CSR and Sustainability

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in "Making Good Business Sense" by Lord Holme and Richard Watts describes CSR as "the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of theworkforce andtheir families as well as of the local community and society at large."

Our range of assessment and verification services have been designed to help organisations make the most of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda in order to demonstrate their responsible business credentials to stakeholders.

CSR Reporting - AA1000AS

AA1000AS is an international sustainability assurance standard that can be linked to other prominant business audit and assurance standards. Sustainability assurance provides a comprehensive way of holding an organisation to account for its management, performance and reporting on sustainability issues.

We can customise our verification services to meet your criteria and required level of assurance and can verify your reports against both AA1000 Assurance Standard and the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (GRI).

For information on our services please click on the CSR Reporting tab at the head of this page.

SA8000

Developed by Social Accountability International (SAI), SA8000 was published in late 1997, revised in 2001 and reached its third edition in 2008. The standard, as well as the supporting independent certification process, provides the basis for a comprehensive and widely accepted approach for assuring fair and humane workplaces. Importantly, it brings a management systems-based approach to the managing of social and ethical issues.

For information on our services please click on the SA8000 tab at the head of this page.

CSR Reporting

There are sound business reasons to report your environmental, social and sustainability performance to stakeholders. Increasing government legislation - UK Company Law requiring listed companies to include an operating and financial review (OFR) in their annual reports – customer pressure and the emergence of corporate governance at board level means that reporting your performance, policies and plans in these areas are increasingly becoming a mainstream business activity.

It is becoming understood that the ‘softer’ issues that underpin the figures on your balance sheet are vitally important to your reputation and contribute to the overall success of your business.

How performance is communicated is important, especially as the investment community is taking more interest in non-financial operating accounts. Credible assurance is being seen as the key to increasing confidence in corporate reporting in the eyes of an organisation’s stakeholders.

LRQA uses globally recognised criteria for our verification services which include:

• corporate or site non-financial reports, including environmental, social and corporate responsibility reports
• data management systems
• environmental product statements
• environmental product declarations
• EU Emissions Trading Scheme

As a globally recognised leader in verification services, our specialists have the capability and understanding of a wide range of business sectors and our thorough and robust verification process ensures you have the information to take the right decisions.

SA8000

Developed by Social Accountability International (SAI), this standard was first published in 1997 to provide a basis for a comprehensive and widely accepted approach for assuring fair and humane workplaces. Importantly, it brings a management systems-based approach to the managing of social and ethical issues.

How can SA8000 benefit my organisation?

SA8000 is one of the most widely recognised standards that incorporate the effective use of systems for managing social accountability with the motivation to improve conditions for workers. By carrying out independent social accountability assessments, LRQA can help clients demonstrates to their stakeholders that they are accountable and responsible.

Certification to the standard represents a well recognised, trusted and effective tool for assuring humane workplaces and can provide specific benefits including:

• Enhanced reputation: allows your organisation to demonstrate core company values, and assures stakeholders that you are serious about providing just and fair working conditions. This may also prove beneficial in being able to recruit, retain and get the best out of your employees.
• Competitive edge: there is evidence to suggest that consumers and businesses are increasingly being influenced by a company’s ethical approach to production and sourcing of products. Certification may provide a competitive edge when tendering.
• Independent verification: increased credibility from independent assessment by an organisation that has been recognised by the Social Accountability Accreditation Service (SAAS) as having the capability and expertise to provide a thorough and objective assessment.
• Public reporting: certified workplaces are required to make public their certification and can publicise their certification in the workplace, in company advertising and stationery. Details will also be published on the SAI website.
• Involvement of all stakeholders: all key participants including workers, workers representatives and trade unions, company, investors, NGOs and governments are involved in the SA8000 system.

Your next step

For latest information please contact our Business Advisors on 0800 783 2179 or complete our enquiry form

Further information

Social Accountability International - www.sa-intl.org

Social Accountability Accreditation Services (SAAS) - www.saasaccreditation.org