The Oxford-Achilles Working Group
on Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract: Baxter explained: "Throughout BP's 100-year history, maintaining a positive working relationship with communities and broader society where we operate has been an important part of our success. Indeed, any business which seeks sustainability must maintain a positive relationship with its customers, local communities, host governments etc."

"In the last 10 years, several distinct global trends have conspired to focus attention on the interaction between multinational enterprises and their business operating environments. Arguably, the 'CSR Bubble' has become over-inflated which, at worst, tries to create a parallel universe dangerously separate from business purpose and strategy."

"BP prefers to focus through our core business strategy on the sustainability of our business and on operating responsibly consistent with our values, including seeking mutual advantage in our business interactions. 'The business of business is business' and, for a progressive company aiming to endure for another 100 years, playing our part in addressing those global issues which are relevant to and interact with our business strategy is a legitimate part of doing business."

The talk was the first in the Corporate Social Responsibility Insight Lecture series established by the new Oxford-Achilles Working Group on Corporate Social Responsibility. The Working Group was launched on 30 October 2006 and is a joint venture on CSR between The Achilles Group and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.

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