NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY Tuesday 3 November 2009 Written Ministerial Statement: Written Ministerial Statement The content of this written ministerial statement is as received at the time from the Minister. It has not been subject to the official reporting (Hansard) process. Regional Development Corporate Social Responsibility Published at 10:00am on 26 October 2009 The Minister for Regional Development (Mr Murphy): I am pleased to inform Assembly Members of the publication of the Department for Regional Development’s (DRD) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy. We are committed to being a socially and environmentally responsible organisation and a good employer. The policy takes account of the wide spectrum of measures we will take now and in the future in the areas of community engagement, environmental sustainability, responsible procurement and the workplace. I will be continuing to personally engage in my Department’s CSR policy going forward, to implement further new initiatives, and to drive through its implementation. I believe that CSR provides an opportunity for us to make a positive impact on the community and I am keen to help staff make a personal contribution. For example, 16 officials from my Department have enrolled in Business in the Community’s Time to Read Initiative for the 2009-10 academic year. Each volunteer will dedicate one hour per week to read on a one-to-one basis with two children from primary 5-7. The initiative aims to help improve literacy skills in primary schools and is particularly worth while for both the children and the DRD staff involved. The CSR policy is available for viewing on the DRD internet site at www.drdni.gov.uk. Hard copies of the plan are available from the Library. Additional copies can be obtained by contacting the Department’s Strategic Planning Branch on (028) 9054 0930. |