The Corporate Responsibility index, published in the Financial Times on Friday (March 23), enables companies from all sectors to measure and improve their social and environmental performance.
There are five ratings within the index: bronze, silver, gold, platinum and platinum plus. Waste management company Veolias 99% platinum rating follows the launch of its Go further together campaign which incorporates initiatives across its 12,000 strong workforce.
These include extensive health and safety and training development programmes, outstanding carbon performance and over 10,000 hours of community investment through employee volunteering.
To be awarded a platinum rating an organisation must integrate corporate responsibility into its business model and have clear responsibilities and incentive structures at board and operational levels. Platinum companies need to have a structured approach to data collection and social and environmental impact assessment and can demonstrate on-going improvement across their key impacts.
Committed
Commenting on Veolias achievement, Stephen Howard, chief executive of Business in the Community, said: It is incredibly encouraging to see a company progress so quickly and in a year move from a Silver Rating to Platinum. This shows that embedding real changes to your business model can be done both meaningfully and rapidly and clearly shows that Veolia Environmental Services are totally committed to improving their impact on society in a measured and sustainable manner.
Jean-Dominique Mallet, chief executive officer of Veolia, added: I am extremely pleased that our collective efforts in 2011 have seen us achieve a Platinum rating as it shows how a culture focused on corporate responsibility can be quickly transmitted and owned by all within the company and deliver measurable and immediate impact.
This year we will continue our journey and invest in sustainable growth which includes supporting three hundred apprentices, opening four new recycling and recovery treatment facilities and opening the doors of forty of our sites to local communities.
CRI
The Corporate Responsibility index is developed in consultation with businesses and encourages large organisations to integrate responsible business practice. It is based around an online survey and companies follow a self-assessment process intended to help them identify gaps in their management and performance.
Companies are assessed using a framework which covers corporate responsibility, integration, management and performance and impact.
Other companies operating in the waste management sector which are listed on the CRI include the Serco Group and the Kier Group which both achieved a gold rating.
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