Businesses called to support Responsible Business Week 2016 #RBweek - 18 - 22 April 2016

Responsible Business Week 2016 will take place during 18 – 22 April. This year’s theme ‘ideas for good get better when shared’. Responsible Business Week will launch at 11 am on Monday 18 April through an online Tweetathon.

Through debates, events, and conversations, Business in the Community is asking businesses to be more vocal in sharing how they are putting ideas into action to tackle pressing issues: from supporting employees and the future workforce, investing in local communities to developing small businesses and taking action on the environment.

Kieran Harding, Managing Director of Business in the Community Northern Ireland said: “Responsible Business Week is an opportunity to raise the profile of business as a force for good and give some much needed visibility to the positive difference business is making to our communities, environment and economy. By creating this space to share ideas that are working, we’re able to challenge and inspire many more organisations of all sizes to transform the way they do business by becoming more responsible towards their people, the planet and the places in which the operate. Trust in business is a challenge, but Responsible Business Week provides an opportunity to help business build dialogue with the public by being more transparent about how it does business.”

Bronagh Luke from The Henderson Group, SPAR’s parent company explains why SPAR is supporting Responsible Business Week for the second year in Northern Ireland: “Being responsible is at the very core of our organisation. As a locally-grown, and ever expanding, business, it is really important that we demonstrate positive action through activities such as fundraising for our chosen charities through to continuing to divert 100% of our waste from landfill. We’re also keen to help our employees have happier healthier lives by engaging in schemes like our 10,000 steps a day pedometer challenge. To date, 110 employees have completed more than 82 million steps. Most recently, we’ve worked hard with our local communities to get our defibrillator campaign up and running. We’re well on our way to meeting our target of installing more than 300 defibrillators at stores across Northern Ireland. We’re encouraging businesses in Northern Ireland to get involved with #RBweek this year - sharing stories and inspiring others."

It’s exactly these types of ideas, initiatives and activities that #RBweek wants to hear about. So, what is your business doing? Why not share your story and be part of #RBweek. Toolkits and information are all available online at www.bitcni.org.uk. To find out more about Responsible Business Week visit www.bitcni.org.uk or search for the hashtag #RBweek.