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Responsible Business Triumphs At The Annual Business In The Community's Awards For Excellence 2004

Responsible Business Triumphs At The Annual Business In The Community's Awards For Excellence 2004

Published 07-06-04

Submitted by Business in the Community

London, UK - Last night (Tuesday 6th July 2004) at a gala dinner hosted by Carillion plc, Company of the Year 2003, at the Royal Albert Hall, London, before an audience of 1600 business leader, Government Ministers and opinion formers, HRH, The Prince of Wales, President of Business in the Community, awarded the 'Examples of Excellence' to companies across 14 award categories who have demonstrated outstanding examples of best business practice. There are a record 101 Big Tick endorsed companies in 2004.

In association with The Financial Times and Department of Trade and Industry, the Awards for Excellence are the culmination of a 12-month rigorous process involving over 100 independent assessors from business, the not-for-profit sector and government.

Chairman of Business in the Community and mm02, David Varney, commented: 'What makes these Examples of Excellence stand out from the rest is their ability to re-think the way in which the entire organisation operates and getting the values of the business to underpin that process. These programmes would never have succeeded in companies with tacked on values. They have to be embedded throughout the organisation. Only when values are absolutely integral do you see these sorts of impacts.'

THE AWARDS
HRH, The Prince of Wales, announced his personal Ambassadors for 2004, Margaret Clark, OBE, Director of the Countryside Agency and Amelia Fawcett, CBE, Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley praising them for outstanding contributions. 'Margaret Clark of The Countryside Agency for her unique ability to translate practice into policy. She has a unique understanding of the countless issues facing rural communities, be that the need to encourage more local sourcing and the availability of affordable rural housing, or the regeneration of market towns and villages. She has worked with me right from the start of my rural action campaign and I and Business in the Community have depended upon her enormously.'

'My second is Amelia Fawcett, the Deputy Chairman of Morgan Stanley for her outstanding leadership in engaging business in the most deprived communities. She has worked tirelessly on both a national and a local level in the East End to improve education and skills and encourage mentoring and partnership between business and local communities. She is constantly trying to identify emerging problems and seeking new ways in which she can make a difference.'

The Impact on Society Award for a Large Company in association with Tomorrow's Company goes to Marks & Spencer. By integrating a set of values into its business practices, Marks & Spencer has been able to build its reputation as a responsible retailer. The company's track record as a responsible retailer has been endorsed by a number of leading NGOs. The company has been ranked number one by Greenpeace on non-GM foods, ranked as the top food retailer by Friends of the Earth on pesticide reduction, number one by the Marine Conservation Society on fish sourcing and by Accountability/Insight Investment on labour standards. These ratings have contributed to Marks & Spencer being named as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index most sustainable retailer in the world in the past two years.

As Mark Goyder, Director of Tomorrow's Company, a business led think tank that focuses on issues fundamental to long-term success, said 'Corporate responsibility is one essential building block of enduring shareholder value. I hope Marks & Spencer's outstanding record as a responsible company will be properly valued as part of the overall decision shareholders now have to make about its future.' The Impact on Society Award for a Small Company in association with Tomorrow's Company goes to London based Bankside Restaurant in Southwark for corporate social responsibility. Bankside specialises in providing fresh, affordable, modern British cuisine, sourcing seasonal produce at nearby Borough Market while managing environmental impacts and supporting local community groups and schools. Customer satisfaction is reflected in a 30% annual increase in turnover and the opening of another restaurant in the City of London.

Communicating good business practice within business and to customers is an emerging theme. The new ScottishPower Communications Award goes to the AXA Hearts in Action Ambassadors programme for its simple face to face cascade of communications involving 44 ambassadors and 11 business area sponsors motivating and energising individuals and teams involved in the regeneration programme in the South West.

The Co-operative Financial Services Cause Related Marketing Award goes to BT's 'Am I Listening?'/ChildLine Campaign. It has raised £2.5million since October 2002 with an extra 3,500 children getting through to ChildLine's switchboard each week. Take up of BT 1571 has increased 25% while over 2 million calls to the Speaking Clock has reversed a 10 year decline.

The Reed Elsevier Education & Lifelong Learning Award supported by the Department of Education and Skills goes to BSkyB Reach for the Sky (RFTS) campaign designed to empower 11 to 18 year olds to make informed future choices in the workplace. These include residential media and communications training courses, workplace schemes, the RFTS Living for Sport activities and the Sky Education free package of educational channels used in over 150 schools.

