Media release:
The Federal Government to fund national corporate responsibility project
St James Ethics Centre, 20 May 2008
The Federal Government, through Treasury has commissioned St James Ethics Centre to undertake a three year project to expand responsible business practice nationally.
The funding was announced at the 9th National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development in Parliament House, Canberra on Monday evening (May 19) at the fifth Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) Awards dinner, by The Honourable Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in a national address on sustainability, climate change and Australia's role in global solutions.
The purpose of the funding is to:
- To expand the number of Australian companies that are actively engaged in identifying and adopting more responsible business practices including SMEs.
- To consider options to improve, and where necessary refine, the tools that are available to promote responsible business practices across all levels of corporate management.
This represents an exciting opportunity for St James Ethics Centre, a fully independent not-for-profit organisation which is uniquely placed within Australia to deliver the goals of the project due to strong international links with key players in corporate responsibility and sustainability, including its trusteeship of the Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) – an initiative of Business in the Community (UK) and its longstanding partnership with the National Business Leaders Forum.
“A range of excellent initiatives is already underway in Australia and an important dimension of the project will be to work with key stakeholders and innovators to facilitate national networks and laboratories of best practice.” says Rosemary Sainty, Head of the Project.
The announcement was followed by the presentation of the 5th CRI awards. In total forty companies participated in the fifth Index (including sixteen new companies). Flexible entry options introduced last year include a private benchmark which has proved popular for new companies, with 10 taking up the option this year.
Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director of St James Ethics Centre noted in his foreword “This year’s Index is evidence of a corporate sector that is beginning to lose its fear of candid and transparent reporting. This suggests a deeper commitment to learning than has been evident in the past”.
“The latest iteration of the CRI is far more demanding than it has been in earlier years. All participants should be applauded for their voluntary participation in this rigorous, examination of their corporate responsibility practices and their commitment to improve” as cited by Dr Longstaff.
The 2007 Index saw a broadening of sector engagement - Financials (7), Energy & Utilities (6), Materials (6), Consumer Goods & Services (5), Support Services & Telecommunications (5), Food & Beverage (4), Accountants & Consultants (3), Healthcare (1), Real Estate (1), Media & Entertainment (1), Software & Computer Services (1).
For further information please contact: Rosemary Sainty at St James Ethics Centre, tel: +61 (0)2 9299 9566 or email: rbp@ethics.org.au
|
