Good Business Foundation

The Good Business Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Charity number 1186547) dedicated to promoting civic responsibility and good citizenship by encouraging high standards of business conduct. Founded in autumn 2019, the Foundation developed and operates the Good Business Charter (GBC), an accreditation scheme that recognises organisations in the UK for responsible business practices[1][2][3].

Purpose and Activities

The primary objective of the Good Business Foundation is to promote responsible business behaviour across key ethical and social dimensions. This is achieved through the Good Business Charter, which evaluates companies on ten components covering a broad spectrum of responsible business principles. These components include:

• Payment of the real living wage
• Fairer hours and contracts
• Employee well-being
• Employee representation
• Diversity and inclusion
• Environmental responsibility
• Paying fair tax
• Commitment to customers
• Ethical sourcing
• Prompt payment

By signing up to the Charter, organisations publicly commit to these high standards, fostering transparency and accountability in business practices throughout the UK[1][2].

Governance and Team

The Foundation is governed by a board of trustees comprising experienced business leaders and policy experts. The chair of trustees is Simon Fox, formerly Chief Executive of Reach plc. Other trustees include John Foster (Director of Policy and Communications at the CBI), Tim Sharp (Senior Policy Officer representing the Trade Union Congress), Katherine Chapman (Director of the Living Wage Foundation), and Julian Richer, the founder and initial funder of the Good Business Charter. Kirsty Watt, Director of Strategy and External Affairs at ACAS, serves as an advisor to the board[3].

The Foundation operates with a small but dynamic team working remotely and flexibly to manage and grow the Charter accreditation programme[1][3].

Financial Overview

For the financial year ending 31 October 2023, the Good Business Foundation reported a total income of £127,073 against expenditures of £201,552. The charity employs staff, including one with benefits in the £60,000 to £70,000 range, and does not engage in any trading subsidiaries or trustees’ remuneration[2].

Formation and Legal Status

The Good Business Foundation was incorporated as a private company limited by guarantee on 23 October 2019. It is registered both as a company and as a charity in England and Wales, reflecting its commitment to public benefit through ethical business practices[2][5].

The Good Business Foundation continues to work closely with key stakeholders such as the Trades Union Congress, Institute of Directors, and Federation of Small Businesses to ensure that the Good Business Charter remains relevant and impactful for UK businesses and their workforce[3].

[1] https://www.charityjob.co.uk/organisation/good-business-foundation [2] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5150242 [3] https://goodbusinesscharter.com/about-us/ [4] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/sector-data/top-10-charities/-/charity-details/5150242/contact-information [5] https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/12278437