Taking responsibility
T
he role of business accountability and close scrutiny of the business world has never been more relevant. In the wake of the banking crisis and with the current debate over health and
safety regulation, firms big and small are under intense public scrutiny. Now, Newport’s University is leading the way in examining these issues and helping business to respond. When the bottom fell out of the global economy in
2008, the new world order had knock on effects upon the business world, beyond the economic shockwaves which are still reverberating across the globe. The intense public scrutiny of the fields of finance
and banking joined the growing trends for accountability, health and safety and corporate social responsibility, which has led business to a position where it not only faces regulation, but also scrutiny and corporate questions from the public. The University of Wales, Newport’s Business
Accountability and Responsibility Centre (BARC), formed in 2009 is providing a research platform to look at these growing trends, helping business at all levels to understand the complex legal, social and political questions that they face. With membership drawn from academia, the legal
and accountancy professions and business more widely, it aims to provide a clear path of understanding through the rocky terrain of the new world order. In 2010, the Bribery Act ushered in one of the most
direct changes to legal regulation of all businesses in the history of the United Kingdom. Described as the toughest anti corruption legislation
in the world, the act still has not been tested widely in the courts and the way that it will operate continues to be unseen, despite its provisions which could see many more people facing criminal charges for activity that in the past, may have seemed relatively benign. New corporate manslaughter legislation and the
toughening of sentencing for breaches of health and safety has increased the pressure on business and provoked a debate about both the accountability and responsibility of business. BARC’s research is looking directly at these areas
of law, together with areas as diverse as sustainable accounting and financial probity.
The role of academic research in wider society
can often seem unclear, but the University of Wales, Newport sees it as essential to support economic growth and the successful operation of businesses in Wales and beyond. As part of this, BARC and other research centres draw expertise from industry and provide work to support the successful operation of local businesses. Launching on April 23, the centre is running a series
of events, under the banner of ‘Taking Responsibility’ which will seek to present relevant research to a business audience, helping them to deal with the often daunting issues emanating from legal and corporate responsibility. The inaugural event will hear from David Travers
QC, a leading barrister in the fields of health and safety, environmental and consumer law, recently appointed as a Visiting Professor by BARC and the University. The free event will consider how breaches of the law are enforced against individuals at different levels within the business and against the business itself. Each subsequent event will seek to add to the debate
about how and why businesses are regulated under the law.
Alexandra Dobson, Director of BARC, said: “In the
first year or so of operation, the centre has established itself as one of the most pre eminent research bodies looking at the way business needs to respond to the pressures it is under because of legal and social changes in the area of responsibility and accountability. “We have been determined to ensure that our work
will have a direct impact on businesses large and small, helping the economy to respond to this agenda and not be left at risk as a result.” Alexandra Dobson and BARC will also play a key
role in a conference in Oxford this summer, bringing together the Attorney General, lawyers and the business community in a two-day summer school, looking at the issues around health and safety and the reaction of business to them. If you are interested in attending the free Taking
Responsibility Lecture on the evening of April 23 at the University’s City Campus, or would like to find out more about the role of research in supporting business at the University of Wales, Newport, please contact the Business Support Line on 01633 432400 or visit www.
newport.ac.uk
partner feature
Driving forward quality
Applied research is not just about creating journal articles and debate with academic colleagues around the world. At the University of Wales,
Newport research forms a key part of driving the development of learning and teaching, as well as supporting the University’s services for business. The University’s Centre
for Excellence in Learning and Teaching seeks to drive forward the quality of learning at Newport through its research, seeking out best practice and disseminating it across the institution. Newport has research
strengths across many diverse areas, from business to computing, digital media to robotics and photography. In the last national Research
Assessment Exercise, Newport was ranked 55th best in Britain and fifth best in Wales for the quality of its research, with much of it being ranked as world leading. The bringing together of the
fields of arts and business at the City Campus has further helped to strengthen the university’s collaborative research strength. Newport’s wide range of
business services, including consultancy services, placements and business advice can also help local businesses tap into the research skills of academics. Newport’s academics can work with businesses to look at market conditions, access new thinking and drive forward their plans for growth. If you think that you could
benefit from this, and would like a no obligation discussion about how Newport’s university could help your business, please call the Business Development Team on 01633 432400.
Alexandra Dobson (centre) see BARC as a great tool for helping businesses to understand the pressures that they face from the growing importance of accountability
THEbusiness QUARTER 15 THEbusiness QUARTER 15
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