urvey R o n s i b i l i t y B e st P a tice filew o rkp lace issu es. A lth o u gh th ere are so m e co m p an ies w h ich m ay still clin g to th e b elief th at th eir o n ly o b

55Business Plus August 2005

IN THE EARLY YEARS OFthe new millennium, it seemed asthough barely a day went bywithout some new corporate

scandal emerging. Although not all ofthese transgressions involved thebreaking of laws, each one wascriticised for being against the widerinterests of society. Whether it wasaccounting wheezes or the use ofsweatshop labour in developingcountries, the belief rapidly emergedthat somewhere along the linebusiness had abandoned its principlesin the rush to reap profits.

In his book, The Corporation: ThePathological Pursuit of Power’, legaltheorist Joel Bakan went so far as toargue that the modern corporationfunctions like a psychotic personality.Although not everyone agreed with sucha view, there were more than a few whowere ready to concede that many firmshad forgotten about their socialobligations.

The result of this growing distrust inbusiness is that these days firms arejudged not just in terms of theirfinancial performance but also in termsof their social and environmentalresponsibilities as well. This means thatcompanies are expected to perform wellin non-financial areas that involvehuman rights, business ethics,environmental policies, corporatecontributions, community development,

corporate governance, diversity andworkplace issues.

Although there are some companieswhich may still cling to the belief thattheir only obligation is to theirshareholders, most firms have re-evaluated their corporate values over thepast few years in a bid to convince asceptical public that they care aboutmore than just revenues.

Corporate Social

Responsibility is about

balancing the interests of

all stakeholders when

business decisions are

being made, and

demonstrating how these

efforts can pay significant

dividends in the long

term.This Survey

showcases the best

practice in CSR in Ireland

BY CHARLIE TAYLOR

Continued on page 56

Su r v e y in association with

C o r p o r a t e S o c i a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y

Best Practice

FINTAN TAITE

Obviously, not every company hasneeded to take such a step,because some have always made it

their business to strike a balance betweentheir competitive interests and the widerworld. Such firms have followed in thefootsteps of early entrepreneurs such asHenry Ford, who was once quoted assaying that “a business thatmakes nothing but money is apoor kind of business.” However,for other companies, it’s becomeincreasingly clear in recent timesthat they need to implement strategiesthat will ensure that their actions areaccountable.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)has become more important as firmsattempt to formulate their standpoint onethical issues. CSR is about much morethan just complying with currentregulations. It is seen as the privatesector’s means of integrating theeconomic, social, and environmentalimperatives of their activities in such away that it promotes sustainabledevelopment.

Business In The Community Ireland(BITCI), an organisation that iscommitted to promoting corporateresponsibility and communityinvolvement, defines CSR as a conceptwhere companies “integrate social,environmental and ethical concerns intothe business decision making process andtheir interactions with stakeholders on avoluntary basis.”

Proponents of CSR believe that thereare numerous benefits to be gained bybeing more responsible, not just in termsof enhancing a company’s reputation butalso by enabling it to improvecompetitiveness and strengthen its riskmanagement strategy. CSR is also citedas being useful in helping to attract andretain employees.

Although Irish-based companies havelargely escaped unscathed fromcorporate scandals, many of the leadingorganisations in the country haveworked hard to establish and promotecorporate responsibility covering the keyareas of workplace, community,environment and the marketplace. But

not only the multinationals and largercompanies are looking to improve theirCSR practices.

According to Leo Martin, a director ofGoodCorporation, a number ofcompanies are asking how they canbecome better corporate citizens. SaysMartin: “Four years ago weworked with the Institute ofBusiness Ethics in Londonto develop a standard thatcan be applied across allsectors and in companiesand organisationsof any size. Thestandardlooks at a

company’s practices and how it workswith all the stakeholders - what is fairand best practice.”

Martin added: “The standard is nowbeing used by over 100 organisations.We did our first piece of verificationwork for the standard in Ireland with theHard Rock Cafe. A&L Goodbody

Consulting also had clientslooking to have a more formalpolicy and structure in place, sowe partnered with them, as wellas with Excellence Ireland, to

provide Irish organisations with arecognised standard.”

For firms attempting to implementethical practices theperfect place to start isin the workplace.AIB, Ireland’s



‘A lot of corporates still aren’taware of what CSR involves’

56 Business Plus August 2005

FINTAN TAITE

Nominations now due...The CCI President’s Awards for CSR are dedicated to honouring best practicein CSR. This year’s awards will be presented at a black tie gala dinner in the Burlington Hotel on the evening of Tuesday the 8th November 2005.

At the event, CCI will name the leading CSR activities of Ireland’s business community in this crucially important area.

The closing date for nominations is

25th August 2005.

For further information on entering theseawards, please contact Caoimhe Gavin on 01 400 4315 or [email protected]

The 2005 CCI President’s Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Presented by

Supported by

biggest bank, has established anumber of practices in order tohelp staff have a better work/lifebalance by attempting to promote afamily friendly environment.Among those initiatives is aprogramme that aims to provide anumber of options for permanentstaff that wish to work reducedhours or avail of a leave of absence.Options include jobsharing, personalisedhours and specialshort-term breaks foremployees who needto take time out tolook after an elderlyor sick relative, mindchildren over theschool holidays oreven who just want acareer break.

In this Survey, we highlight whatother leading companies are doingin the CSR space. Some firms likeVodafone have undertakenconservation initiatives aimed atimproving the local environment.

Companies can also work toensure that they act for thegood of the whole of the

community by amending theirproducts and services so thateveryone can avail of them.

There is much that Irish firmscan do to ensure that they act tothe wider benefit of society. ButCSR is only actively pursued by aminority of firms. “The leadingcompanies in Ireland, of whichthere are about 40, have embracedCSR but a lot of corporates stillaren’t aware of what CSRinvolves,” says Darina Eades,principal consultant on corporateresponsibility, BITCI. “A lot ofcompanies are very good in termsof responsible business practice butthe problem is that many of thesefirms just don’t tend tocommunicate what they’re doing well.”

