This month, Strategist looks at sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
The days when businesses could just focus on making as much money as possible as fast as possible, without worrying about the impact on society or the environment, are long gone. These days, every major business needs to have policies on corporate social responsibility. It needs to make sure it has a diverse workforce that reflects society as a whole; that it is preventing sexism and racism in the workplace; and that its supply chain doesn't depend on third world sweatshops.
Likewise, it needs to make sure its business is sustainable. Every company has an environmental impact, but companies are working hard to make sure they don't do any more damage to the planet than strictly necessary.
But is it all just a fad - public relations with a sprinkling of environmentalism thrown on top?
Matthew Lynn discusses how far businesses should involve themselves with sustainability and corporate social responsibility, with his guests Celia Moore, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs Executive at IBM, Martin Vander Weyer Editor of Spectator Business and Janice Warman, Deputy Editor of Spectator Business.