New leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties David Cameron and Sir Menzies Campbell, are stepping up their plans for sustainability and social responsibility.
David Cameron, the new Conservative leader has called on private sector companies to act in a more socially responsible way. In several speeches and interviews, Cameron and other senior Conservatives have urged business to shoulder more social responsibility, as the Conservative Party interests shift from shareholder value and profits to encompass the responsibilities and duties of businesses.
CSR areas Cameron has focused on:
environment – companies need to improve their environmental impacts and tackle climate change, but Cameron denies that this will lead to higher environmental taxes on companies.
health – Cameron has accused shops of using irresponsible marketing, pointing to WHSmith’s half-price promotion of chocolate oranges at its check-outs. He says business has a shared responsibility to help improve public health.
community/education – compulsory community service for school leavers to help bring people of different races, cultures and background together, in partnership with charities and business. Cameron cites the success of sports initiatives by companies like Nike and BSkyB.
global poverty – launch of Globalisation and Global Poverty policy group. The group will study the benefits and impacts of globalised free trade, and the interaction between trade, sustainability and the relief of global poverty.
A New Deal – working with businesses to help solve social problems and improve the environment.
Meanwhile, Sir Menzies Campbell, new leader of the Liberal Democrats, and his party also have plans for sustainability and social responsibility:
diversity – three female MPs promoted to senior roles to create a fresher, more diverse Liberal Democrat team. Plans have been approved to create an ethnic minority taskforce to find, train, and develop black and ethnic minority candidates.
environment – to unveil an action plan to boost energy saving technologies and provide incentives to households and businesses to switch to these.
climate change – against nuclear power, but believes aviation fuel should be taxed as it is “making enormous impact on climate change”. The Liberal Democrats are urging the government to develop the biomass sector faster.
supermarket takeover – The Liberal Democrats believe that the loss of small shops would damage the UK economically, socially and environmentally and the government needs to act soon before retailing is damaged permanently.
business operations – cut red tape that stops businesses from growing and “protect all of us from rip-offs by introducing a new legal duty on business to trade fairly”.
Contact Conservative Party, 020 7222 9000 www.conservatives.com; Liberal Democrat Party 020 7222 7999 www.libdems.org.uk
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