Corporate Social Responsibilityisn’t just for big business either.CSR impacts on the SME sector ina number of ways. At a recent

conference, ISME chairmanRobert Berney stressed theimportance of CSR in increasingthe efficiency and effectiveness ofsmall companies in developingbusiness, creating jobs andenhancing their impact on localcommunities. Warning of the risksinvolved for those companies thatdon’t embrace responsible policies,

Berney said: “CSRrecognises thatthere are newissues that smallbusinesses need toconsider andrespond to inorder to staycompetitive. Issuessuch asglobalisation,environmental

concerns and social expectationsmay not seem to have a directimpact on the activities of SMEs,but these are influencing people’sattitudes towards business insignificant ways.”

Although SMEs may not be asvocal about their social activities aslarger firms, many are activelyinvolved in their local communitythrough their sponsorship of sportsteams and support for local groupsand charities. Berney argues thatwithout the input of local businesspeople, many local communitieswould not thrive to the extent theydo. However, there is much morethat SMEs can do to improve theirbusiness practices particularly withregard to sustainability.

Moreover, as Berney makes clear,firms that don’t consider outsideinterests will suffer in the long run.He says: “With increasing costs andskill shortages resurfacing, it isimportant that companies putthemselves in the shop window inorder to attract and maintaincustomers and key employees.Companies who ignore their socialresponsibilities will pay a heavyprice in terms of lost business, lostproductivity, lost reputation andconsequently lost jobs.”


Company Profile

WHILE MOST IRISH COMPANIES

strive to be fair and responsible in

their business operations, many don’t

know how to translate these principles into

everyday practices. In addition, many

organisations that have CSR policies in place

have no way of ensuring that they are actually

achieving the desired outcomes.

The GoodCorporation Standard, which has

just been launched in Ireland in association with

A&L Goodbody Consulting, provides a clear,

comprehensive and measurable framework for

responsible business practices that can be used

by organisations of all types and sizes.

This global Standard was developed in

conjunction with the Institute of Business

Ethics in the UK and has been used in 27

countries by over 100 organisations and their

subsidiaries. It covers the organisations’

relationship with its employees, customers,

suppliers, shareholders, its environmental

impacts and its relationship with the

communities in which it operates. Some 62

specific practices underpin the principles of

good business conduct in each of these areas.

Uniquely, the Standard provides organisations

with a framework that can be independently

assessed and certified by GoodCorporation.

This framework enables an organisation to

manage corporate responsibility on all fronts

and compare performance across stakeholder

groups, business units and regions.As it focuses

on outcomes, e.g. how fairly stakeholders

believe they are treated, it serves as a driver to

embed best practice into core activities and

identify actions for improvement.

Re-assessment adds value over time as an

organisation improves on its benchmarks and

highlights new issues that need to be

addressed. By systematically capturing

performance and stakeholder feedback, the

assessment provides value for the entire

organisation.

As accredited GoodCorporation consultants,

A&L Goodbody Consulting will advise

organisations on the adoption of the

GoodCorporation Standard; assist them in

identifying gaps in the organisation’s CSR

systems and in implementing the practices

required to achieve the Standard; and help

them to prepare for an assessment by

GoodCorporation.

CONTACTA&L Goodbody Consulting (01) 649 2000

GoodCorporation




‘Companies who ignore their social

responsibilitieswill pay a

heavy price’


The CommunityAIB Better Ireland ProgrammeW hen the A IB Better Ire land Programme w as launched fouryears ago , it w as decided to choose a focussed approachw ith a d istinctive theme . Fo llow ing a survey of A IB sta ff, weare now committed through the Better Ire land Programme totackling three key concerns a ffecting children in Ire land -lack of educ a tion through poverty, drug and a lcoho l abuseand home lessness.

By concentra ting efforts, A IB has been ab le to focusresources on making a rea l d ifference . Since theintroduction of the programme in August 2 0 0 1 , !1 0m hasbeen dona ted to over 7 0 0 community pro jects throughoutIre land .

The programme has three e lements. These inc lude apartnership w ith se lected charities opera ting in the targetareas identified , a community grant g iving scheme and asta ff support fund for A IB sta ff who vo lunteer w ith loc a lgroups in the community. More informa tion c an be obta inedby visiting www. a ib . ie / betterire land .

The Workplace Family Friendly Working ArrangementsA IB recognises tha t sta ff may require flex ib ility in the ir workpa tterns a t certa in times as they ba lance vary ing priorities inthe ir persona l and working lives. A Jo int Working Party w asformed in 1 9 9 8 invo lving A IB and the Irish Banks O ffici a lsAssoci a tion, the ir ro le w as to examine current family friend lypractices in financi a l services. The result w as Cho ices 2 0 0 0 ,a progression of a previous flex ib le working programmeintroduced w ithin the Repub lic of Ire land in 1 9 9 6 . Cho ices2 0 0 0 is ava ilab le to sta ff members in add ition to the bank'spo licies on ma ternity leave , parenta l leave and pa ternityleave . O ptions inc lude job sharing , persona lised hours andspeci a l short-term breaks to cover situa tions such as childrenstarting schoo l, the c are of e lderly or sick re la tives andc areer breaks.

The WorkplaceIntegrating the Results of Staff ConsultationO ur sta ff are a key stakeho lder and have the right andresponsib ility to a ir the ir views on working life in a sa fe andconfidenti a l manner. In 2 0 0 0 , A IB introduced the annua lsta ff survey, which enab les management to focus on issuesd irectly re la ting to the ir team.

