from Amanda Sandford, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
suppliers must blaze a new csr trail
from Nicky Amos, CSR director, Corporate Culture
Sir; Audrey Wales of the tobacco-front group Retailers against Smuggling trots out the same tired old story once again, (‘Brown plays into hands of smugglers’, March 26, p25) blaming recent tobacco tax rises for smuggling without any evidence to back up these vague claims.
The fact is that illegally traded cigarettes now make up about 15% of the total UK market, down from 21% in 2001, while excise tax has risen year-on-year over the same period, in line with inflation. It really is time that the tobacco industry and its allies accepted the fact that the government is not going to be deterred from its sound public health policy of raising tobacco tax in order to reduce smoking rates.
Yes, clearly more should be done to tackle smuggling, but reducing tobacco tax will not solve the problem when 80% of the illicit market is of freight trade on which no tobacco tax has been paid.
Tightening up the distribution chain and increasing sanctions on companies that fail to comply with the law are the best ways to deal with this criminal activity.
Sir; I read with interest your article on corporate social responsibility (‘With Great Power’, March 19, p34). It was pleasing to note the shift from an obsession with CSR reporting to a more considered look at company practices, particularly with regard to supply chains.
Having been involved in corporate social responsibility in business for over 10 years, I am acutely aware of the power and influence large corporations, particularly retailers, can bring to bear on their supply chains.
However, in my experience, it is not a one-way street; suppliers can also wield significant power over those who buy from them. Let’s not underestimate the role of those companies in the supply chains. They have the skills, knowledge and creativity to work alongside their customers, at the top of the supply chain, to find innovative ways of overcoming social, environmental and ethical dilemmas. All it requires is dialogue and the spirit of working in partnership.
I hope the food industry is not going to fall into the trap of believing that CSR is exclusively about compliance with standards. It is time to start seeing some real contribution to more responsible business practice from those companies that have the capacity and foresight to build sustainable solutions and the opportunities to create good practice.
suppliers must blaze a new csr trail
from Nicky Amos, CSR director, Corporate Culture
Sir; Audrey Wales of the tobacco-front group Retailers against Smuggling trots out the same tired old story once again, (‘Brown plays into hands of smugglers’, March 26, p25) blaming recent tobacco tax rises for smuggling without any evidence to back up these vague claims.
The fact is that illegally traded cigarettes now make up about 15% of the total UK market, down from 21% in 2001, while excise tax has risen year-on-year over the same period, in line with inflation. It really is time that the tobacco industry and its allies accepted the fact that the government is not going to be deterred from its sound public health policy of raising tobacco tax in order to reduce smoking rates.
Yes, clearly more should be done to tackle smuggling, but reducing tobacco tax will not solve the problem when 80% of the illicit market is of freight trade on which no tobacco tax has been paid.
Tightening up the distribution chain and increasing sanctions on companies that fail to comply with the law are the best ways to deal with this criminal activity.
Sir; I read with interest your article on corporate social responsibility (‘With Great Power’, March 19, p34). It was pleasing to note the shift from an obsession with CSR reporting to a more considered look at company practices, particularly with regard to supply chains.
Having been involved in corporate social responsibility in business for over 10 years, I am acutely aware of the power and influence large corporations, particularly retailers, can bring to bear on their supply chains.
However, in my experience, it is not a one-way street; suppliers can also wield significant power over those who buy from them. Let’s not underestimate the role of those companies in the supply chains. They have the skills, knowledge and creativity to work alongside their customers, at the top of the supply chain, to find innovative ways of overcoming social, environmental and ethical dilemmas. All it requires is dialogue and the spirit of working in partnership.
I hope the food industry is not going to fall into the trap of believing that CSR is exclusively about compliance with standards. It is time to start seeing some real contribution to more responsible business practice from those companies that have the capacity and foresight to build sustainable solutions and the opportunities to create good practice.
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