Procter and Gamble’s corporate tradition is ‘rooted in the principles of personal integrity and respect for the individual’, according to Andrea Cooper, a British manager in the consumer products multinational. The phrase ‘doing what’s right’ is ‘a slogan that is part of the P&G culture’, she said. The company would never knowingly condone illegal or unethical dealings anywhere in the world, she claimed, pointing out that a recent report indicated that one in six shoppers would buy or boycott products because of a brand’s or manufacturer’s reputation.

Procter and Gamble’s corporate tradition is ‘rooted in the principles of personal integrity and respect for the individual’, according to Andrea Cooper, a British manager in the consumer products multinational. The phrase ‘doing what’s right’ is ‘a slogan that is part of the P&G culture’, she said. The company would never knowingly condone illegal or unethical dealings anywhere in the world, she claimed, pointing out that a recent report indicated that one in six shoppers would buy or boycott products because of a brand’s or manufacturer’s reputation.

Cooper was addressing the business conference ‘Globalization : from conflict to opportunity’ being held, 20-24 July, at the Initiatives of Change centre in Caux, Switzerland.

In 2000 she became a lead member of her company’s 10-strong community relations initiative in Harrogate, Yorkshire. On the face of it, the spa town of 100,000 people had few problems, with full employment and a low crime rate. So, the team decided to give skills-based training to teenagers, ‘in order to give lasting benefit to the community’, in line with a corporate theme of ‘improving the lives of the next generation’.

They enrolled the support of the local Member of Parliament, 10 P&G managers, six head teachers, 20 local businesses and many local voluntary organizations. Over six Sundays, local business managers trained 16- to 18-year-olds in personal development skills, ranging from swinging on 50ft-high trapeze ropes to time management and communications skills. The 20 teenagers were then placed with a local charity. They were each given £500 and access to a business mentor and were charged with leading a project within their chosen charity. ‘The charities benefited immensely as the skilled young leaders were able to deliver significant results,’ Cooper said. ‘What we have delivered across the two years has been truly amazing and was heralded by the UK General Manager as P&G Community Relations at its best.’

For herself, this had given her great sense of pride in her company. ‘In fact, a recent report claims that 80 per cent of employees consider a company’s ethics more important than a higher salary. The project is now delivered twice a year by a new generation of young managers in Harrogate, who through their own personal involvement are also benefiting.’

Mike Smith

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