A new report spelling out the advantages of being a socially responsible business was welcomed today by Corporate Social Responsibility Minister Kim Howells.

Winning with Integrity, published by Bill Cockburn's Business Impact Task Force, explains the commercial benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in relation to the workforce, the marketplace, the environment, the community, human rights and other key areas. For each topic, it provides indicators for businesses to assess their own impact on society and suggests an action plan to help them develop and improve their work on CSR. There is advice both for businesses which are relatively new to CSR and for those who are already involved but want to improve their performance.

Dr Howells hailed the report as an important milestone in developing the business case for CSR. He said, "Bill Cockburn's Task Force has produced more than a straightforward report – Winning with Integrity is also a practical tool for businesses considering social responsibility issues. It provides clear advice on how companies can use CSR to improve their commercial success and enhance their competitiveness while at the same time creating a fairer society."

"The Government is keen for as many businesses as possible to be exposed to this message that CSR can be a 'win-win' strategy, so the DTI has worked closely with Bill Cockburn and the other Task Force members during the production of the report."

The DTI has linked the report website to its own site to ensure that as many businesses as possible have access. In addition to the report, the site contains other business planning tools to help companies assess and communicate their performance on CSR.

Dr Howells continued, "Over the next few months we need to widen the range of businesses who accept the case for involvement in CSR. I will be considering what else the DTI can do to help spread awareness and provide businesses with guidance on implementing CSR strategies."