Partner Article

CSR becoming integral to UK business

It’s corporate social responsibility focus week on Bdaily. Here, Stephen Howard, chief executive of Business in the Community, explains how intergral CSR is to business.

There was a time in the not too distant past when Corporate Social Responsibility was simply shorthand for philanthropy.

CSR activity was perceived as positive PR and simply reflected how businesses spend their money on good causes rather than addressing whether companies are making their profits responsibly.

It’s not surprising therefore that the concept of CSR has often been met with cynicism. Yet we know from working with hundreds of business of all sizes that the role of CSR is transforming into an increasingly integral element of how business operates.

Enlightened companies are applying responsible principles to every aspect of their business model - developing equal and fair workforces, trading responsibly, protecting the environment, developing innovative products and services and working in partnership with communities.

I truly believe that every company, regardless of its size, time or resource limitations, can and should take action towards being responsible. This is not only because it is the right thing to do, but because businesses themselves will benefit.

Our report The Business Case for being a Responsible Business identified 60 business benefits of being a responsible business including, direct financial impact, brand value and reputation, operational effectiveness and positive impact on employees and the future workforce.

The fact that a number of SME’s won awards at our annual Responsible Business Awards ceremony, demonstrates that integrating responsible behaviour into business isn’t the sole preserve of larger companies.

Lakehouse, the 2013 Santander Responsible Small Business of the Year winner is a good example.

The construction firm is a profitable and successful small business which actively integrates responsible behaviour. Over the last year, Lakehouse has invested more than £950,000 in new apprenticeships and trainee schemes and community projects - a strategy that has helped recruit and retain staff and win new business.

Lakehouse’s founder, Steve Rawlings, firmly believes in the mutual benefit of responsible business, and sees it as a driver for business success, saying: “Ensuring sustainability is the way we do business. It makes business sense and underpins the growth of Lakehouse over the past six years. From our managing director who started as a trainee, to the work we do with our charity partner, Thames Reach - it has shaped the relationships we with have with our clients, supply chain and society.”

Any business can take steps to have a positive impact which don’t have to be costly, and may actually save money. Consider your community impact on education and employability - can you open up the world of work to a young or disadvantaged person by offering quality work placements and lending your employees’ skills and time to help improve employability and aspirations.

Simple actions such as turning the office heating down a few degrees or encouraging electrical equipment and lighting to be switched off when not in use will lead to cost savings.

As we emerge from the summer break to enter another busy period, it’s a good time to reflect on the role of business, the powerful difference we can collectively make in society, and the steps we can to take to scale up this impact.

In doing so, I believe there will be mutual benefit for business and society.

What is critical is that businesses set targets, measure and track their progress. This will help increase understanding of how being responsible business benefits your workforce, business and local community. Try Business in the Community’s low-cost tool, the Responsible Business Check Up to help develop a strategic approach to corporate responsibility.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Business in the Community .