The majority of medium and large UK businesses are most likely to invest in areas that will benefit the environment or wider community, a new survey reveals.
The survey, conducted by financial advisers Grant Thornton, found that being environmentally and socially responsible is the number one investment priority for these businesses, with 40% most likely to spend on these areas than any other.
Training and development and regulation second were joint second as investment priorities, the survey revealed.
In addition, the research found that an overwhelming 99% of respondents rated environmental and corporate responsibility issues as very important compared to other items on their businesses’ agendas.
Alyson Stewart, head of Grant Thornton’s Strategic Services Group, commented:
“These results are an encouraging start and suggest that businesses appear to be tuned in to the importance of adopting a responsible attitude towards the environment and their corporate obligations.
“In today’s business market, environmental and corporate responsibility related activities are ceasing to be seen as pioneering and instead as something that should be ingrained in business purpose and strategy.”
The study found that many businesses are making investments which have a substantial impact on the community, with 47% involved in charity fundraising days, 43% sponsoring local community days and 37% holding special charity days.
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