Social accounting is good for business

Highland Home Carers and Loch Fyne Oysters have both pledged to produce regular 'social accounts' after the success of a project funded by Co-Operative Development Scotland.

The process involves interviewing clients, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders to help measure a company's wider social, economic and environmental performance.

Topics covered in Highland Home Carer's annual social accounts include quality of service provision, performance against corporate objectives and mission statement, staff training, treatment at work, communication and views of employee ownership.

"It has definitely given us an edge with customers who purchase our services," says Managing Director Stephen Pennington. "If that helps us get an excellent rating from the Care Commission, it is bound to influence people."

Loch Fyne Oysters is now producing social accounts every two years. It used questionnaires, interviews, site visits and financial reports to survey customers, staff, suppliers and partners on topics including customer satisfaction, environmental sustainability, partnership working and product quality.

"It has helped us in securing some contracts," explains HR Manager Anne Stewart. "Customers increasingly want proof that their suppliers are operating the policies that they say they are."

CDS introduced a number of co-operative and employee-owned businesses to social accounting in 2008 as part of an initiative with the Social Audit Network, which helps companies throughout the UK prepare social accounts and have them independently audited.