Another measure of the impact on sta ff of loc a lmanagement a ttitudes, skills, practices, and behaviours is

the Peop le Focus Index (PFI). The PFI is a core too l for linemanagement in identify ing peop le-re la ted actions required tobest de liver business p lans. It is used by HR to p lan andprioritise support, remed i a l action, coaching , andmanagement deve lopment. It a lso enab les the business toidentify and share best practice in peop le management.

These various initi a tives are a samp le of how we a im tointegra te corpora te soci a l responsib ility into the D N A of ourcompany. In 2 0 0 4 , we were de lighted to w in one of the topa w ards a t the Chambers of Commerce of Ire land Aw ards.A IB w as recognised as taking the Best Corpora te Soci a lResponsib ility approach by a large company and w asspecific a lly commended for “deve lop ing workp lace practicestha t encourage flex ib ility for the ir emp loyees” and for“ assisting crea tive community-based pro jects through theBetter Ire land programme” . The a w ards were set up toacknow ledge companies tha t work tow ards “making the ircommunities a better p lace in which to live , work and dobusiness” .

AIB

Su r v e yC o r p o r a t e S o c i a l R e s p o n s i b i l i t y

Donal Forde, Managing Director AIB (RoI), with RTE presenterEmma O'Driscoll and the children from St. Mary's City Quay

Crèche, Dublin 1 - celebrating AIB donating !10m to vulnerablechildren through the Better Ireland Programme.

Being a responsible corpora te citizen is veryimportant to AIB. O ur CSR initia tives support bothour brand and business stra teg ies and a lso ourinterna l and customer facing va lues.

Corporate Citizenship in IrelandSince it was established in Ireland 15 years ago Dell has workedclosely with its employees, loca l communities, charities, schools,universities and community groups to ensure that benefits arederived from Dell’s position as one of the State’s largestemployers. Initiatives include corporate partnerships, individua lfinancia l donations by Dell employees, employee volunteerism,employee fundra ising and corporate donations.

Integrating Environmental SustainabilityDell strives to be a careful steward of its communities’ natura lresources and builds its products with sensitivity to the environment.By streamlining business steps and processes, Dell minimises stresson the environment while achieving speed, responsiveness andcost savings that are passed a long to customers.

Dell’s globa l environment policy, ‘ No Computer Should Go toWaste’, is a policy that influences the manufacturing process anda lso has led to the development of a number of programmes thatfacilitate the recycling or donation of customers’ PCs once theyare no longer in use. Dell provides computer users with a numberof responsible ways to reuse and recycle at the end of a product’suseful life.

In Ireland, this campa ign has been the driving force behindDell’s ongoing partnership with the RT Center, which facilitates arecycling initiative for the re-use of second hand PCs bydisadvantaged and non-profit groups in communities acrossIreland. This commitment led to the staging of a Free ComputerRecycling Day at its Limerick facility with the support of LimerickC ity and County Council in November 2004 . The first of its kindin Ireland, the one-day event saw a huge response from membersof the public, with over 18 tonnes of used computer equipmentcollected on the day for responsible recycling.

Company in the CommunityDell’s giving strategy includes targeted technology donationsthrough its Community Affa irs Programme. Dell’s work with theeducation sector in Ireland focuses on access to technology andinternet literacy. The Community Affa irs Programme works witheducation centres ranging from primary to tertiary and adulteducation. In 2004 , Dell donated over !167 ,000 worth ofcomputer hardware to schools and youth groups. Keyprogrammes included the recent extension of its existingpartnership with Limerick school, Colá iste Chiará in.

Dell is a lso working with the McMahan Centre, the Centra lRemedia l C linic and St G abriel’s school in Limerick on an excitingnew project integrating technology into educationa l practices forchildren with learning disabilities.

Employees in the CommunityDell employees a lso give generously of their time, expertise andmoney through youth mentoring programmes, fundra ising,community visits to Dell facilities and giving programmes.Hundreds of hours are donated by Dell employees on variouscommunity projects. In 2004 the Dell Direct Employee DirectG iving Programme, where regular deductions are taken from thepayroll packages of volunteers, donated over !36 ,000 to variouscharities in Ireland. Every September, during what the companyca lls G loba l Community Involvement, Dell and its employeesworldwide dedicate time to volunteerism and fundra ising.

About Dell IrelandDell’s European manufacturing operation is located in Limerickwith a UK and Ireland sa les and support centre and an EMEABusiness Centre based in Dublin The company now employs4 ,500 people.

At a global level Dell is committed to using its uniquedirect business model to make technology moreaffordable and accessible to people and institutionsaround the world so that they can take advantage ofthe tremendous economic and social benefits of morepervasive technology. In the US, the Dell Foundationis committed to equipping youth for the digitaleconomy. This theme is carried through to the workthat Dell does in Ireland and while Dell works at anational level for specific projects, preference isalways given to the local community areas in whichthe company operates and where its employees live.



Dell Ireland

Above: Dell employees at Bray/Cherrwyood supporting Goal Jersey

Day. Over !6,000 was raised at Dell’s sites in Ireland during thespecial day last September.Top: Dell employees volunteer theirtime to paint Bawnmore, a centre in Limerick for people withspecial needs


M artin Murphy, manag ing director of HP Ireland says: “HPbelieves strongly in g iving back to the community. HP'sobjective is to be a leader in socia l investment for schools andloca l communities.” Recent projects include setting up 11Dig ita l Community Centres in inner city Dublin, eight ITprojects in loca l and surrounding communities, and theinsta lla tion of computer labs in 66 disadvantaged schools inDublin and surrounding communities. HP Ireland is a lso part ofa globa l initia tive ca lled M AP (M icroenterprise Accelera tedProgramme). In partnership w ith tra ining and businessdevelopment service providers in loca l communities, HPprovides access to technology and tra ining to accelera te andsusta in business growth and economic opportunity. HP hasopened two centres in Ireland , one in partnership w ith DublinBIC in the Guinness Enterprise Centre and the other inpartnership w ith West BIC in the G a lway Technology Centre .

