The first of a new set of awards to recognise excellence in corporate community investment were presented on June 25 by HRH The Prince of Wales. Based on a measurement framework developed with the British Quality Foundation, the awards were devised by BITC and supported by the DTI and the Financial Times, with sponsorship by Granada Group, J Sainsbury and United Biscuits.
Whitbread won the award as company of the year and other winners included:
– Tesco for cause related marketing;
– DHL International for communication;
– KPMG for investing in employees;
– Whitbread for making an impact on the community; and
– KPMG and Littlewoods for investing in people in the community.
In addition, Aim High awards for excellence in raising standards in education, sponsored by BT, went to ten companies including BAA Gatwick, BP Grangemouth, Bristol and West, Burger King, KPMG, Marks & Spencer and Midland Bank.
In his speech, Prince Charles called on companies to offer support from three issues in the run up to the year 2000: employee volunteering; the Marks & Spencer millenium initiative, The Children’s Promise; and Time to Read for primary school children.
Ninety two companies submitted entries, with 62 providing a figure for their total community contribution. More than half allow staff paid time off and a third offer matched funding. Evaluation of entries against the business excellence model showed the weakest area is quantified assessment of the impact of the programme. Contact BITC on 0171 224 1600
MISSION EXPANDS
Business in the Community has adopted a new mission statement, agreed by its board in June, which expands its formal remit to cover corporate social responsibility. Corporate community investment remains a strong focus for activities, with a new Leadership Team being formed and a new role created as corporate community investment director. Amanda Bowman, who has been at BITC since 1990 developing campaigns on employee community involvement and education, has been appointed to the post. The Leadership Team will develop best practice in CCI, with a new campaign in preparation, IT in the Community, to be led by Martin Trees, marketing and strategy director at EDS.
Bill Cockburn, managing director of BT, is leading a new ‘impact on society’ task force with the British Quality Foundation on whose business excellence model the Principles of CCI were based. This work on measurement is being progressed by a short term secondee from Price Waterhouse.
The new BITC mission is “to inspire business to increase the quality and extent of the contribution to social and economic regeneration by making corporate social responsibility an essential part of business excellence”. Contact BITC on 0171 224 1600
Comment
The last year has seen BITC make good progress in putting measurement and evaluation at the heart of its approach. Previously BITC’s `business case’ approach was weakened where it could only be asserted, not demonstrated. This is now starting to be overcome. And it’s refreshing to see an awards scheme based on solid criteria, not the Oscar-style personal preferences of an `in crowd’.
Now the challenge moves on to companies themselves: frankly, more than a hundred should be capable of submitting their programmes to evaluative scrutiny through the awards. Likewise all Per Cent Club members should calculate a figure for their total community contribution, not the half who have so far submitted data to this year’s Club annual report.
In some ways the shift in BITC’s mission to encompass corporate social responsibility simply formalises a position apparent for some time, with its campaigns on environment and diversity in the workforce already running. But being explicit may raise expectations which BITC will find hard to meet.
There are three elements of social responsibility: the core activities of the business, its global supply and production chain from cradle to grave and its wider contribution to society. The latter BITC has admirably addressed, but now it will be drawn into issues such as child labour, transfer pricing and plant closures. Previously it could stand apart from commenting on negative impacts because its remit was the voluntary additional positive contribution.
There are also limitations to the campaigning approach. That is fine when exhorting people to do good, but corporate social responsibility is about mainstream business operations – that’s management science, taking decisions based on the numbers. Which brings us back to the central issue of measurable impact. The success of Bill Cockburn’s leadership team will determine whether BITC can achieve its new mission.
The last year has seen BITC make good progress in putting measurement and evaluation at the heart of its approach.
The last year has seen BITC make good progress in putting measurement and evaluation at the heart of its approach. Previously BITC’s `business case’ approach was weakened where it could only be asserted, not demonstrated. This is now starting to be overcome. And it’s refreshing to see an awards scheme based on solid criteria, not the Oscar-style personal preferences of an `in crowd’.
Now the challenge moves on to companies themselves: frankly, more than a hundred should be capable of submitting their programmes to evaluative scrutiny through the awards. Likewise all Per Cent Club members should calculate a figure for their total community contribution, not the half who have so far submitted data to this year’s Club annual report.
In some ways the shift in BITC’s mission to encompass corporate social responsibility simply formalises a position apparent for some time, with its campaigns on environment and diversity in the workforce already running. But being explicit may raise expectations which BITC will find hard to meet.
There are three elements of social responsibility: the core activities of the business, its global supply and production chain from cradle to grave and its wider contribution to society. The latter BITC has admirably addressed, but now it will be drawn into issues such as child labour, transfer pricing and plant closures. Previously it could stand apart from commenting on negative impacts because its remit was the voluntary additional positive contribution.
There are also limitations to the campaigning approach. That is fine when exhorting people to do good, but corporate social responsibility is about mainstream business operations – that’s management science, taking decisions based on the numbers. Which brings us back to the central issue of measurable impact. The success of Bill Cockburn’s leadership team will determine whether BITC can achieve its new mission.
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