HC Deb 12 February 2004 vol 417 cc1612-4W
Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with her European counterparts on corporate social responsibility issues. [154096]

Mr. Timms

I met with the Italian Minister for Welfare in April last year as part of a bilateral seminar held in Rome where we signed a joint statement on Corporate Social Responsibility. Following that event, I met with my European counterparts at the CSR conference organised in Venice in November 2003 as part of the Italian Presidency. In addition I spoke at a CSR conference in Norway where I met my Norwegian counterpart. At official level the Department also keeps in touch with fellow members states through membership of the High Level Group of National Social Representatives on CSR.

Mr. McFall

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with industry representatives on corporate social responsibility issues. [154097]

Mr. Timms

I have regular meetings with representatives from business where CSR issues are discussed. These contacts include individual meetings with business leaders as well as CSR related conferences and events. In addition DTI officials keep in touch on CSR matters with business and business organisations such as Business in the Community and CBI.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether she has met representatives from the UN Global Compact to discuss the global future of corporate social responsibility. [154247]

Mr. Timms

I have not met representatives of the Global Compact but the Government support this valuable initiative of Kofi Annan the UN Secretary General. My officials and FCO colleagues have maintained a close and constructive relationship with the Global Compact team to help encourage and support further developments to ensure its full potential can be realised. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has contributed £105,331 to the costs of the Global Compact office over financial years 2002–04. The Department recently contributed £10,000 to an independent study commissioned by the team to assess the effectiveness of the initiative to help inform decisions about its future direction. The FCO has also contributed financially to Global Compact supported projects in China and South Africa. Through its participation in the donors' meetings in New York, the UK Mission at the UN has been closely involved in discussions and advice about the compact's future strategy and activities.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations she has recently held with business leaders to identify priorities for action in Corporate Social Responsibility; what her priorities for action in CSR are; and what incentives she will provide to businesses to encourage them to comply with her Department's CSR guidelines. [154248]

Mr. Timms

I have regular meetings with business leaders where CSR issues are discussed.

The Government's priorities for action were set out in our Business and Society report published in May 2002. We intend to publish a further report identifying progress and outlining current priorities for Government in facilitating the spread of CSR practice.

The Government wish to see business take greater account of the social and environmental impact of its activities, so that CSR becomes part of normal practice. Our role is to provide the framework which stimulates business voluntarily to raise their performance beyond minimum legal standards. Any government interventions need to be carefully considered, well-designed and targeted. On that basis we will consider opportunities to increase and incentives adoption and reporting of CSR, including best practice guidance, and, where appropriate, through intelligent regulation and fiscal incentives. I expect to receive next month a report from a working group chaired by Clive Mather, Chairman of Shell UK, on the promotion of CSR skills in the UK, including consideration of the proposal for a CSR academy.