Responsible Business Week takes place this week with firms of all sizes urged to show how they are being responsible within their communities.

The celebration, which has been organised by Business in the Community, sees Dairy Crest top BiTC’s corporate responsibility index in recognition of the environmental, workplace and community activities that are in place across the business.

All of Dairy Crest’s cheddar comes from its North Cornwall creamery, in Davidstow, with staff there heavily involved in its corporate/ social responsibility activities.

CEO Mark Allen said:

“One thing I am most proud of is the staff’s initiative to research and negotiate a biomass boiler in the Davidstow creamery which reduced our carbon usage by about 24%, the staff did all the negotiations and sourcing – all we had to do was fund it.”

Dairy Crest took on the focus of corporate responsibility in 2007 when Mr Allen was appointed. He thinks that by being ‘responsible’, businesses can benefit stakeholders and shareholders by raising profits. He said: “The fact we use less carbon and water is a huge benefit to society and lowers cost, plus there has been a huge drive and increase in sales over the past couple of years on the low fat products which we provide.”

Staff welfare has also been a priority, with measures such free cholesterol testing on offer to employees.

Mr Allen added: “For those businesses who want to stand the test of time they will have to be a responsible business otherwise it could impact heavily on cost. The most important point is that having a proper corporate responsibility is good for all businesses, its good for suppliers and the people who work for us and the bottom line is that its good for society.”

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Dairy-Crest-CEO-urges-firms-embrace-CSR/story-20900041-detail/story.html#ixzz2xoa5HgpB