The UnumProvident Realising Ability Award in association with the Employers Forum on Disability goes to the Sky Disability Strategy. Involvement with the programme has improved understanding of disability issues amongst stakeholders. 2500 employees have taken part in a distance learning programme on disability awareness.

The number of known disabled subscribers has grown from 3,200 in June 2003 to 16,000 by February 2004 generating revenue of £5.4 million.

Effective communications implementation is recognised in The HSBC Diversity Award in association with the Diversity Alliance going to West Bromwich Building Society for a diversity programme covering workplace and marketplace and working with specific focus groups building close links to the community including the introduction of Sharia's Law compliant Muslim mortgages.

In 2004, UK best practice models are being taken to the EU. New this year, The Barclays European Community Impact Award in association with the National Partner Organisations of the Cecile Network and CSR Europe goes to Freshfields, Bruckhaus Deringer for Freshfields in the Community. 30% of staff across 11 European offices are involved in giving pro-bono legal advice, fundraising, raising educational achievement in schools, mentoring and regeneration.

The EDF Energy Innovation Award in association with Demos goes to Norfolk based Bernard Matthews Ltd for its programme developed in response to local rural labour shortages recruiting staff from Portugal integrating both the workers and their families into their corporate culture working with the local community and Norfolk Equal Opportunity Network. Endorsed by the Home Office and the Portuguese Embassy, it provides a model for other companies across the EU.

The Collaborative Action Award in association with the British Chambers of Commerce goes to Preston Community Impact Group (CIG) consisting of ASDA, BAE Systems, BNFL, HSBC, Inland Revenue, Sainsbury's, Lancastrian & Cumbrian Volunteers (TA), Leyland Trucks Ltd, Marriott Hotel, the University of Central Lancashire with Business in the Community. The group works collaboratively on regeneration projects.

And The Shields Environmental Impact Award goes to liftshare.com for leading the UK in developing and implementing effective car share schemes to encourage and enable more efficient use of the car. More than 54,000 members are registered on the free database. 34% of its 5 million journeys result in a successful match rising to 43% with branded schemes. Car-sharing schemes are provided for over 300 clients including businesses, local authorities, universities and community organisations with total yearly reductions of around 14 million car-miles and 5,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The BUPA Healthy Communities Award supported by the Department of Health goes to Burnley Football Club, The Club For Its People Developing Futures. Over 4,000 local adults have acquired skills and qualifications through the Learn Direct Centre run by the club. Players and club officers' efforts to eliminate racial abuse have resulted in the club increasing the number of its ethnic minority season ticket holders. Provision of a study support centre has improved the numeracy, literacy and IT skills of pupils who would otherwise not attend class.

The Post Office Rural Action Award goes to Hopes of Longtown run by 25-year-old Christine Hope. Born and brought up in Herefordshire she came back from her business studies and travels to raise the funds to save the village store and Post Office * and create a thriving business at the heart of a community of some 600 in a remote area with little public transport.

The Sieff Award sponsored by Marks & Spencer for an individual or organisation, based in the community, who has best collaborated with business to benefit society goes to John Buttrick founder of the Hull Children's University for his passion and inspiration in raising children's self esteem, achievements and learning aspirations through delivery of out-of-school-hours literacy focused programmes supported by adult mentors. Support for children over the last academic year has seen 128 mentors form 24 different companies working in 20 local primary schools, each supporting an average of three pupils per session.

For media queries on the Awards for Excellence 2004 contact: Sue Garland, Media Consultant for Awards & Conference on 020 7566 6631,
mobile: 07834 338241, or email: sue.garland@bitc.org.uk or
Emma Harvey, Media and Communications Assistant on 020 7566 8666 or email emma.harvey@bitc.org.uk

Notes to Editors
The BIG TICK was introduced in 1998 and has since been awarded to over 280 companies. Now widely recognised, it is used by recipients to communicate their achievements in the field of corporate responsibility.

Business in the Community is a unique movement in the UK of 700 member companies. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge, engage and support business in continually improving its positive impact on society. Together, our member companies employ over 15.7 million people across 200 countries. In the UK, our members employ over 1 in 5 of the private sector workforce. Membership of Business in the Community is a commitment to action and to the continual improvement of the company's impact on society. Our members commit to: 1) Integrate responsible business practice throughout their business 2) Impact through collaborative action to tackle disadvantage 3) Inspire, innovate and lead by sharing learning and experience. Further information about Business in the Community can be found at the website www.bitc.org.uk.

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