Business mentor: Three-barrelled approach to business goes beyond making a dollar

What is "socially responsible business" and how valuable is triple bottom line reporting?

Annette Lusk, from New Zealand Businesses for Social Responsibility (BSR), replies:

Businesses for Social Responsibility, in conjunction with the Ministry for the Environment, is developing guidelines for triple bottom line reporting for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Companies use TBL to measure and report on their economic, social and environmental performance.

The SMEs that have compiled a TBL report have found it a very valuable strategic tool. Urgent Couriers has just completed its first report, which can be viewed at www.urgent.co.nz.

BSR is a membership-based organisation that aims to advance New Zealand through socially responsible business.

Members are from the business community and believe that socially responsible business practice is a desirable end in itself and can also contribute to the financial success of individual businesses.

The network is well-established in Europe, North America and Asia.

Many New Zealand businesses are already socially responsible in ways that are creative and innovative.

BSR seeks to promote this, to encourage learning and sharing of both local and international examples and thereby achieve its vision.

Principles and values that drive socially responsible business include honesty, fairness, courage and caring.

These values are expressed in the concept of the triple bottom line - the financial, social and environmental performance of the business.

Socially responsible business has been shown to enhance financial performance by building quality relationships and developing increased commitment and support from employees, shareholders, suppliers, customers and the wider community.

Socially responsible business considers all stakeholders - shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, the community and the environment - which can each affect or be affected by a business.

Socially responsible business manages environmental impact and takes into account long-term ecological sustainability.

BSR provides opportunities for New Zealand businesses wanting to become more socially responsible.

It is an incorporated society providing the following services to members:

* Regional branches in Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch.

* Regular regional meetings to share ideas and experiences.

* Regular newsletters.

* A members' business directory.

* Guidelines on triple bottom line reporting and social responsibility.

* A mentoring programme.

* An annual conference with national and international speakers.

BSR welcomes your membership and encourages you to engage in the issues, become better informed, and further the practice of social responsibility in your business.

* Annette Lusk can be contacted on (09) 634-2510.

* Send your Mentor questions to: Ellen_Read@nzherald.co.nz. Answers will be provided by Business in the Community's Business Mentor Programme.