G4S has today been awarded silver in Business in the Community’s (BITC) annual benchmark of responsible business management, the Corporate Responsibility Index (CR Index).

The Index has been running for more than a decade and is the UK’s leading and most in-depth voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility. G4S was announced as a Silver company, which means that it is able to demonstrate effective stakeholder engagement, effective processes and reliable data which demonstrates both management and performance improvement.

• G4S is the principal sponsor of Scottish Rugby's Street Rugby initiative, providing £235,000 to the programme which aims to increase participation in rugby and reduce anti-social behaviour and crime.  The initiative, which received cross party commendation at the Scottish Parliament, works in targeted areas engaging 4,500 disadvantaged teens and young adults across Scotland every year
• G4S funds the award winning Singing Medicine project at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, which enables patients with life-limiting conditions to participate in singing.  The programme is delivered by Ex Cathedra with £5,000 annual funding from G4S 

Patrick Toyne-Sewell, G4S Corporate Affairs Director for the UK and Ireland, said:

“We employ more than 48,000 people in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with staff at the heart of nearly every community.  Being a responsible business is no longer an ‘optional extra’ – it’s integral to our operations, important to our employees and valued by our clients.  

“I am very satisfied to have been recognised with this award, especially during what was a challenging year for the business.  We only missed out on the gold award by one per cent and so we shall be striving for further improvements over 2013, by ensuring that we and our suppliers uphold the highest standards of environmental, ethical and social responsibility.”

Marnie Bourne, Head of Membership in the south region for Business in the Community, said:

“G4S has demonstrated a solid performance in this year’s CR Index. They have shown improvement in a number of areas including the management of community issues.

“We look forward to continuing to work with G4S as they focus on ongoing improvements in environmental impact and workplace management, particularly in the areas of measuring, monitoring and reporting.”