Businesses should see corporate social
responsibility as not only part of their business, but also part of
their daily lives, it has been claimed.
Organisations should work to ensure that their corporate social responsibility programmes form a full part of business operations, an expert has argued.
Speaking following the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) annual conference this year, chief executive of the organisation Eric Galbraith said that social responsibility must always be on the agenda for businesses.
Following such a path may help to instil a sense of trust in an organisation, he argued.
"All that should be taken into account," he said, adding "that's part of our business and it's a part of our daily lives".
Mr Galbraith's comments follow a presentation by keynote speaker at the conference Erin Brockovich.
Ms Brockovich, citing the Pacific Gas and Electric Company trial, argued that corporate social responsibility is not just ethically correct, but also makes good business sense.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company in 1996 paid out the largest toxic tort injury settlement in US history. The payment followed exposure that the toxic chemical Chromium 6 had leaked into groundwater from a compressor station owned by the company, making countless residents in the Hinkley area of California ill over a period of three decades.
Social responsibility should include risk management and disaster recovery continuity planning, Mr Galbraith said. Remembering to take such considerations into account should form a natural part of business planning he added, noting that such an approach can help to build trust in an organisation.
Trust, ethics and professionalism should be maintained by businesses, Mr Galbraith said.
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