Our Commitment
When we talk about Corporate Responsibility, we mean living the values and principles that govern the way we operate as an organisation and behave as individuals. To us, corporate responsibility is about ensuring that we sustain safe operations while having a positive impact on our people, the communities we work in and the wider environment. It also means building the trust and respect of our customers and stakeholders.
In short, we believe corporate responsibility means 'doing the right thing' by those who depend on us to deliver services that are essential for everyday life.
Of course, as a service company we are contractually obliged to act in a responsible manner. If we didn't, we wouldn't be in business. But our commitment to corporate responsibility is expressed through a deep public service ethos that consistently transcends our contractual obligations. It shapes everything we do – inside and outside of working hours.
Corporate responsibility has always been important to us. It is embedded in the Serco Management System (SMS), which determines the way we run our business. The SMS is overseen by our Corporate Assurance Group, which reports directly to our board. Over the years, the group has developed a robust framework designed to integrate corporate responsibility into our day-to-day operations.
The purpose of this report is to show how we transformed that theory into tangible results during 2005. As our Highlights section illustrates, 2005 was rich with examples of how much our values-led, people-first culture can achieve.
For example, the reportable incident rate involving our employees worldwide improved by an impressive 7.4 per cent as our overall safety performance won awards from external safety authorities such as the UK Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The investment we make in our people through internal initiatives such as Skills for You also won external recognition from respected organisations, among them Business in the Community (BitC). Worldwide, our business units demonstrated their commitment to achieving the exemplary levels of environmental performance demanded by external standards such as ISO 14001.
But perhaps the most compelling expression of the inseparable relationship between our business activities and our sense of corporate responsibility was our collective response to the crises that struck communities in south-east Asia and London, the Gulf of Mexico and Pakistan.
It is important to place on record that a significant number of people associated with our business were directly affected by these crises. In London, for example, the July 7 bombings claimed the life of one of our colleagues. Our deepest sympathies remain with his family and friends.
By the end of 2005, we had completed a comprehensive review of the policy standards that underpin our commitment to corporate responsibility. Looking ahead, we will continue to invest time and resources to ensure we remain true to the values that define our business.
Kevin Beeston, Executive Chairman
Chris Hyman, Chief Executive