Exploring the scope of CSR

According to Natalie Cooper of Changeboard, Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social justice should be issues at the forefront of every HR professional’s mind across the globe.

In a post in today's Changeboard, she outlines how: "we, as employers, need to do more. We need to open up our doors and support our local initiatives, small charities, not-for-profits and third world sector organisations who are working at grass root levels."

Source: Changeboard

Darzi calls on NHS employers to be accountable for skills development

Under news plans unveiled in Lord Darzi's flagship report on the future of the health service, every NHS organisation receiving government funding must publish how much it spends on staff training each year.

Darzi called on staff to hold employers accountable for money set aside for skills development and for every Trust and NHS body to sign the government's skills pledge.

This would enable staff to make "more informed" choices about where they worked, according to Darzi.

Alastair Henderson, acting director at workforce body NHS Employers, said he was skeptical about the effectiveness of this initiative, calling it a "blunt tool".

He said that while transparency was a good method, stating the amount spent on training provided no indication of its quality or effectiveness.

Henderson urged the NHS to incorporate modes of training other than simply sending members of staff on courses.

He suggested job-shadowing, coaching and mentoring as potentially more effective methods.

Darzi's report also said more nursing staff should opt out of the NHS to sell their services back as not-for-profit social enterprises.

He emphasised that existing pension rights would be preserved and a new right to request such a move would be introduced.

Three-year contracts would also be awarded to encourage more staff to set up independently.

Source: Personnel Today