Good Business Charter hosts successful Good Business Week awareness campaign

12th February, 2024

Good Business Week, an awareness week campaign hosted by the Good Business Charter, ran from 5th to 11th February 2024 and served as a platform to celebrate businesses that are dedicated to making a difference, highlighting their commitment to responsible behaviour and ethical decision-making.  

Instead of focusing on scandals and negative practices, Good Business Week was a welcome opportunity to champion those organisations that are quietly making a positive impact on society and the environment. It captured the imagination of many with inspiring quotes from employees, customers and other stakeholders shared on social media, and accredited organisations choosing to celebrate the week in a range of ways including hosting lunches for their colleagues and team environmental projects. 

The campaign focused on different key areas during the week including fair pay and the importance of prompt payment to suppliers. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which was involved in the development of the Good Business Charter, announced its reaccreditation, following the business group’s robust work to effectively care for its workforce following last year’s allegations. Leeds Building Society was one of the organisations to announce that it had achieved accreditation in Good Business Week joining over 1,200 organisations including Aviva, Richer Sounds, TSB, Schroders Personal Wealth and West Bromwich Building Society. 

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Executive said: 

“We are incredibly pleased to have earned reaccreditation and encourage other companies to make this commitment to responsible business. It’s important to me that everybody feels proud of being part of the CBI and working together to co-create our values of integrity, respect, courage and brilliance has been an empowering experience. Working with experts we have strengthened our culture and improved our training and processes, bringing in measures to ensure that employees’ voices are heard and acted on. And while today we celebrate this achievement, I also recognise that building a better organisation is an ongoing journey, requiring constant review and evaluation so as not to allow complacency to set in.” 

 Nick Young, Chief Strategy and Insights Officer at Leeds Building Society, said: 

At Leeds Building Society, we strive to be responsible in everything we do. Whether through increasing home ownership, supporting our communities, improving inclusion and diversity, reducing our impact on the environment, or creating trust through being transparent with our members and colleagues. Our responsible business strategy guides our decisions in our ambition to put homeownership in reach of more people, and we are proud to have been accredited with the Good Business Charter, which recognises and champions responsible business behaviour. 

Good Business Charter accreditation provides a clear way to show customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders what a business stands for. We cannot assume all companies are treating people and planet responsibly – the invitation is there to go beyond just shouting about how #GoodBusinessMatters and instead show courageous leadership through accreditation which holds companies to account for their actions across the GBC’s 10 minimum standards. 

Jenny Herrera, CEO of the Good Business Charter, said: 

Good Business Week was a testament to the collective power of businesses and individuals striving for positive change. By amplifying the message of responsible and ethical business practices, we are confident that the movement will continue to grow, setting a new standard for business behaviour in the UK and beyond. Thank you to all the organisations and individuals who made Good Business Week 2024 a resounding success. Together, we are reshaping the future of business for the better.”  

To find out more about the Good Business Charter and how to apply for accreditation, visit goodbusinesscharter.com