Business in the Community

Focus on a Partner - May 2009

BITC In this interview, Stephen Howard, Chief Executive Director at Business in the Community discusses their Laboratory on Skills for Employability Enhanced through Employee Community Engagement, provides feedback on the last May Day Event, discusses the UK Government's view on CSR and provide and touches upon CSR priorities for companies in the UK in light of the economic crisis.

In light of the economic crisis, what are the current CSR priorities for companies in the United Kingdom?

Stephen Howard

We see a number of inter-related priorities for business. Firstly, to review their governance processes to ensure they are robust and that the right level of introspection takes place at the highest level within the business.

Secondly, to start to rebuild the drop in trust between civic society and business - part of this will be to demonstrate that business is working to minimize the economic impacts of the recession on its key stakeholder groups and where it is necessary to take tough business decisions that affect these groups then to do so in a transparent and supportive way. Making staff redundant is probably one of the major challenges for business - so doing this in a way that supports them through this difficult time is essential. Equally, paying suppliers on time will be a measure of responsible business practice.

Thirdly, to use the downturn to remind us all that business does good for the majority and that the reckless behavior of the few should undermine the positive contribution of the majority. If you take the Financial Services Sector in the UK - one of the most important of whom we have 75 companies in our membership - the crisis in the sector relates on to 3 or 4 companies - but the not the whole sector.

BITC, through their ENGAGE programme, has been facilitating a CSR Laboratory called Skills for Employability Enhanced through Employee Community Engagement. Could you tell us more about the objective and findings of this Laboratory? Also, what will be the main activities or focus for 2009?

The Laboratory explores the value of a variety of employee volunteering initiatives supported by businesses across the European Union in terms of improving the skills essential to gaining and sustaining employment.

Key among its findings was that corporate investment in employee community engagement has now reached significant levels and has become increasingly linked to core business strategy in terms of up-skilling employees and productivity levels as well as developing the skills of disadvantaged groups in local communities, as identified in the Growth and Jobs Strategy.

It made a number of recommendations to EU institutions including announcing the 2011 Year of the Volunteer and an annual Employee Community Engagement awards to recognise and encourage initiatives in this field, and the development of a pan-European measurement framework for employee community engagement in order to assess its impact more effectively.

The last meeting of CSR Europe's national partner network took place on 29-30 April in London. What are your thoughts on the significance and added value of these meetings for members of the network?

The exchange of information is an essential and direct benefit of the national partner meetings but equally important is the opportunity to build professional relationships that hopefully will lead to greater collaboration between the national partner organisations.

BITC has successfully organised three May Day events on 1 May with attention and participation, using virtual technologies, in countries as far apart has Canada and Australia. What is the objective of the event and the May Day network? What, in your opinion, is the biggest added value for organisations?

The first Prince's May Day Summit was held on 1 May 2007 as an emergency ‘may day' call to businesses to take action on climate change.

This year's Summit demonstrated that, during a global recession, taking action on climate change has never been more important. It leads to business benefits in both the short and long term, including cost savings and access to new markets. Over 1,700 business leaders attended the Summit on 1 May 2009, and another 300 people watched it live online.

As a result of the first Summit, the Prince's May Day Network was formed - the UK's largest group of businesses committed to taking action on climate change. Over 1,170 businesses have joined the Network to date. Businesses join the Network by making annual ‘May Day' climate change pledges. Once in the Network, Business in the Community gives them free support.

This year we have developed the online May Day Journey tool at www.maydaynetwork.com/journey. The Journey helps businesses to take step-by-step action, explaining what they can do to reduce carbon emissions. It also directs them to low-carbon case studies and sources of support from our May Day partners; over 15 organisations that give practical help and advice to reduce carbon emissions.

The May Day event has the strong support of the Prince of Wales and works in close collaboration with UK governmental authorities. How does the UK government see CSR and what kind of activities do they find important?

To quote Ian Pearson, Minister for State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (CSR Minister): "Good business leaders recognize that Corporate Responsibility makes good business sense - it attracts the best talent, earns the trust of customers and the community and acts as a powerful investment for long term sustainability. Across Government our aim is to support business to achieve success by providing the right legal framework to uphold and build responsibility as well as helping develop the necessary skills and best practice for companies to deliver it."

In addition to regulation and skills the UK Government also utilizes its role, as a major purchaser of goods and services, to support Corporate Responsibility and by working collaboratively with interested stakeholders to improve opportunities for businesses and their staff to take part in activities over and above their day-to-day operations.

More information

Read more about Business in the Community at www.bitc.org.uk.

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