I'm delighted to be here tonight. It's fantastic to see so many great companies represented this evening - not only the winners of awards but the 47 finalists. And it's particularly encouraging to see smaller firms as well as large ones. All businesses - large and small - can benefit from actively engaging with their community.
When I describe the role of Government in the modern economy, I always stress that a dynamic economy and a fair society are not enemies but partners. The policies we need for social justice - creating opportunities for all - are precisely the same policies we need to create a successful modern economy.
This evening we have seen how this approach can work in practice for business.
Tonight's finalists are all high performance, world class businesses. Businesses that get the best from their staff, respect their environment and open opportunities for their community. That enables them to understand their customers better, to recruit and retain the skilled workforce they need, to create innovative products, and to increase productivity through cleaner, greener processes.
The best companies take their social responsibility seriously. Not just because it is a 'good thing' - though of course it is. Not just to win awards. Or even for good public relations. But because it makes good business sense.
Earlier this week I attended a conference on corporate social responsibility, which was supported by Business in the Community. It was interesting to see how the debate has moved on over the last few years. People used to discuss 'why' companies should care about their impact on society; today the debate is increasingly about 'how' business can best approach its social responsibilities.
The 'how' will be different for each and every company. There's no 'one size fits all' solution. But that doesn't mean businesses can't learn from each other.
Sharing good practice is invaluable. That's why tonight's awards are so important. Because every finalist is an exemplar of good practice and together they demonstrate the wide range of approaches to social responsibility.
I am particularly pleased to be presenting the award for 'Impact on Society'. This award recognises the importance of integrating corporate social responsibility into mainstream business operations.
For example, as we have already seen this evening, helping unemployed people to develop IT skills can actually help a business recruit skilled staff - providing a solution to the IT skills shortage many businesses face. So socially responsible practices can meet specific business needs - as well as contributing to the community.
Integrating social responsibility into areas like recruitment, procurement, supply chain, training and employment practices, is an approach which can, I believe, bring the biggest benefits to a business which can make an important contribution to building high performance businesses and high productivity workplaces.
So it gives me great pleasure to present the final award, the Impact on Society Award in association with the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability and the Centre for Tomorrow's Company.
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