Ninety
per cent of senior executives in the North West believe corporate social
responsibility (CSR) is good for business and the region, according to a
report.
The
report by Sustainability North West (SNW) showed that almost all of the
directors surveyed across the region said CSR was an important or emerging
issue for their companies.
SNW,
along with the North West Development Agency and Business in the Community, is
conducting an investigation into how the region’s businesses deal with CSR
issues.
More
than 80 per cent of directors surveyed said the area’s reputation was
significantly affected by the conduct of local businesses. However, 20 per cent
believed corporate behaviour did not have any impact on the region’s image.
The
report also showed that only 40 per cent of companies bothered to find out how
their businesses impacted on local communities. Nearly 90 per cent said
employee satisfaction was a major concern.
Erik
Bichard, chief executive of SNW, said although the results on CSR were positive
there was still a lot of work to be done.
"We
hope to help these leaders on their journey to create an internationally
recognised region… in a world that requires companies not only to say that
they care, but to match words with actions," he said.
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A
healthy work-life balance was cited as the most important measure of personal
success, with 72 per cent of directors picking it as their top indicator. More
money was the least popular marker of success.
By
Paul Yandall
