Thursday, March 1st, 2012
CSR means different things for different sized business. Stephen Dineen reports.
Few if any companies will publicly state their opposition to CSR, yet academic arguments against it include the claim that a business’ job is to make money not re-distribute it. Governments’ role is to regulate, say some; corporations shouldn’t be responsible for the ethics of others on the supply chain.
As Tim Ambler of the Adam Smith Institute blogged in light of Davos debates on capitalism: “It’s actually quite simple: make money and do not be distracted by corporate responsibility. Making...
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Tags: CSR
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Practical examples of responsible business being good business.
Leading public services provider Amey, which employs over 250 people across seven contracts in Northern Ireland, has launched a Community Engagement Plan to bring together all its community initiatives across the country.
Amey is working in partnership with several key public sector and charity organisations including the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Sustrans and the Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB) to deliver a series of community projects. These include road safety campaigns, environmental clean-ups...
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Tags: CSR
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Phoenix is the pre-eminent natural gas distribution, supply and service organisation in Northern Ireland. Coupled with the recognised impact it has made through the introduction of natural gas locally, Phoenix has also been recognised for its significant impact in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Simon Little, Phoenix Communications Manager, explains why CSR and community initiatives remain such an integral part of Phoenix’s operations.
Phoenix’s award-winning CSR programme is called ‘LIFE’ and stands for: Leadership in the marketplace, Investing in our people,...
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Tags: CSR
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Despite instinctive suspicions, CSR has been better than expected for trades unions in Northern Ireland.
Trades unions have historically been suspicious of CSR, often categorising the seemingly altruistic, consumer- and employee-friendly actions as by-products of de-regulation and brand image management.
“Instead of firm legislation and inspection,” a 2006 ICTU guide to CSR stated, “aimed at keeping the behaviour of corporations within acceptable boundaries, CSR developed.” Some see CSR as privatisation “promoted by governments seeking low-cost maintenance solutions themselves...
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Tags: CSR
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Northern Ireland’s child poverty rate is rising, and the Executive’s action plan for the child poverty strategy remains unfinished.
122,000 children in Northern Ireland are living in child poverty, according to official statistics, and parts of the province remain among those with the highest rates in the UK.
According to the DSD’s survey on households below average income for 2009-2010, 28 per cent of children were in households with incomes below 60 per cent of the UK median net household income (before housing costs), a standard measurement of relative child poverty. This represents...
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Tags: Children
Posted in Assembly, Children's, Economy, Finance, Social | Comments Off
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Children are at the heart of the work carried out by one division of Bryson Care, part of the leading social enterprise, Bryson Charitable Group. In the past 30 years, Bryson has helped and supported over 30,000 children and young people to improve their lives and create a more stable family environment.
The challenge
Even today many families in our society continue to suffer high levels of multiple deprivation including poverty, poor mental or physical health and isolation. More than ever, these families require new forms of help to tackle their individual needs providing a route to...
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Tags: Children
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
How childcare contributes to Northern Ireland’s economy and well-being.
An independent survey, carried out by iReach Market Research and commissioned by Early Years – the organisation for young children, has highlighted how the voluntary and independent childcare and education sector in Northern Ireland has a major contribution to make to the overall Northern Ireland economy.
The survey provides a robust and representative assessment of the contribution of the voluntary and independent childcare and education sector to the Northern Ireland economy and society. This is the first comprehensive...
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Tags: Skills and training
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
The Department of Education will continue to cut spending in management and support services until the Education and Skills Authority is established in 2013. It will have a limited remit in the skills sector.
Why is the word ‘skills’ included in the name of the [Education and Skills Authority]?” the DUP’s Brenda Hale asked the Assembly in November. The Lagan Valley MLA queried if there was “a political point implied in the use of that word”, adding: “Not all schools in Northern Ireland would agree with that term, as many schools focus on educational and academic achievement.”...
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Tags: Skills and training
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Cutting the Department for Employment and Learning will slightly reduce the Executive’s size but the move is widely seen as a political carve-up. Peter Cheney assesses the decision.
The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has become the first department to be earmarked for closure since devolution began, with significant implications for how the Executive handles education and economic policy.
Formed in 1999, DEL has often been seen as the easiest target to cut. It was carved out of the Department of Education and Department of Economic Development, which then became the Department...
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Tags: Skills and training
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Thursday, March 1st, 2012
Annual conference and awards ceremony – 25th April 2012, Queen’s University Belfast, Riddel Hall
Team (L-R): Kate Guy, Manager; Barbara Stewart, Administrator; Donna Hyland, e-learning Advisor; Audrey Graham, e-learning Advisor; Noel McDaid, e-learning Advisor 2011 has witnessed extensive economic changes none more so than in Education. Issues such as increased student fees, organisational restructuring, and new budget constraints have presented new challenges within the sector as they continue to invest in the numerous technology enhanced learning successes...
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Tags: Skills and training
Posted in Economy, Education, ICT, Skills and Training | Comments Off
