Tescos is leading the debate about what corporate responsibility means

Welcoming the launch of Tescoís new community programme, Will Hutton, chief executive of The Work Foundation, today said:

ìThe Work Foundation commends Tescoís for leading the debate about how big business should interact with society. Its 10 commitments put some detail on the aspiration of many leading businesses to be a good neighbour.

ìToo often, corporate responsibility has existed at the level of rhetoric, while employers have struggled to spell out how it will change the way business is done. It has thus become easy to paint it as ëpure spiní.

ìSir Terry Leahy has today broken with this tradition with a series of substantial pledges. The Work Foundation hopes that this programme acts as a tipping point for the development of new corporate sustainability among organisations. We hope it encourages other businesses to think in practical terms about a companyís obligations beyond keeping shareholders satisfied. The Tescoís plan looks good on paper; time will tell what effect it has on our lives as consumers and citizens.î