Foundation for Business Responsibilities

The Foundation for Business Responsibilities was a pro-business policy group acrtive from the 1970s. Amongst those associated with it were Michael Ivens of Aims of Industry and the right wing Labour MP Eric Moonman. According to the Guardian, 'it was implicated in the scandal over Westminster council's gerrymandering at the end of the 1990s'.

Ivens

According to the Guardian, Michael Ivens was amongst those involved:

In the early 1970s, he co-authored a pamphlet arguing that business had responsibilities to different stakeholders, including employees and suppliers. This viewpoint was briefly pursued through the Foundation For Business Responsibilities, although Ivens, whose second wife, Katy, was a Westminster councillor, resigned from the group after it was implicated in the scandal over Westminster council's gerrymandering at the end of the 1990s.

Inquiry

Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Charity Commission investigated payments to Efficiency in Local Government Ltd. from the Foundation for Business Responsibilities as part of its inquiries into the foundation. [18095]

Mr. Sackville: The Charity Commission has not carried out any such investigation.

Mr. Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department on what dates the Charity Commission's second inquiry into the payments by the Foundation for Business Responsibilities to Marketforce Communications (a) began and (b) ended; when the Charity Commission received the list of donors to the foundation; if he will make a statement on the Charity Commission's access to the research projects and leaflets which were produced by Marketforce Communications on behalf of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the activities of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities since 1992. [18201]

Mr. Sackville [holding answer 29 February 1996]: The Charity Commission's second inquiry began on 18 November 1993 and ended on 31 March 1995. It is regretted that the answer given to the hon. Member on 13 July 1995, Official Report, columns 697-98, mistakenly referred to this as a period of four and a half months. A list of donors to the foundation was received by the commission on 23 December 1991. The commission has a copy of one leaflet produced by Marketforce Communications Ltd., which was provided in connection with the first inquiry. It is understood that, since 1992, the foundation has been involved in the sponsorship of and participation in research and educational activities covering subjects such as health issues of employees, insider trading, business ethics and responsible global marketing.

Publications

• Business responsibilities by Kenneth G. Corfield Publisher: London (Room 18-11, Portland House, Stag Place, S.W.1) : Foundation for Business Responsibilities, 1972. ISBN: 0900853468 DDC: 174.4 LCC: HF5387 Edition: (sd) :£0.40
• The ethics of capitalism by H. B. Acton Publisher: London, Foundation for Business Responsibilities, [1972] ISBN: 0900853409 DDC: 174.4 LCC: HB501
• Industry and universities [by] Stephen Hargreaves, Patrick Rivett Publisher: London : Foundation for Business Responsibilities, [1972] ISBN: 0900853425 Edition: £0.40
• Eric Moonman Business and the arts. Foundation for Business Responsibilities, 1974.
• Responsibilities of industry in the field of health J. H. Briggs, Robert Murray Publisher: London : Foundation for Business Responsibilities, [1975]. ISBN: 0900853751
• The outer limits and beyond by A. A. Walters Publisher: [London] : Foundation for Business Responsibilities, [1976]. ISBN: 0900853794 DDC: 339.5 LCC: HD82 Edition: (sd) :L.0.40