FirstGroup Ranked Gold in Business in the Community’s Corporate Responsibility Index

2013-04-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — Transport operator FirstGroup has today been officially recognised in the UK’s leading and most in-depth voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility, Business in the Community’s Corporate Responsibility Index (CR Index).

First has achieved ‘Gold’ company status for its operations across the UK and North America improving upon the ‘Silver’ status which it secured the previous five years.

First scored full marks for its approach to community investment and climate change in the assessment.  The company also achieved 90% and above in the environmental management, workplace management and employee development categories.

Scoring 93% overall and achieving Gold status confirms that First’s corporate responsibility strategy is amongst the best in the transport industry.

Chief Executive of FirstGroup, Tim O’Toole, said: “I’m delighted that our approach to corporate responsibility has been recognised by Business in the Community.  Across FirstGroup we are committed to setting the highest possible standards and achieving Gold status reflects the fantastic efforts of my colleagues across all our operations to continuously improve.”

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: “The CR Index tells us that, despite the complexities of this agenda and the tough economic challenges they’re facing, our leading companies are continuing to invest in responsible business and truly integrate it within their operations.

“I congratulate FirstGroup for achieving Gold because it signifies a key step on the journey, a willingness to rise to the challenge and that they are part of a movement of responsible business in which all companies have their unique part to play. We look forward on working with, supporting and challenging FirstGroup to build on this achievement as we, together drive the transformational change needed to deliver a sustainable economy.”

The CR Index has been run by Business in the Community for over a decade to help companies: accurately measure and manage all aspects of their social and environmental performance; shape how they integrate and improve corporate responsibility throughout their business operations; and benchmark themselves against competitors.

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