GoodCorporation announces revised Business Ethics Standard

GoodCorporation has strengthened the human rights and working conditions sections of its responsible business framework, the GoodCorporation Business Ethics Standard.

This development reflects the UK Governments Action Plan on Business and Human Rights, launched last year in response to the United Nation’s Guiding Principles on Human Rights.

In its Action Plan, the Government states that businesses should treat the risk of causing or contributing to human rights violations as a legal compliance issue.

The revised Business Ethics Standard will help companies comply with this guidance while raising standards in their own enterprises as well as in those of service providers working on the organisation’s sites.

In addition there are new points in the customer section on bribery, gifts and hospitality and price setting to strengthen the framework’s coverage of anti-corruption and fraud.  There is also a new point on responsible use of social media in recognition of this growing phenomenon and its potential to have an impact on corporate reputations.

Finally, GoodCorporation has also strengthened the environment and community sections of the Business Ethics Standard in recognition of the need for businesses to take greater responsibility for their impact on both the local environment and the different communities in which they operate.

Commenting on the framework, Leo Martin, director of GoodCorporation said, ”This is a rigorous assessment of ethical and responsible business conduct. Unethical behaviour can do unlimited damage to corporate reputations, The GoodCorporation Business Ethics Standard, provides companies with a way of checking and measuring corporate conduct to establish whether or not good practice is properly embedded throughout their organisation”

ENDS

Note to editors:

• GoodCorporation is one of the leading organisations working in the field of business ethics, specialising in the assessment of responsible management and anti-corruption practices.
• GoodCorporation works with multinationals, FTSE 100 companies and SMEs including Total SA, Centrica, BG Group plc, BBC Worldwide, GDF-SUEZ, BAE Systems, Telefónica, Xstrata and Shire
• Leo Martin is available for interview on business ethics issues including anti-corruption, corporate responsibility, business culture, corporate sustainability

Media Enquiries:

Sally McGeachie, head of communications

Contact on: sally.mcgeachie@goodcorporation.com or 020 8877 5300