CSR awards shine a light on PwC

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Scotland secured two prestigious awards at the recent Scottish Business in the Community Awards for Excellence. The firm scooped the Large Company of the Year award and retained its Big Tick Talent award for a second year.

The Scottish Business in the Community Awards for Excellence, held on 11 June 2009, are the most prestigious in the UK for corporate social responsibility (CSR).

On gaining the coveted Large Company of the Year award, PwC Scotland was recognised for its holistic approach in pushing the boundaries and raising the standard for CSR, in part through its Force for Good programme of community activities which began in 2003.  The judges also commented on the firm’s record of aligning CSR into the core business practice, particularly during the current economic climate, and for encouraging suppliers, partners and clients to get on board. 

The firm also retained the Big Tick Serco Talent award, which is used by hundreds of businesses to compete for customers, contracts and staff, for a second year. The award acknowledged the firm’s approach in using CSR to develop talent and skills within the organisation, and recognised a number of key achievements in 2008 including Scotland’s largest corporate volunteering day in Dunkeld, which involved 600 employees.

Caroline Roxburgh, partner and Force for Good sponsor, said: “It is fantastic that our innovative and consistent approach to embracing CSR has been recognised by this prestigious organisation.

“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in Scotland in terms of our sustainability, environmental and community programmes.  Around 76% of people participated in CSR activities in the last 12 months alone, and we are also delighted with our success in integrating these efforts into personal development programmes and the delivery of excellent service to our clients.”

As the awards highlight examples of excellent practice it is time for more businesses to take CSR seriously to survive the current climate according to SBC's new Chief Executive Jane Wood.  “CSR has failed if businesses see it as a soft touch. It is no longer an option. Firms such as PwC Scotland demonstrate that there are bottom line benefits when you do business responsibly,” she said.

“To survive the harsh economic realities we are all facing, we need more businesses like PwC to sign up to CSR.”

Frank Blin, senior partner Scotland, added: “When we started our Force for Good initiative in 2003, little did we know that we would be leading the field in terms of CSR. It is a tribute to everyone involved that we have built such a strong commitment in this important area.”

Contact details
Email: Lynn Hunter
Tel: +44 (0)141 355 4015