Ethical Performance is a company that describes itself as "inside intelligence for responsible business". Since its 1999 founding in Canterbury, England, the media collection has become a "definitive one-stop reference" for those seeking awareness of daily happenings in the world of corporate social responsibility and socially responsible investment.
Literacy is critical to understanding and succeeding in today's world. A report from the National Literacy Trust shows that low literacy is associated with poverty and that individuals with low literacy are "more likely to be in routine work, receive working age benefits, live in disadvantaged housing conditions and more deprived areas and experience homelessness".
Business in the Community (BITC's) Right to Read programme aims to raise literacy standards by increasing the number of trained volunteers providing reading support for children ages seven through eleven. Since January 2015, Freeths, a national law firm, has worked to increase this number. More than 70 of its staff members have volunteered for the programme, helping over 250 children.
Few objects are more emblematic of London than the double-decker bus. No London tourist brochure would be complete without a picture of one these beauties. And it would be rare to find a cinematic montage of the city without a shot of a bright red double-decker bus zooming through the streets. The symbolic nature of the double-decker bus makes it all the more exciting that London's transport network last year introduced a new line of eco-friendly double-decker buses.
In March 2015, Transport for London (TfL) announced that it would add five all-electric, zero-emission double-decker buses to its transport system. The buses use lithium iron phosphate batteries, which enable them to travel for more than 24 hours and approximately 300 kilometres without stopping to recharge. Each bus includes air conditioning and can hold 81 passengers (54 seated, 27 standing). The buses and their batteries were designed by BYD, the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturer. BYD will also help install the London bus charging stations and help train drivers.
Premiership Rugby has a history of giving back to the community with their Movember drive last year raising over £41,000 for men's health. Now, the organisation has launched a new programme, Move Like a Pro, that gives rugby fans the opportunity to participate in a free 12-week physical activity course online or at their local Premiership Rugby club session with trained staff members.
Businesses around the world are beginning to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) models into their own workplaces. From grocery stores like Sainsbury's, whose Active Kids programme inspires kids to eat healthy foods and exercise, to professional services firms like PwC, which promotes transparency in NGOs and private companies, all kinds of businesses are making efforts to become more socially responsible. But are all of these efforts created equal?
The Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB), scheduled to be released in November 2016, is the first official attempt to rank large global businesses by their human rights performances. This benchmark is a major step toward helping both the general public and businesses better understand international CSR efforts.
The Heineken Company, the world's most international brewer, recently joined companies such as Starbucks and M&S in becoming one of the latest major brands to begin using Neighbourly.com, a certified B corporation, which connects businesses with local community causes, projects, and charities. The social platform is a tool businesses can use to find causes they care about, manage their contributions, and measure the value of their participation. Since the platform's launch in 2014, businesses involved have pledged almost £2.2m to 481 different causes.
Thames Water, the United Kingdom's largest water and wastewater services provider, is in the process of installing an expansive solar farm on the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir in London. The floating solar array will consist of over 23,000 solar panels, making it the largest in Europe. The project was completed in early spring of this year.
Pledge 1% is a collaborative effort by Atlassian, Entrepreneurs Foundation of Colorado, Rally for Impact, Salesforce.org and Tides to spread their mission of integrating philanthropy into businesses throughout the world. By taking part in Pledge 1%, businesses agree to dedicate one percent of employee time, equity, product or profit to giving back to local and worldwide communities. The Pledge focuses on the community and gives businesses involved the resources to help them carry out their vision.
Are you interested in implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) into your place of business? For people living in the United Kingdom, there may be no better resource than Business in the Community (BITC). The organisation provides abundant information on CSR efforts, resources, programmes and events.
Unilever, a British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company, has just announced a very impressive new accomplishment. A world leading supplier of food, home and personal care products, Unilever is now also leading the industry by sending zero non-hazardous waste to landfills. This is true for all of their sites, located in 70 countries, and including factories, warehouses, distribution centres and offices.
