Social responsibility is about going the extra mile, providing assistance to those who are less fortunate. Shoalhaven City Council, sponsor of the Excellence in Social Responsibility award, firmly believe that every business leader has the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of our community through socially responsible behaviour and practices.
Council has been instrumental in driving this Award, enabling us to recognise individuals, businesses or organisations that demonstrate a commitment to going beyond their core business activities to create a better place for others either through benevolent activities or involvement in bettering the wider community.
We spend five minutes with Greg Pullen, Shoalhaven City Council, and talk about the importance of social responsibility, and Council’s continued support of the Awards.
Council is a big supporter of the Awards, why are the Awards important for the Shoalhaven?
· Recognising excellence in business performance across a range of criteria is positive for the confidence in the economy of the Shoalhaven.
· Local business do some amazing things and providing recognition is important to not only those business leaders but to their employees as well.
· The Shoalhaven has a growing economy. Demonstrating that the businesses within that economy make a significant contribution to this local area, the wider region and national and international markets is worthy of receiving an award from their peers.
Why should businesses enter the Awards?
· If any business feels that they are achieving and are delivering best practice for their industry, their story is worth telling.
· Awards can assist in gaining recognition by their business peers.
· By even committing the story to paper can re-emphasise what their business is doing and how it may present itself to others including their peers.
Excellence in Social Responsibility is a new category this year, and is the result of Council collaborating with the Chamber to share an important message, what is the driving force behind it?
· Many businesses or business leaders do go the “extra mile” and involve themselves in their local community. Some may stand for Council or an advocacy group, others may have staff contribute each week to a charity, others regularly offer students work experience and others may have positive employment programs for apprentices or indigenous workers.
· For those businesses committed to improving their community above and beyond their trading activities, Council wished to have that effort recognised.
· There is more to business than just turnover, employees and satisfied customers! For those that do think about the social, economic and environmental needs of their community, Council wishes to pay tribute to this outstanding effort.
Why do businesses need to be socially responsible?
· Making sure that there is a next generation of skilled employees, giving a socially disadvantaged group some form of assistance, providing manpower and equipment to assist others in a time of need and being involved in committees or business associations are all attributes of being involved in your community
· “If you want a job done, you ask a busy person”, business people are busy and are skilled in “doing” things. By becoming involved to assist others is highly commendable.
· The business and social fabric of our community are interwoven. We always need businesses to stand up.
Outside of the Shoalhaven what is one of the best examples of socially responsibility you have seen?
· A project in Western Sydney where the Dussedorf Foundation, Liverpool Council & TAFE built 20 houses in a new estate with apprentices indenture to the Council and they took these kids through to being gaining their trade
· In the building of the Correctional Centre here in Nowra, local aboriginal employees were taken on as construction workers and apprentices by the builder that came out of Sydney. Another local example is the Navy’s 816 Squadron moved the Noah’s Shoalhaven from their in town facility to their new premises at the Shoalhaven Campus – trucks and manpower to support a good cause for a charity.
· Each year the Clean up Australia campaign undertakes environmental work that assists Council. Each year some employers close for the day and deploy staff to cleaning up their neighbourhood.
How does socially responsible behaviour contribute to the betterment of the Shoalhaven community?
· Without leadership and the unselfish offering of our business community kids may not play sport, cleaning up after natural disasters may not happen.
· Volunteering for Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Services, Military reserves, …… cannot happen without business having a social conscience.
· The social fabric that embraces any community cannot run without skilled people and sponsorship. There are only so many lamingtons that can be sold, so it is those unselfish individuals and businesses that provide that extra effort.
Where can businesses go for information and advice on being socially responsible?
· Look around, see a needy cause and embrace it. Put your hand up to use your skills in a related field.
· If you have an outside passion, get involved, make the time, it can be so rewarding.
· Become a community board member, mentor a young person into a career or just volunteer on the community working bee.
How can Council help businesses that want to be more socially responsible?
· Extra-curricular activities must be satisfying, look around, offer your skills to someone who would appreciate them
· Say, when asked to help others, many businesses get involved in career days for student, talk to student groups about careers, DO YOU?
Council used to own and run the Awards. As a past organiser, what is the number one tip you can give to businesses entering the Awards this year?
· Take a look at your business, is it doing something well or different? Can this be put down on paper? Be honest, complete the task! You may not be ready this year but the exercise may well prepare you to be better next time around.
· Relationships in business are all important. If you or your business are doing something well, then share with others, learn from that and this continuous improvement process is what the Shoalhaven Business Awards are here to recognise.
· Don’t be discouraged by others being continually better! Look at your business and strive a little harder and look to next year.
A huge thank you to Shoalhaven City Council for their continued support of the Business Awards.