E-Inclusion ProgrammesO ne of the charities tha t HP Ireland a lso supports is Barnardo'sand their Technology for Children programme . Thisprogramme a ims to integra te technology into Barnardos’services na tionw ide and g ive children and parents fromdisadvantaged communities the opportunity to learn aboutcomputers and how to use them. In addition, pilot schemeshave shown the huge benefits of using computers as atherapeutic tool where behavioura l and other problems exist.

In Belfast, HP has four Dig ita l Community Centreprogrammes in opera tion, and is a lso a corpora te sponsor ofBusiness in the Community’s ‘Time to Compute!’ Schoolsinitia tive . This initia tive a ims to provide primary school pupilsw ith volunteer mentors from the loca l business community todevelop their IT skills for the future .

Community InvolvementHP’s European Softw are C entre in G a lw ay is invo lved in the community in a varie ty of crea tive and interesting w ays. HP G a lw ay has sponsored a lab in the G a lw ayChi ldren’s D iscovery Museum and HP Labs in primary andpost primary schoo ls. HP G a lw ay assists arts and community organisa tions in rea lising the full potenti a l of

techno logy as a too l to enhance the ir a ctivities.“In my mind , there are two good reasons why HP invests in

e-inclusion programs,” says Murphy. “The first good reason istha t it is simply the right thing to do. We live in a world todaywhere increasingly many people are getting socia lly excludedbecause they don’t have access to technology. In the Republic,as things stand today, only the children of the wea lthy areguaranteed exposure to the potentia l of ICT. This is fostering agrow ing dig ita l divide w ithin Irish society tha t w ill ultima telydamage the future competitiveness of the Irish economy. IfIreland is to continue to a ttract companies like HP to invest inthe future then we need to act now to ensure a ll children havethe necessary skills to compete in the Informa tion Society.Industry needs to play a role here , but so too doesgovernment.”

Classroom 2000 ProjectIn N orthern Ireland the C lassroom 2000 Project (C 2K) todayprovides access to ICT for every child , regardless ofbackground , from the moment they enter primary school. Thisensures tha t they w ill grow up being as familiar w ithtechnology as were their parents w ith pen and paper. In theRepublic, in contrast, the government has yet to display anycoherent vision or committment to the development of ICTw ithin the classroom.

“The second good reason HP invests in e-inclusion programsis enlightened self-interest. By getting directly involved insusta inable development and educa tion projects in under-privileged communities, we are actua lly helping to buildbusinesses, and build partners, and customers, and employeesin the process. If we can develop this part of the market, thereturns are rea l and they are large ,” adds Murphy.

For further information log on to: www.hp.com / hpinfo /globalcitizenship


HP has long been recognised as being a leader ing lob a l citi z enship and corpora te soci a lresponsibility. Bill Hew lett and David Packardmade it a policy tha t the company's managementoutlook would champ ion openness, honesty and flexibility in its dea lings w ith customers,employees, suppliers and government.

HP Ireland managing director Martin Murphy

Hewlett-Packard


In Ireland, the company’s community activities take placeunder the banner, Unlimited Potentia l. W hile M icrosoft hasbeen active in the area of CSR in Ireland for many years, it wasonly in N ovember of last year tha t the Unlimited Potentia lprogramme was launched by An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD.A ll current and future activities w ill take place under thisbanner.

Unlimited PotentialUnlimited Potentia l (UP) is a globa l programme focused onpartnering w ith others to provide technology access and skillsfor underserved young people and adults through community-based centres. It builds on M icrosoft’s long tradition ofsupporting community projects in Ireland and w ill focus onhelping to support IT access and tra ining for people w ithdisabilities and for people in disadvantaged communitiesthroughout Ireland.

The founding partner for UP in Ireland is the Dublin Inner C ityPartnership. Through the programme M icrosoft has committed toproviding a dona tion of 110 refurbished PCs to the fourselected community centres and the dona tion of a full range ofsoftware to equip the PCs; the provision of UP curriculum tohelp support tra ining efforts, and access to employee volunteerswho w ish to dona te time to work w ith the centres. Theprogramme a lso includes the provision of support to coverequipment insta lla tion, technica l support and funding for IT skillstra ining.

Terry Landers, Head of Law and Corpora te A ffa irs a tM icrosoft Ireland, noted: “ A t M icrosoft we are committed tosupporting efforts to increase Digita l Inclusion. From ourexperience in Ireland w ith Enable Ireland and FIT, we feel tha tthe best way to help people rea lise their potentia l is to supportcommunity and workforce IT access and tra ining. ThroughUnlimited Potentia l we believe we can bring the tools andresources to communities tha t have a lready identified the needfor IT access and help to facilita te the kick start of their tra iningprogrammes.”

M icrosoft has committed to invest a tota l of !1m on UnlimitedPotentia l initia tives over the next three years w ith the dona tionsbeing a mix of refurbished PCs, software dona tions, time fromvolunteers and cash to support tra ining.

Increasing IT Access for People with DisabilitiesM icrosoft has worked closely w ith a number of organisa tions to

help increase access to technology for people w ith disabilities.A focus on designing products tha t are accessible to everybodyhas been a fundamenta l part of M icrosoft’s developmentapproach for many years. There is a lso a very strongawareness of the role tha t technology can play in enablingpeople to do things tha t they might not otherw ise be able to do.

M icrosoft’s primary partner in terms of activities in this area isEnable Ireland. M icrosoft has partnered w ith Enable Irelandsince 2000 and has worked w ith the charity to help establishan Assistive Technology Programme tha t uses technology toincrease the functiona l capabilities of people w ith disabilities.

In addition to significant financia l dona tions over the past fiveyears, M icrosoft has a lso worked closely w ith Enable Ireland tohelp develop long-term stra tegies for the area of assistivetechnology. A number of M icrosoft employees have a lsovolunteered their time to help w ith a range of opera tiona l ITissues including the development of the organisa tion’s website.The Assistive Technology Programme has successfully securedfunding elsewhere to further develop the informa tion and advicecomponents of its service.

