Gala Coral is delighted to announce that it has achieved the Bronze band in Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) 2009 Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI), the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility.
The CRI helps companies to integrate and improve corporate responsibility throughout their business operations, by providing a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment.
Achieving Bronze means that the Company has demonstrated a clear outline of its mission, values and corporate responsibility principles, with clear roles and responsibilities being allocated right across its business. The bronze performance band is also an indication that we are at the early stages of environmental and social data collation and public reporting.
Dominic Harrison, Chief Executive, Gala Coral Group said: "We are delighted to have been included in the CRI. This is the first time the Group have been included in the CRI and we are aiming higher as we continue to work on clear corporate responsibility goals. We were highly commended for our strong community partnerships where we have worked hard to raise over £1m for Sue Ryder Care. We also gained accolades for developing our strategy on environmental stewardship, where we have set and exceeded clear targets on carbon reduction. BITC also recognised our leading relationships with key stakeholders in the field of responsible gambling which remains an important area of focus for the Group as well as for our transparency on Corporate Responsibility reporting."
Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: "I congratulate Gala Coral on achieving Bronze in the 2009 Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index. Companies participating in the Index may be at different stages of their responsible business journey, but they have all demonstrated that they take these issues seriously and are leading the field in ensuring this is just how they do business. We believe this is imperative if we are to strengthen and stabilise our businesses and economy."
Notes
About Business in the Community
Business in the Community mobilises business for good.
Our approach to responsible business provides a clear framework to support and challenge business to improve its performance & benefit society through its four areas of expertise – community, environment, workplace and marketplace.
We inspire employers to take action on the key issues - be they people or planet - and to integrate, collaborate and communicate responsible business.
Business in the Community is proud to have United Utilities as our Company of the Year 2009. www.bitc.org.uk
About the CR Index
Business in the Community's CR Index is the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility (CR). It helps companies to integrate and improve CR throughout their operations by providing a systematic approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment
For the past seven years the CR Index has inspired and challenged over 350 companies to continuously improve their impact on society and the environment. This year we expect to have more than 100 companies participate publicly and use our tool to both improve their management practices and communicate to stakeholders how seriously they take their CR agenda.
The Index bandings explained:
Platinum Plus
Platinum Plus was a new process introduced in 2009 to evaluate the extent to which the commercial business strategy is underpinned by thinking around long term sustainability.
Platinum 2008
These are companies who attained Platinum Status in the CR Index 2008. They have been able to retain Platinum band for the next two subsequent years, subject to the company holding same business structure.
Platinum
Companies achieving the Platinum performance band tend to have corporate responsibility (CR) integrated into their business model and clear CR responsibilities and incentive structures at both board and operational levels. These companies have a structured approach to data collection and social and environmental impact assessment. They can demonstrate 3-4 years of performance improvement across their keys impacts. They act and report with a high level of transparency and stakeholder engagement, and the materiality, completeness and responsiveness of their CR reporting and published data is often third party assured.
Gold
Companies that have achieved the Gold performance band tend to be able to demonstrate openness and transparency through effective public reporting of their material environmental and social issues, CR programmes and performance. They also expand and adapt their risk management processes by incorporating relevant aspects of corporate responsibility risk and opportunity, and their CR strategy is articulated in an effective manner, including clear and measurable targets.
Silver
Companies that have achieved the Silver performance band tend to conduct effective stakeholder engagement, having the right processes in place in order to identify and manage social and environmental risks and opportunities. They also tend to have reliable baseline data which enables them to demonstrate both management and performance improvement.
Bronze Companies achieving the Bronze performance band tend to be at the early stages of environmental and social data collation as well as public reporting. A clear outline of their mission, values and corporate responsibility principles tends to be manifest, with clear roles and responsibilities being allocated across the business.
