The Elite Group have received re-accreditation
for the BITC for excellence award originally
awarded in 2003.
When Stephen Timms, Minister for Energy,
e-Commerce and Postal Services (with responsibility
for corporate social responsibility) met with
Business in the Community members and regional
opinion formers; the Minister stressed Corporate
Social Responsibility was about making a difference
in all our long term interests.
“I do not promote Corporate Social
Responsibility because I want business to
act out of altruism or for purely philanthropic
reasons. In my view Corporate Social Responsibility
is about how we build long term sustainable
business success. Some will argue that following
Corporate Social Responsibility practice must
inevitably involve more expense for business
and divert them from their primary purpose
of running a profitable company. Many individual
companies have clearly seen this is not the
case and drive great benefits to their business
in adopting socially responsible practice.
I saw a number of these examples when I joined
Business in the Community to present the Awards
to the finalists and winners of their Awards
for Excellence."
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One such winner was a Yorkshire
company Elite Forwarders Ltd, who provide garment
warehouse and distribution services for some of the
countrys major retailers.
When The Elite Group was expanding its operation,
it worked together with the West Leeds Family Learning
and the job centre to target the local community and
particularly the unemployed. Part of the deal was
that local people were trained in the skills needed
and offered a job conditional upon their satisfactory
completion of the training programme. The result was:
- 300 new staff required
- 106 were recruited through the programme
- 46% of the 106 had previously been unemployed for
over 12 months.
As a result the company has recruited a local workforce
with the right skills and a strong loyalty to the
company while also helping support the quality of
life for those recruits and their families.
Corporate Social Responsibility is not just for big
business; SMEs account for over half of business turnover
and employment in the UK. We know therefore, that
Corporate Social Responsibility needs to be better
understood and more widespread.
All the examples I saw like Elite Forwarders, clearly
illustrated how Corporate Social Responsibility can
benefit both the company and the wider economic strength
of the community. But in order to do this it needs
to be part and parcel of the way business operates
throughout the business - from strategy through to
day to day operations.
I would like to congratulate Yorkshire and Humber
on the lead they are setting. Yorkshire Forward’s
partnership with Business in the Community is providing
vital support to engage regional businesses and help
grow the economy. I would encourage others around
the country to take up the challenge to follow your
example”.
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