Microsoft Employee Involvement Programme M icrosoft is committed to mobilising the time, ta lent, expertiseand energy of its employees by providing a policy frameworkfor a European w ide company sponsored ‘EmployeeInvolvement Programme’. The programme is a key asset tosupport the company’s CSR initia tives. M icrosoft has committedto giving employees time from work tha t can be used to supportspecific partnerships in the community. A ll partnerships enteredinto as part of the Unlimited Potentia l programme have anemployee volunteering element to ensure tha t the programmesbecome true partnerships across as many parts of the business as possible.

Microsoft


Pictured at the launch of the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Programme were Agnes O'Carroll, Nora O'Shea and Catherine Reilly

M icrosoft’s mission, as a business, is to enablepeople and businesses throughout the world torea lise their full potentia l. From a CSR perspectivethis mission represents M icrosoft’s commitment tohelp individua ls and communities increase access tothe technology tools, skills and innovation they needto rea lise their potentia l in a changing economy.


Forma lly launched in 2004 , Posi+ ive Impact was developedfollowing a consultation process with EBS members andemployees. As a result of this process it was determined thatPosi+ ive Impact would focus on three key areas: homelessness,education and community regeneration.

Through Posi+ ive Impact, EBS has entered into three na tiona lpartnerships relevant to the themes of the CSR programme .Partnerships were forged w ith the Simon Communities ofIreland and the N a tiona l Adult Literacy Agency (N ALA) in2004 and a third one , w ith Habita t for Humanity, wasannounced earlier this year.

Each of the partnerships has its own a ims and objectives andin addition to providingfinancia l support for each ofthe programmes, EBS is a lsocommitted to adding va lue toits partners by donating stafftime through its employeevolunteering initiative and byloaning executives withspecific areas of expertise tohelp provide strategic supportas appropriate. This year, theSociety is a lso a iming tocreate opportunities formembers to become involveddirectly with certa in aspectsof the programme.

NALA/ EBS FinancialLiteracy ProgrammeThe N ALA / EBS Financia lLiteracy Programme wasdesigned to help tackle thebarriers of financia l literacyand to address the issue ofaccess to financia l services

for those withliteracy ornumeracydifficulties. Since the partnership began, a number of initiativeshave been launched including Ireland’s first nationa l adult basiceducation awards.

A further and significant element of the programme has beenthe commissioning of a comprehensive research project to identifythe barriers to financia l services for people with low levels ofliteracy and numeracy. A nationa l awareness week based on thetheme of financia l literacy took place in September last year andin partnership, N ALA and EBS published a comprehensive A-Z offinancia l terms to help people better understand the terminologyfrequently used by the sector.

EBS / Simon Communities of Ireland IndependentLiving InitiativeLaunched in 2004 the Independent Living Initiative marked a newventure by the Simon Communities of Ireland. Supported by EBSthe programme will supply over 40 housing units to those whoare homeless or living in emergency accommodation over thecoming two years. The initiative offers a direct route out ofhomelessness to people by providing them with qua lityaccommodation.

A centra l part of the initiative involves the provision of tenancysupport and life skills tra ining to tenants, an element that EBS willsupport through its employee volunteering programme. The SimonCommunities purchase houses on the open market using theGovernment’s C apita l Assistance Scheme. This scheme provides95% funding within set financia l guidelines for housing forpeople who are homeless. The support of EBS ensures that Simoncan make up the capita l shortfa ll and meet the set up and roll outcosts incurred for this initiative.

EBS / Habitat for Humanity PartnershipHabitat for Humanity works to provide new homes for families inneed of long-term housing. EBS supports the initiative byproviding zero-profit mortgages for these families. The innovativefinancia l approach developed by EBS has been welcomed byHabitat for Humanity for its flexibiltiy and is likely to be adoptedby the organisation in other parts of the world. Over 50employee volunteers are a lso expected to help build the first ofthe four houses in the scheme in Ba llymun on dedicated daysover the course of the summer.

Community Regeneration EBS has a lso developed a network of Community InvestmentGroups. O perating at branch level a financia l support fund isava ilable for distribution to loca l charity groups on a quarterlybasis. This support is for loca l groups or resources and decisionsabout its a llocation are determined by EBS members.

EBS Building Society


Pictured at the Habitat forHumanity site in Ballymun areDiane Kelly and her daughterKatie,who will be moving intoone of the new homes once theyare finished, together withDiane’s niece Chloe Thornton.

At EBS Building Society corporate social responsibilityis defined as anything that EBS does as a businessthat has a positive impact either in the workplace,among its members, in the wider community or in theenvironment. Based on this definition, EBS hasdeveloped a strategic CSR programme known simplyas Posi+ive Impact. This programme was awarded theinaugural Chambers of Commerce of Ireland award in2004 for the ‘Most Innovative CSR Programme’.


Good corporate behaviour needs to be fostered interna lly. Oura im is to approach corporate responsibility in this holistic way.We want to embed good corporate behaviour into every aspectof how we do business.

We want to engage w ith our employees and w ithcommunities in Ireland to demonstra te tha t we va lue individua lsfrom a ll wa lks of life and we want to show how mobileservices can enhance a ll our lives.

Community InvestmentLast year we sponsored the first O 2 Ability Awards whichrecognise best practice in the employment of people withdisabilities. Our involvement with RehabC are’s SuicidePrevention Programme is helping young people in crisis. And weworked with the N a tiona l Council for the Blind to launch ata lking handset for the visua lly impa ired.

Our support for the Business in the Community Schools’Business Partnership, the CITY project in Ba llymun and thenationwide Children’s Hour programme demonstrates how weencourage our employees to develop their skills and get involvedin activities that benefit the wider community.

