This post explores the UK government's work on CSR and the relevance to the workplace.
The Government's CSR Initiatives
The Government have developed a "gateway website" to support their Corporate Social Responsibility vision:
"To see UK businesses taking into account their economic, social and environmental impacts, and acting to address the key sustainable development challenges based on their core competencies wherever they operate - locally, regionally and internationally."
This website provides its own interesting definition of CSR:
The Government sees CSR as the business contribution to our sustainable development goals. Essentially it is about how business takes account of its economic, social and environmental impacts in the way it operates – maximising the benefits and minimising the downsides.
Specifically, we see CSR as the voluntary actions that business can take, over and above compliance with minimum legal requirements, to address both its own competitive interests and the interests of wider society.
To a novice, all the above seems to be saying that:
- Level 1 - Business as Usual CSR
Companies need to know about the impact of the current operation of their business on the wider economy, society and environment - and they need demonstrate that they are operating in a way (where there is a choice) that maximises the benefits the wider economy, society and environment. This is the minimum legal requirement.
- Level 2 - Socially Responsible CSR
The next layer to the CSR are voluntary actions that companies can take to further contribute to the economy, society and environment above the minimum legal requirement. The government does not see these voluntary actions as "expenses" that the company incurs, but as investments where both the wider society and the company benefits. These are also called Socially Responsible Investments (SRIs).
- Level 3 - Government Directed Socially Responsible CSR
Furthermore, the government wants to direct companies to take voluntary actions that will help the government fulfil its sustainable development agenda. In particular it wants companies to do what they are good at doing commercially to benefit the government.
The key home challenges that the government want support in are:
- Tackling inequalities and deprivation
- Tackling social exclusion
- Building stronger communities
In helping the government to meet these challenges, the government believes that companies will access to new market opportunities for its standard business. The key avenue for this is showing customers that their company is a Socially Responsible Investor and that customers will be purchasing "Socially Responsible Investment Products and Services".
The government have also created a CSR Academy to help companies become Socially Responsible Investors:
The CSR Academy is a resource for organisations of any size and sector wanting to develop their corporate social responsibility skills. It's unique offering of resources are focused on integrating corporate social responsibility into day to day business practice.
Ultimately, the government want to make CSR an integral part of an organisation's management practices - that it makes "business sense" to do business the CSR way. The government are developing this strand by clearly demonstrating the business case for Socially Responsible Investments. The key elements for this are:
- Being able to sell "Socially Responsible Investment" products - this will give them a market advantage with socially responsible customers
- Being able to have closer links with their customers and hence be able to have a greater awareness of customer needs
- Having cost savings from implementing CSR best practices that have been developed by other organisations
The government are working with AccountAbility to develop a Responsible Competitive Index that demonstrates the link between CSR activities and improved competitiveness; and they are working with Forum for the Future to help companies view CSR activities as investments rather than expenses.
The current CSR projects that the different government departments are working on are summarised in this link by theme.
What is Currently Being Done in the Workplace?
A key part of CSR is for companies to be responsible for meeting the issues and concerns of their workforce so that they are happy, healthy and productive:
- A company's main interest is in this is being able to attract and retain the best people
- An employee's interest in this is that they have "good work" that has meaning and allows them to work at their best (optimum physical, mental and emotional health).
The following details the government initiatives that are in currently in place to facilitate this:
Volunteering - the government is encouraging companies to allow their employees to give some of their time at work to local communities that are suffering from deprivation. This allows employees to contribute to something that has meaning and purpose to them.
Well-Being - The main focus of the well-being work is around the health aspect getting more people into work because it is healthy for them) in the government's HWWB (Health, Work and Well-Being) Programme. See previous blog on this for more information.
Flexible working - there is an active work-life balance campaign in place to support the 2002 Employment Act. The flexible working element is mainly there to support working parents.
Rights at work - this is being covered by a project being led by DWP covering the International Labour Organisation's declaration on fundamental principles and rights at work.
Posted by: Hina Patel
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