Should fast food outlets be helping to tackle the obesity crisis? Or should the onus be on the consumer to make the right choices in the first place? Perhaps it should. But if we expect the government and schools to promote healthy eating, why should businesses get off the hook?

A report published yesterday by the Conservative party has argued that it’s time businesses were held more accountable for social issues. It argues that companies have a duty to take arms in the fight against obesity, alcohol abuse and climate change.

“I want the modern Conservative Party to be not just the party of business but of responsible business,” said Cameron in the report’s foreword. But forcing this responsibility on businesses and adding to their regulatory burden is unlikely to engage them and get them on board.

Reassuringly, the Tories have pre-empted this. The report’s title 'A light but effective touch' is a stroke of PR genius, and Cameron’s foreword assures us that this hails the dawn of a “post-bureaucratic age in which the state does less, but does it better”.

So, instead of hammering businesses with more regulation to comply with, they have outlined proposals for a more collaborative approach, or a ‘responsibility deal’, to tackle issues of social concern. For example, a responsibility deal on obesity might see companies changing the ingredients of the goods they sell, changing their advertising messages, alongside healthy eating campaigns running in schools. 

But take a closer look, and you might be forgiven for thinking it’s an iron fist in a velvet glove. While participation would not be mandatory, it would “reflect poorly” on any party that did not do so when invited to. Ominous, and we suspect deliberately vague words of warning. The report also encourages regulators to draw up indices rating companies in their sectors and NGOs involved in the deal to champion high performers while putting “whatever pressure they see fit” on those who are not doing their bit. Regulation is not ruled out completely and will still be used as a last resort.

Don’t get me wrong, holding businesses more accountable for the way their practices impact on society could potentially have a substantial positive impact. It’s evident that business has a staggering potential to bring about social change, the whole social enterprise movement is founded on this principle and it is proving to be extremely successful.

But is this really the right approach? Research is increasingly pointing to the fact that employees and clients favour businesses with strong ethical credentials. Today's Times revealed that smoothie brand Innocent, which is well known for using ethically sourced products and implementing green initiatives, was the fastest-growing soft drink of 2007, selling two million of them a week. So perhaps a better solution for getting collaboration from business would be more of a focus on promoting the commercial benefits of being socially responsible rather than having to strike deals and agree targets?