Valuing DifferencesWe want our employees and our mobile services to make adifference. Our strategy over the next three years is to continue tosupport young people, particularly those with disabilities in thearea of communication. Diversity is something we feel stronglyabout. A diverse workforce represents an inclusive workforce,one that is best placed to understand and provide the services

that our many and varied customerswant and need. Later this year wewill launch a programme ofdiversity and disability awareness

tra ining for a ll employees, to help us respond better to colleaguesand customers with diverse needs.

Our initiatives on child protectionAs our high-speed multimedia network rolls out, we face socia lcha llenges as well as opportunities to demonstra te the benefitsof mobile communica tions. The protection of customers,particularly minors, from inappropria te content or images, isan area we take very seriously. We offer dua l access serviceswhere parents can monitor their child’s mobile phone usageand parents can a lso choose to provide their children w ithphones tha t a llow texting and voice ca lls only.

Health and safetyWe know there are concerns around the hea lth effects of mobilephone technology. So far no research which has satisfied theWorld Hea lth Organisation’s criteria , has demonstrated thatmobile phone technology has a negative impact on hea lth.However we welcome research that helps to better inform publicdeba te on this issue and tha t is why O 2 continues to supportfurther research through financia l contributions to the UK’sMobile Telecommunica tions and Hea lth Research Programme .

Danuta Gray is chief executive of O2 Ireland. For further information visitwww.o2.com / cr / report2005 / ireland

02


Above: Pictured at the launch of the2006 O2 Ability Awards were (l-r)An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, O2

Ireland CEO Danuta Grey, andCaroline Casey,Aishling Foundation

Left: Mobile phones are a greatcommunications and safety tool foreveryone. Unfortunately however,some people use them to bullyothers by text. O2 Ireland producedthis leaflet which gives advice andinformation on what to do if thishappens to you

How we behave interna lly in the business is reflectedin how we behave externa lly towards our customers,our environment and the communities we work in.That is why we put so much emphasis on ouremployees and how we work together in O 2 Ireland.It’s about how we communicate with each other atwork, how we help our employees to fulfil theirpotentia l and how we try to embrace the diversityand individua lity of their needs and aspirations. Wedo this because I believe that a company can only bea good corporate citizen if good corporate behaviouris fostered interna lly, so that it simply becomes theway in which we do our business.

By Danuta Gray



RESPONSIBLE entrepreneurshipmeans how to run a business in away that enhances its positivecontribution to society while

minimising negative impacts on peopleand the environment.

It means the way in whichentrepreneurs interact with theirstakeholders on a daily basis; customersand business partners in the marketplace;employees in the workplace; and the localcommunity and the environment.Responsible entrepreneurs: ! Treat customers, business partners andcompetitors with fairness and honesty! Care about the health, safety andgeneral well being of employees andconsumers! Motivate their workforce by offeringtraining and development opportunities! act as “good citizens” in the localcommunity! Are respectful of natural resources andthe environment.

They do all this and more not only bycomplying with regulation but often bygoing beyond minimum legislativerequirements on a voluntary basis. Formany SME owner/managers, however,personal values rather than expectedbusiness benefits are the main driver forsocietal engagement, especially when it

comes to activities in favour of thelocal community. While these activitiesare often carried out on an ad hoc basisand are unrelated to business strategy,they demonstrate the truly voluntarycharacter of SME engagement.

According to Grainne Madden ofGMJ Associates, the first step is tointroduce codes of ethics andconduct that outline the company’svalues and the behaviour expectedfrom both staff and management.Madden says that you must first startwith a stakeholder analysis, looking atanybody who the business affects oraffects the business. Besides employees,shareholders and customers, this can alsoinclude suppliers, the community youoperate in, even your competitors. Assessyour relationship with these differentparties and how your actions affect them,both positively and negatively.

Madden added: “SMEs should beaware that it can make their businessmore secure and profitable in the longrun. But there also has to be a reason, areturn on investment for the company toget some benefits, not only to improvesociety and the community but also toimprove the business.”

There are four guiding principles ofresponsible entrepreneurship:

1. Business case For the responsiblepractice to be sustainable over time thereneeds to be an element of economicsustainability that allows the company tosurvive and prosper. The most frequentlymentioned business benefits includehigher customer satisfaction and loyalty,new business opportunities throughinnovation or market differentiation,more motivated staff, improved relationswith the local community, cost savingsand enhanced reputation.2. Strategic approach If the responsibleentrepreneurship agenda is perceived asan optional add-on or additional burdenby SMEs, it is likely to fall by the waysidewhen times are not so good. SMEsshould, therefore, be encouraged to adopta more integrated management approachthat includes social and environmental

Corporate social responsibility is a rather complex notion

developed for large companies. For SMEs, the equivalent

aspiration is responsible entrepreneurship

BY CHARLIE TAYLOR

• Code of Conduct Implementation• Corporate Values Programmes• Training Courses – Ethical Awareness and Managing for Ethical Behaviour• Corporate Philanthropic Programmes• Ethical Audits• Wellness Programmes

Tel: (01) 235 4484 Web: www.gmjassociates.com

Corporate ResponsibilityConsultants

FINTAN TAITE

Responsible Entrepreneurship

issues. A closer degree of involvement byemployees and management in socialactivities - for instance throughvolunteering - can enhance staff skills andmorale far more than a cheque writtenout by the owner for a charity once a year.3. Communication Most SMEs do notissue reports about their social andenvironmental practices. It is questionablewhether regular reports by SMEs thatoften only operate on a local scale wouldfind enough readers to warrant theinvestment in terms of time and resourcesthat such reporting requires. Other formsof communication, such as labels, ormore informal channels may therefore bemore appropriate to the needs of bothSMEs and their stakeholders.4. Dynamic process Another key elementof responsible entrepreneurship is thedynamic process of continuousimprovement. This implies that thecompany’s engagement should not just bean occasional, one-off activity but a morelong-term involvement. The idea ofcontinuous improvement and learningalso holds opportunities in terms of

developing new markets and products. A good example of an SME working to

a CSR agenda is Needleworx Direct, anembroidery design and digitisingcompany that develops software forembroidery purposes. The companyprovides this service to embroiderycompanies and large clothingmanufacturers in Ireland, the UK and theNetherlands.

