Cadbury Plc



Cadbury Plc

Task 1:

Cadbury Plc, with origins going back over 200 years, is a global company with over 55,000 employees that manufactures, markets and distributes a variety of confectionary and beverages brands sold in almost every country in the world. Cadbury Plc is joint number one in chocolate, sugar and confectionary, (Muspratt 2009) number two in gum and the world's largest soft drinks company.

The report is divided into twelve chapters, beginning with a discussion of Cadbury Plcfive main CSR challenges (managing change; addressing obesity; trading with care; economic responsibility); an overview of the company and illustration of its value chain; (Reports and Accounts 2009) a discussion of what CSR means at Cadbury Plc (including a booklet on the company's business principles); and an overview of the management structure and discussion of how the company engages with stakeholders. Further, there are separate chapters on the company's employees, consumers, suppliers, relationships with local communities, and the environment.

In addition to its history of corporate citizenship, Cadbury Plcreport presents a number of reasons for its commitment to CSR: (Heap 2009)

'Demonstrating strong corporate and social responsibility is not only the right thing to do, it also makes good business sense. Shareholders, customers and regulators are more likely to support our plans to grow our business because they trust us to make the right decisions and to manage risks. Consumers are more likely to buy our brands because they trust us to provide safe, high quality products. Employees are more likely to join and stay with us because they trust us to treat them openly and equally, recognize and reward their contributions and help them realise their potential.'

The Corporate and Social Responsibility Committee, formed in 2001, drives the company's CSR agenda. The Committee is chaired by Baroness Wilcox, a non-executive board member, and includes the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Human Resource and Legal Officers, and two other non-executive board membrs. (Muspratt 2009)

The Committee oversees the management of all issues relating to the company's five pillars of CSR.

The main driver for CSR with Cadbury Plc is enlightened self-interest, as CSR helps to create and develop communities which are also consumer markets for the company. In this way the business growth opportunity was an important driver. However, the company also believes that CSR is 'the right thing to do' as it reflects the history and the values of the company.

The company recognises the high expectations consumers have of it, particularly because of its heritage of leadership in social responsibility, and the risk that, (Reports and Accounts 2009) if these expectations are not met, its reputation may suffer. In addition, fund mangers are increasingly looking at socially responsible investment opportunities. To attract this type of investment it is important that the company should be able to demonstrate its active participation in CSR - again for business growth opportunities.

Cadbury PlcCommunity Investment Programme (CIP) was developed by management and staff to help support three principal areas of focus: education and enterprise; health and welfare; and the ...