Minister Bruton welcomes launch of Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility

BITCI News - Jun 25, 2014

” We welcome the CSR Forum and are delighted to see so many stakeholders from the private and public sector engaging on this important topic. Since 2000, we have been the only network in Ireland soley dedicated to pushing the CSR agenda so today is a milestone for encouraging business in Ireland to truly embrace being sustainable and responsible. We look forward to working further with government and all stakeholders on making businesses in Ireland leaders in sustainable and responsible practices”  Tina Roche, CEO Business in the Community Ireland

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD, welcomed the establishment of a new Stakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility a key deliverable under this year’s Action Plan for Jobs.  The Forum held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday 24th June in Government Buildings.  The Stakeholder Forum has been established to help progress the objectives in Ireland’s National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility, Good for Business, Good for the Community, which the Minister launched in April.

Speaking from a trade mission to China Minister Bruton said:

“I launched Ireland’s first National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility earlier this year. It outlines a vision for Ireland to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for responsible and sustainable business practices which can benefit both enterprises and their local communities. This supports the objective of making Ireland the best small country in which to do business.

The first meeting of the CSR Stakeholder Forum took place on Tuesday. Its objective is to increase awareness of CSR in Ireland and encourage businesses to embed best practice into their mainstream operations. I welcome the level of interest and participation in the Forum by the business community, key Government bodies and wider stakeholder interests. I also want to particularly thank Mr. Brendan Jennings from Deloitte who has agreed to Chair this Forum. I wish the Forum well in its work and I look forward to hearing of their progress in due course.”

 

Background:

Ireland’s first National Plan on CSR “Good for Business, Good for the Community”, was launched in April by the Minister for Jobs. Enterprise & Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD.  A key deliverable under the National Plan was the establishment of a CSR Stakeholder Forum. The first meeting of the Forum took place today in Government Buildings. The Stakeholder Forum was attended by over 30 participants, comprising senior representatives from the business sector, relevant Government Departments/agencies and the wider community.  It is chaired by Mr. Brendan Jennings, Managing Partner with Deloitte.  The Forum will be a key vehicle to inform the development of CSR policy in Ireland and to ensure the National Plan remains relevant in the context of evolving best practice, both nationally and internationally.  The Forum has been tasked with assisting in achieving the objectives identified in the National Plan.  Those objectives are as follows:

  • Increasing awareness of CSR, its value to businesses and to society as a whole.
  • Encouraging enterprises to develop and implement CSR policies and practices and mainstream them into their core business operations.
  • Encouraging more small and medium-sized enterprises to build CSR capacity.
  • Increasing transparency and reporting of CSR activity by enterprises operating in Ireland.
  • Anchoring CSR principles in public bodies in the context of their own operations.

 

This National Plan on CSR sets out the general framework within which CSR operates in Ireland and outlines the key principles and objectives which underpin the Government’s approach to CSR.  It also seeks to communicate a common understanding of CSR by outlining the Pillars on which CSR is based in Ireland.  The Pillars are:  Workplace, Environment, Marketplace, Community and the Public sector.

The Plan is available at:

www.enterprise.gov.ie/en/Publications/Good-for-Business-Good-for-the-Community.pdf