The company has a staff of eight andtwo software development sites, one inLucan, Co Dublin, and another inCornwall. It has an important communitypolicy, based on in-kind donations andemployer and employee volunteering. Insome cases, employees have used theirown time as well as the company’sfacilities to develop embroidery patternsfor a community organisations. On otheroccasions, the company has offered cashdonations for various causes.

The Directorate-General forEnterprise of the European Commissioncites Needleworx Direct as an example ofgood workplace practice. “This is anexample of a company that has been

capable of successfully engaging peoplewho are in need of work but have noformal qualifications, and at the sametime a profitable business is maintained.”

As a company, it is committed to beingclosely engaged with the local communityin Lucan and is committed to providingtraining opportunities to those who maynot have easy access to the computersector. Most of the staff in Needleworxhave been hired based on their need ofemployment rather than their previousembroidery or software experience.

Employees in Needleworx have gainedfrom a training programme that aims atdeveloping important transferable skills,and also in the recognition of their workand opinions. Employee satisfaction is akey issue when dealing with a company’sperformance and potential for growth. Byadopting an open style of managementand a strong employee oriented policy,the company has benefited from skilledhighly motivated personnel, with a strongsense of belonging to the company,translating into higher staff retention.




Through our recently framed five-year plan we have madecommitments to develop our socia l products and services,community investment, mobile phone recycling andresponsible marketing activities tha t w ill help guide and furtherembed corpora te responsibility (CR) in our business.

Charitable FoundationIn line w ith our CR focus to da te , we intend the scope of ourongoing work to rema in broad , ensuring tha t we manageissues important to a ll our stakeholders. O ur charitableFounda tion tha t was launched in 2003 w ill rema in thecornerstone of our socia l investment policy. To da te it hasdistributed over "930 ,000 to 37 Irish charities including:Habita t For Humanity, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind , Home-Start, the Chester Bea tty Library and Focus Ireland . We w ill continue to distribute funding to both sma ll and large organisa tions w ith diverse needs across in the country in 2005 .

Improved Product AccessibilityWe w ill a lso ma inta in separa te rela tionships w ith na tiona lgroups tha t represent different areas of society. We areparticularly proud of the part we played in launching the firsthandsets in Ireland to provide screen-reading software forcustomers w ith a vision impa irment - The Voda fone SpeakingPhone . It is our a im to continue to work w ith the N a tiona lCouncil for the Blind of Ireland (N CBI) and others to developfurther a ffordable products tha t offer increased accessibility tomobile technology for the elderly and those w ith specia l needsin our communities.

ConservationA t Voda fone we have a passion for the environment and todemonstra te this as well as providing much needed fundingwe a lso actively engage w ith communities in Ireland tosupport ongoing environmenta l work involving recycling andthe genera l regenera tion of community amenities. We haverun ‘Passion for the World Around Us Awards’ for three years

now in associa tion w ith 16 Chambers of Commerce toacknow ledge loca l volunteers who demonstra te a keencommitment to improving the world in which we live . To da tethe awards have honoured over 100 loca l volunteers in 16counties across Ireland .

We a lso reinvest proceeds from our returns programme forthe recycling and reuse of mobile handsets into the Voda foneand Conserva tion Volunteers Ireland N a ture Fund , an initia tivetha t provides grants to environmenta l projects across Ireland .To da te , the N a ture Fund has dona ted over "80 ,000 to 43loca l projects committed to protecting and enhancing Ireland’sunique na tura l environment

Employee VolunteeringFina lly, and possibly most importantly, we recognise tha t itwould be impossible to achieve our corpora te vision for CRw ithout our employees. O ne of the most va luable communitycontributions in the past year has been made by the 580Voda fone employees who have undertaken a variety ofvoluntary and fundra ising activities for charitableorganisa tions around the country. This year we expect our‘Employee Volunteering Policy’ to engage even more of ourpeople in volunteering activities.

O ur Corpora te Responsibility vision is broad and ambitious,but w ith commitment, our employees’ passion and ongoingsupport from communities around Ireland , we w ill continue tomake an increasing and va luable loca l contribution.

www.vodafone.ie / corporateresponsibility

O ur vision for corpora te responsibility is tha t itbecomes fully integra ted into everything we do tothe point tha t it becomes instinctive in ourorganisa tion. We are determined tha t our peopleand our technology w ill make a vita l difference,not just by facilita ting communica tion but byensuring tha t the communities in which weopera te experience direct benefits.



Vodafone

Vodafone employees pictured volunteering at a naturereserve in Dublin with Conservation Volunteers Ireland


An environmentally aware cultureA t e ircom we are deve lop ing company culture to think aboutthe effect our business has on the environment, which is whyour emp loyees are committed to achieving environmenta lbest practice by be ing proactive in reducing a llenvironmenta l impacts. Eircom has a comprehensive systemin p lace not just for packag ing waste but a lso for thed isposa l of such ma teria ls as fibre optic, chemica ls, officeconsumab les, office paper and e lectronic waste includ ing ITequipment. This year waste sent to landfill was reduced by40%. We encourage our supp liers and contractors to meetour environmenta l standards and encourage them to furtherminimise the impact of the ir products and processes on theenvironment.

Community LifelinesThis year marks e ircom’s 20 th anniversary as the Premiersponsor of Specia l O lymp ics Ire land . We be lieve tha t everychild and adult w ith a learning d isab ility should have achance to achieve , which is why e ircom and a ll our sta ffwhole-hearted ly support Specia l O lymp ics Ire land . Fromfundra ising , volunteering for the N a tiona l and the WorldG ames to sta ff secondment, e ircom sta ff are fully committed .

