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A corporate responsibility kitemark for companies in Ireland will be produced next year. The ‘CR standard’ will be awarded to businesses that meet best practice criteria.
Business in the Community Ireland, which is developing the standard in pilot form, hopes the government will eventually favour companies that meet the standard in its public procurement programme.
Tina Roche, Bitc Ireland chief executive, said that the intention was ‘to give Irish indigenous companies a reference to see what they can achieve’.
The standard will be drawn up with assistance from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, and outside auditors will measure performance.
A manager at a large Irish company told EP the standard might do much to improve laggard companies but was unlikely to be challenging for those with existing social and environmental programmes. ‘It’s a good idea but there are companies that will get it automatically,’ she said.
This year more than 40 Irish businesses signed up to a corporate responsibility charter developed by Bitc Ireland committing them in general terms to observe ‘the principles and practices of corporate responsibility’ and to engage in ‘open and transparent consultation and dialogue with all stakeholders’. They also took part in a corporate responsibility week in October (EP9, issue 6, p9)
Roche said that while the charter was largely ‘symbolic’ and aimed at spurring companies into action, the standard would concentrate more on performance.
Business in the Community Ireland, which is developing the standard in pilot form, hopes the government will eventually favour companies that meet the standard in its public procurement programme.
Tina Roche, Bitc Ireland chief executive, said that the intention was ‘to give Irish indigenous companies a reference to see what they can achieve’.
The standard will be drawn up with assistance from the National Standards Authority of Ireland, and outside auditors will measure performance.
A manager at a large Irish company told EP the standard might do much to improve laggard companies but was unlikely to be challenging for those with existing social and environmental programmes. ‘It’s a good idea but there are companies that will get it automatically,’ she said.
This year more than 40 Irish businesses signed up to a corporate responsibility charter developed by Bitc Ireland committing them in general terms to observe ‘the principles and practices of corporate responsibility’ and to engage in ‘open and transparent consultation and dialogue with all stakeholders’. They also took part in a corporate responsibility week in October (EP9, issue 6, p9)
Roche said that while the charter was largely ‘symbolic’ and aimed at spurring companies into action, the standard would concentrate more on performance.
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