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Workplace Employees are one of the key stakeholders for any business and evidence is growing of the importance employees attach to companies demonstrating their CSR record through progressive employment practice as well as through their behaviour as good corporate citizens. 16 How companies engage with the wider society in which they operate and tackle issues of concern to their workforce will be determined by the nature of the business. But one thing uniting all is the need to attract and retain the best people to ensure long-term success. Government has a role in defining decent minimum standards while encouraging companies to move beyond these. Over the past year the following are some of the key issues we have been involved with. Skills for CSR One of the ways we can ensure CSR is part and parcel of the way we do business is to make sure the skills and attitudes for responsible business practice are embedded right across the business. In 2002 DTI and the Corporate Responsibility Group set up a Working Group chaired by Sue Slipman to look at how we might best support the growth of the skills for CSR and the role of an Academy. The recommendations of that group (set out in their Changing Manager Mindsets report) have been taken forward by a Steering Group chaired by Clive Mather, Chairman of Shell UK along with representatives from business, NGOs, TUC, training and development bodies and the public and voluntary sectors. The Group are advising how an Academy can best impact the business mainstream of both large and small companies while complementing the work of existing organisations in the field. The Group is due to report to the Minister with a view to an Academy being ready to launch in early Summer 2004.
Health & safety The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a legal duty on employers to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. The Act provides the framework for effective regulation. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) are encouraging employers to go beyond compliance and to continually improve. Key areas include: c Encouraging organisations to consider health and safety at board level c Encouraging organisations to report publicly on a range of health and safety issues c Producing and promoting a health and safety index for insurance companies, investors and others to gauge the performance of a company. Flexible working The Employment Act 2002 introduced new legislation specifically to help working parents giving more choice and support to balance childcare and work in ways that benefit everyone; employers, employees and children. Through the Work-Life Balance campaign, employers are encouraged through best practice to promote a culture of partnership in the workplace based on trust and mutual commitment and a wider culture of work-life balance throughout the workforce via innovative work organisation. To illustrate the benefits we’ve put together 50 case studies – of which half are SMEs – showing how innovative and flexible working arrangements can work for staff, customers and business. (www.dti.gov.uk). 17
Page 1 and 2: Corporate Social Responsibility A G
Page 3 and 4: Foreword Since I became Minister fo
Page 5 and 6: Contents Chapter 1: Priorities, rec
Page 7 and 8: than being approached as a separate
Page 9 and 10: In 2003 The National Contact Point
Page 11 and 12: “Government has a crucial role to
Page 13 and 14: To support these initiatives we are
Page 15: Supporting Local Communities In the
Page 19 and 20: lead to the identification of resou
Page 21 and 22: CSR reporting More companies are al
Page 23 and 24: Sustainable procurement As part of
Page 25: Mainstreaming CSR into general busi
Page 28: Printed in the UK on recycled paper

Corporate Social Responsibility - A Government ... - DTI Home Page

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