charities supported by the Foundation last year.

Catherine Ind, head of the Charitable Foundation, said: “Supporting some incredible grassroots charities across our communities provides a daily inspiration to us all to give back and create positive and lasting change.”

At SJP’s annual company meeting last month Sir Mark Weinberg, now aged 92, was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the company for his contribution to charity.

He was one of the founding members of the per cent club (an initiative which encourages businesses to give at least 1% of their profits to charity) and Business in the Community, which is now an industry benchmark for all businesses.

He has been honorary treasurer of the NSPCC, trustee of the Blenheim Palace Trust & The Clore Foundation and founder of Ability Net – a charity designed to help with electronic communications for disabled people.

Sir Mark Weinberg said: "I feel very honoured and humbled to receive this award and recognise that it is the collective efforts of many people that make a positive difference in our communities.”

The St James’s Place Charitable Foundation has four core funding themes:

• Supporting disadvantaged children and young people and children and young people with disabilities
• Hospices
• Cancer support charities
• Mental Health