The G O ! campa ign, proud ly sponsored by e ircom, waslaunched in April and was very successful in ra isingawareness of the work of Specia l O lymp ics. O ur freefoneservices for ten na tiona l organiz a tions, such as ISPC CChild line , The Irish C ancer Society and the Rape CrisisCentre among others provide crucia l he lp lines to he lp manypeop le throughout Ire land . We a lso support the Peop le InN eed te lethon and the Ire land Funds.

Better lives for employeesWe promote a hea lthy work-live ba lance culture among ouremp loyees. We offer a number of d ifferent workinga lterna tives such as flexib le working options reducedworking hours; working from home; part-time emp loyment,sabba tica l leave and career breaks. Eircom is a t theforefront of the EU-backed Work Life Ba lance project, hostingworkshops for Irish emp loyers. We a lso provideopportunities for persona l and professiona l careerdeve lopment through tra ining and deve lopment programmes.

Special ServicesO ur specia l services for the e lderly, d isab led and hearing-impa ired customers he lp improve the ir communica tionscapab ilities. Services like socia l benefit and vulnerab le userschemes offering financia l assistance w ith the cost of ca lls.O ur hearing impa ired customers can use the e ircom Stepsprogramme offering up to 70% reba te on b i-monthly ca lls.O ur DB30 amp lified phone he lps customers w ith mildhearing loss or who are visua lly impa ired . We a lso supp lyBra ille b illing . The M ini-com w ith headset and LCD screenand keypad is used to a id ca llers.

For further information, read the CSR section ofour Annual Report at: www.eircom.ie / ir


Anne Foley,star of the Special Olympics advertising campaign,RitaLawlor,Special Olympics board member and David McRedmond,commercial director,eircom,at the launch of the Go! campaign torecruit new athletes into the programme

Corporate social responsibility is an integral part ofeircom’s business. According to commercialdirector David McRedmond: “We recognise that webelong to a wider community. How we respond tothe needs of our customers, how we interact withour staff, the environment and our commitment tothe communities we work and live in is important tous. Being responsible in our business practicesenables us to be more responsive, efficient and costeffective leading to greater profitability.”

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As architects we need to be more forthcoming and voca l inour role as crea tors of spaces for people to live in the future -whether in the designing of offices, houses, schools orhospita ls - the important thing is to be continuously pushingback the boundaries to crea te a better environment for us a ll to live and work in.

Buildings need to be designed not only to sell or rent quicklybut to work positively from a number of angles. This meansbeing sa fe to build and environmenta lly and energy efficient,while a lso considering wa ter preserva tion and recycling , andwell considered waste management facilities.

Local CommunitiesW hen developing in a lready popula ted areas it is crucia l tha tarchitects work closely w ith loca l communities from the outset.Delivering on the commitments tha t developers and theirarchitects g ive to these groups shows their commitment tosocia l responsibility in the community. W helan Corcoran Smithrecently worked very closely w ith a senior citizen group whow ill become centra l to a ma jor commercia l and residentia ldevelopment - a new sta te-of-the-art facility w ith full disabledaccess, indoor bow ling facilities and ‘people’s park’ in thecentre of Swords.

Whelan Corcoran Smith a lso worked with the promoters of anursing care development in Co Meath in helping them rea lise astate-of-the-art senior citizen facility. The development ra ised thebar not only in terms of qua lity of design, layout and openspace, but right through to the selection of specia l hea lthcarebeds which prevent pressure sores. Additiona l facilities includingSnoezelen rooms for the treatment of dementure have ensuredthat this facility is light years ahead of the now much criticisednursing care facilities previously ava ilable.

We’ve a lso recently lodged a planning application with Finga lCounty Council for a #30m commercia l and residentia l

development where we managed to convince the developers thatthe site in its current state neglected to provide key socia l benefitsfor the area . Whelan Corcoran Smith’s design plans now a llowfor publicly accessible plazas, a new pedestrian bridge linkingthe commercia l and historica l areas of Swords and a new linearpark and re-instated weir a long the Ward River.

Environmental ConcernsSusta inability in building design has a lso become a veryimportant issue g iven globa l environmenta l concerns. W ithboth public and priva te clients demanding greener buildings,our responsibilities as architects has further increased , coveringareas of energy efficient building design, ergonomics andtaking into account the qua lity of the working life , as well assimplicity of design and the selection of long lasting durablebuilding ma teria ls.

Unfortuna tely in Ireland today we are currently seeing ahuge shortage in architects and eng ineers. A fter 25 years inbusiness, W helan Corcoran Smith announced a bursary w ithWa terford Institute of Technology for architectura l students tha tw ill come into play in the new academic year and la ter thisyear we’ll a lso be holding a student design competition for thepedestrian bridge over the Ward River. We see projects suchas these as a chance for us to open up opportunities forta lented young students to succeed in their chosen field ofarchitecture .

For further information contact Whelan Corcoran SmithTel: (01) 890 9550 or visitwww.whelancorcoransmith.com


Fran Whelan,Whelan Corcoran Smith

According to Fran Whelan of Whelan CorcoranSmith, socia l awareness is a topica l issue across theboard, and unbeknownst to many, is of hugeimportance from a design and architectura lviewpoint. We ta lk about socia l inclusion and itsimportance in society, and for architects this issomething that should be considered every step ofthe way. Their responsibilities are vast, from designqua lity, susta inability and waste management to thepreservation and enhancement of our environment,and on to loca l community involvement.

Award Winning Architects

Whelan Corcoran Smith

Documents

urvey R o n s i b i l i t y B e st P a tice filew o rkp lace issu es. A lth o u gh th ere are so m e co m p an ies w h ich m ay still clin g to th e b elief th at th eir o n ly o b