CSR is ‘good business’ not an option

Fri, 26 Sep 2014Corporate social responsibility “is not a project – it’s a way of running your business”, said Jill Poet, managing director of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB).

Speaking at an event attended by Recruiter, where Croydon-based financial services and IT recruiter Harris Global was awarded the CSR Gold Award in the Responsible Business Standard, Poet told the audience that firms “are never too small to make a difference … it’s just good business”.

Gavin Barwell, MP for Croydon Central, presented chairman Alan Feast with the award, saying Harris Global was the first recruitment company in the financial sector to win the Gold standard.

Harris was launched three years ago and built in CSR as a fundamental component of its strategy, according to the company, which has 15 members of staff.

Patrick Feast, director – training & development, said that right from the start, they wanted to create a different kind of recruitment business, “one that was not only great to work for and successful, but which also made a positive impact on the lives of the … the wider community”.

At the event, Harris Global also launched a joint community CSR initiative, called ‘Croydon Do Something Good Day’. Alan Feast said this was a “call to arms” for the many local businesses, charities and not-for-profit organisations to work together to create a stronger, more powerful movement for change.

Businesses are being asked to sign up to form a steering group that will lead the initiative, with the aim of creating a visible day of activities across the borough, with the whole community taking part.

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