Advocacy

Our aim is to persuade those in business and those who influence them of the importance of doing business ethically

• Business is defined broadly to include all organisations, private, public and third sector, however, our primary focus is on the private sector
• Business audiences include business leaders (board members, c-suite), ethics practitioners and those involved in management, governance, HR (including learning and development), communications and other relevant professionals (including sustainability and corporate responsibility)
• Influencers include regulators, professional bodies, policymakers, politicians, relevant government departments, educational institutions, think tanks, media

Our overarching message is that ethical behaviour in business is good for business and good for stakeholders

• Organisations with a clear purpose based on ethical values will achieve better long-term performance
• Ethical behaviour is central to good relations with stakeholders – employees, customers, suppliers, investors, local communities and society as a whole
• Ethical behaviour reflects an ethical culture and starts with tone at the top
• Ethics are a key component of good governance
• Ethics in business require a clear strategy, policies, processes and assurance – at its heart: a Code of Ethics

The main tools we will use to reach and influence our audiences are:

• Events and group meetings both face-to-face and virtual (business leaders, practitioners, professions)
• Engagement with government officials and regulators
• Membership of relevant boards and committees (e.g. FRC Stakeholder Panel)
• Publication of research, surveys, thought leadership, blogs etc.
• Media coverage
• Social media 

New initiatives

• Establish Board Directors Network
• New media communications strategy comprising:
  • Engagement with key business journalists
  • Identification of opportunities to comment on relevant issues and events
  • Programme of media releases on key IBE initiatives (driven by research programme)
  • IBE authored op-eds in mainstream business media
  • Publish benchmark survey of how many FTSE 100 and 250 companies publish their Code of Ethics
• Establish key influencers engagement programme
• A programme of engagement with institutional investors
• A new education network for Higher Education Institutions 
• An initiative to promote ethics in business and management curricula
• Launch a Young People’s Ethics Forum: “Ethical Futures” led by a Young People’s Task Force
• Use of Task Forces led by respected business leaders to publish high profile reports
• More intensive use of social media
• More use of strategic partnerships to enable us to engage difficult to reach audiences (e.g. SMEs)