News on 14 December 2000
Employees hold the key to making British companies more
socially responsible, according to a new report released yesterday by
The Industrial Society. “Corporate Nirvana – Is the future socially
responsible?” concludes that the majority of UK professionals would
turn down work from an employer with conflicting ethics.
The
report reveals that more than 80% of UK professionals would not work for
an organisation whose values they did not believe in. Over half (59%)
chose the company they work for because they believe in what it does and
what it stands for. Further, almost everyone (99%) cares if the organisation
they work for acts responsibly or not.
According to The Industrial Society, the findings ‘challenge prevailing
recruitment and retention strategies which centre on pay and benefits.’
They also send a ‘clear signal to UK’s business community’
which has been slow to accept the importance of business ethics. Only
an estimated four per cent of the FTSE 350 currently report their social
performance and social partnerships. SMEs lag even further behind, despite
acknowledging worker power in the area.
The report says: "The potential for near full employment in the UK,
combined with increased competition and the need to cut costs, is putting
pressure on companies to become ‘employers of choice’. Of course
pay and development will continue to take precedence in people’s
choice of work, especially for people earlier on in their careers, however
the job seeker’s market means that these can often be taken as a
given and other priorities such as ethics and reputation play a more important
role."
Stephanie Draper, head of corporate social responsibility at The Industrial
Society commented: "Corporate social responsibility is a route to
good, multi-skilled employees. It helps develop personal relationships
and local engagement. For small businesses local reputation is crucial
for recruitment, and the stability of their local communities is crucial
to their growth."
The report is available from The Futures web site, www.indsoc.co.uk/futures
