Thank you very much to Business in the Community Ireland for the invitation to come here today.
I am delighted to be here in the presence of key representatives of the business sector, the public sector and the wider community, to acknowledge the dedication of all of you to progressing the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda in Ireland, and to award a number of businesses with the ‘Business Working Responsibly’ Mark.
Before presenting the awards, let me take a few to minutes to reflect on the significance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Ireland today.
I think it is fair to say that the financial crisis and resulting economic crisis that we have come through served as a wake- up call to both business and Government in recognising that placing CSR and responsible business practices at the core of what we do every day is not only good for business, but is essential to underpinning our current economic recovery and helping safeguard Ireland against future financial shocks.
The contribution that companies here today make to build a more inclusive Ireland, makes it a better place in which to do business and is fundamental to building a sustainable economy and society.
Today’s employees are looking to work for reputable and sustainable organisations that share their values, and contribute to the betterment of the local community and to society as a whole.
Today’s customers are more conscious than ever of the ethical record of companies, how they source their products and the contribution they make to the local community.
As the national CSR Stakeholder Forum tagline says, CSR is “Good for Business, Good for All”.
Businesses who communicate openly and transparently about their practices, who tell their story and recognise their multiple impacts on society foster a culture of trust with their people and their customers.
The Irish Government also recognises the key role that CSR can play in the promotion of growth, quality jobs and inclusiveness and there is explicit recognition of this agenda by Government through the National Plan on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Launched by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton T.D, in April 2014, the National Plan on CSR sets out the general framework within which CSR operates in Ireland and outlines the key principles and objectives which underpin the Government’s approach.
It also seeks to communicate a common understanding of CSR by outlining the four Pillars on which CSR is based in Ireland: Workplace, Environment, Marketplace, and Community.
A key action identified in the National Plan was the establishment of a CSR Stakeholder Forum in June 2014, which is made up of representatives from the business sector, relevant Government Departments/agencies and the wider community.
A number of you here today are members of the Forum and I would like to thank you for the contributions that you make to the Forum.
I would especially like to thank Business in the Community for their tremendous and essential input to the CSR Forum and also Mr Brendan Jennings, Managing Partner of Deloitte Ireland [he may be in the audience], for giving so generously of his time to Chair the CSR Forum for two years.
The Forum has worked on a number of initiatives, including a volunteer Mentoring Programme that will prove most valuable to SMEs, a CSR Tool for SMEs and a website dedicated to CSR in Ireland.
So what should be the next steps for national CSR policy?
In addition to the four core pillars of CSR (Workplace, Marketplace, Environment and Community), the second National Plan on CSR, due in April 2017, will be informed by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I am proud of the role which Ireland played in securing agreement on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ("the 2030 Agenda") adopted at last year’s UN Summit. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets at the heart of the new agenda provide a global framework for action on poverty eradication and sustainable development and will determine priorities and help guide allocation of resources world-wide over the coming 15 years.
The 2030 Agenda is universal and all countries will need to implement it, internally and in their external action.
The challenge now is to ensure credible mechanisms for accountability, review and transparency are in place.
Critically, we in Ireland must all share in the responsibility for building a sustainable world. The SDGs will be driven not only by governments, but by evolving partnerships between governments, civil society, and the private sector. Innovation and a determination to lead to a real transformation will be required.
Delivering the Goals will help stabilize the global economy to create future business opportunities for the common good.
I would like to focus on one goal in particular: gender equality.
While Ireland is ranked 14th on the SDG index overall, we have weaknesses which will in the future limit our capacity for sustainable economic growth and social cohesion. Gender Equality is one such weakness and we continue to lag behind in key areas like representation in parliament.
As I’ve said before, we all know that women make great leaders. What we haven’t fully figured out is how to support women to become leaders. It is not enough to get one or two women into leadership positions. We have to achieve a critical mass.
Getting that critical mass of women into positions of power and decision-making has been disappointingly slow. It requires sustained effort over a considerable period of time to change the ingrained practices and attitudes in society which have been holding women and girls back from achieving their true potential.
Women in Ireland have made great advances over the last thirty years in education and in the workplace, but the rate at which women are starting new businesses is still below what it should be. In Ireland, men are still twice as likely to become entrepreneurs as women.
That needs to change. To assist potential entrepreneurs in bringing their business ideas to life, the State is establishing strong programmes directed specifically at women entrepreneurs which respond to the reality of women’s lives. The recent budget also saw welcome initiatives, such as a new comprehensive childcare scheme, to help women remain at work.
But the State must do more, and we also need collaboration across society to change the male-dominated landscape. A bit like the CSR tagline, “gender equality is good for business, good for all”.
Finally, I would like to congratulate all of you here today who represent organisations who are clearly committed to the CSR agenda and encourage you to continue your tremendous efforts to spread the CSR message through engagement with your members, your employees, your business networks and the wider community.
It is also very important to recognise how your organisations support Government in building the economic reputation of Ireland.
Those companies receiving the Mark today, and those on the journey towards receiving the Mark, join an elite group representing the best in class in corporate social responsibility.
Put simply, best practice CSR is not something we do, it is something we are!
Now for the main event! This morning we honour those who serve as outstanding examples of Corporate Social Responsibility.
I would like to congratulate both Business in the Community and their members, who have shown that it is possible to be profitable, while being socially and environmentally responsible.
Achieving the Business Working Responsibly Mark is a visible testimony of excellence in CSR. It showcases your organisation as best in class in corporate social responsibility.