Taking The Corporate Social Responsibility Path

Amid this era of social enterprise, the reality is that the most successful, respected businesses are those that do more than just make money; they also have a vested interest in the wider community and helping to solve social and environmental problems.Here, Baxi Potterton Myson’s managing director, Paul Clancy,talks about why Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is more important than ever, and why installers should be doing their bit.

While CSR was once regarded as a nice-to-have ‘tick in a box’, the reality is that it is becoming increasingly aligned to business success.More than ever, in today’s environmentally-minded world where the consumer is much more ethically aware, a solid CSR programme is vital in terms of letting customers know that a company is part of the wider community and genuinely cares.In fact, statistics show that more than 50 per cent of consumers now prefer sustainable brands and 86 per cent would be more likely to trust a company which reports CSR results.A good demonstration of the importance of CSR can be found with Marks & Spencer’s famous business U-turn. Following a tough few years, the retailer’s high profile 2010 ‘Plan A’ sustainability strategy helped create a new
public perception of the brand,resulting in a complete turnaround for the business – and hugely increased profitability.Clearly then, it is no longer acceptable for businesses to act as just a money making machine. Instead there is a growing pressure to give back to the
community and make a genuine,positive contribution.But, how does this translate to the heating industry and the installer looking to improve their CSR credentials?As a good starting point, installers
should consider their environmental impact. Here, it is not just about recommending the most high-efficiency products to customers, which will already see increased focus with the arrival of ErP, but taking a broader view. It is important that they consider their business’ use of materials –such as the energy management of their business premises, the carbon footprint of their car and/or van fleet, and even outsourced products. The goal here is to limit their businesses’ imprint on the environment by creating more efficient processes to reduce the resources needed.
Equally important is community engagement. Here, the aim is to make a positive contribution to the community – for example donating to good causes and volunteering. At Baxi Potterton Myson, for example, last year we raised €95,126 for our nominated charities through a range of activities across both the UK and Ireland; bake offs, tea parties,fancy dress, sports challenges,
the list goes on. The important thing is to create a real team spirit
within the workforce and get everybody involved.Finally, there is the issue of employment engagement.Although this isn’t something in the public domain, it is just as important for installer businesses,
no matter how large or small, to motivate their team by getting
them involved in CSR activity.Examples could be volunteer programs, employee donation matching programs, or joining a board of directors for a charity.The reality is that the world is changing. In this environmentally minded society, consumers are becoming more inclined to do business with those that have a genuine interest in the wider community and care about the environment. Therefore, from one man-band installers to larger installer businesses who aren’t already doing so, surely it is time to take the path to CSR?

For more information on Baxi Potterton Myson please visit
www.baxipottertonmyson