Bosses of Marks & Spencer, Thames Water, Asda and Deloitte among CEOs pledging to bridge the gap between the boardroom and the community

• HRH The Prince of Wales convenes 150 business leaders for responsible business initiative

• Youth unemployment, enterprise, Olympic legacy and  apprenticeships on the agenda for business action in 2012

A programme run by business-led charity Business in the Community (BITC) to bring CEOs face to face with some of the UK’s most pressing social issues has today received support from bosses of some of the UK’s biggest businesses. Marc Bolland, Chief Executive Marks & Spencer, Martin Baggs, Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water, Andy Clarke , Chief Executive Officer, ASDA and David Sproul, Chief Executive Deloitte are among the business leaders* that will champion The Prince's Seeing is Believing in 2012.

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Seeing is Believing is a powerful and inspiring programme which brings home to leaders their role in the community. It is only by working collaboratively with other businesses that we will create the step change needed to transform the way businesses approach responsibility and scale up this movement.

With responsible capitalism high on the public and political  agenda, findings from a BITC survey* of almost 100 chief executives released today reveals that it is first-hand experience, learning from peers and working with charities that have the most impact on business leaders by bringing home the value of responsibility.

The Seeing is Believing programme ensures that corporate responsibility is recognised as an integral part of mainstream business behaviour by inspiring and challenging business leaders to act and make a difference. Each visit, led by a senior business leader, enables participants to understand and see first-hand the role leaders can play to transform their businesses and communities for the better.

Visits typically take business leaders to community groups, charities, public and not for profit organisations. The inspiration created by the programme often leads to direct outcomes: after leading a Seeing is Believing visit in 2010, Heineken MD Stefan Orlowski took the decision to stop producing super strength ciders, a category of products most likely to contribute to alcohol misuse. In 2011 Seeing is Believing resulted in the creation of a new prison mentoring scheme involving 100 employers in the East of England and the creation of an innovative business hub in the South East enabling businesses to focus resource into projects and community partnerships to boost employability and skills.

The 2012 visit leaders was announced at a gathering of 150 chief executives from some of the UK’s leading companies who today met HRH the Prince of Wales at St James Palace during their annual report back on the professional and personal impact of Seeing is Believing over the past year, as they led visits covering issues as diverse as financial exclusion, employability, volunteering and STEM skills. The event was chaired by BBC Broadcast journalist Declan Curry.

Commenting Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: “Seeing is Believing is a powerful and inspiring programme which brings home to leaders their role in the community. It is only by working collaboratively with other businesses that we will create the step change needed to transform the way businesses approach responsibility and scale up this movement.

"This programme offers business leaders willing to take leadership on key issues the opportunity to learn, be challenged and collaborate with their peers. We are delighted that some of the biggest names in business have stepped up to take action by leading SIB visits in 2012. They are true examples of responsible leadership in action and we look forward to working with them over the coming year.”  

Since 1990, 8,000 business leaders have participated in The Prince’s Seeing is Believing programme. Hundreds of senior business leaders go on Seeing is Believing visits every year across the country and have an opportunity to report back to HRH The Prince of Wales.

For images, or the full 2011 SIB report please visits www.bitc.org.uk/sib 
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* 2012 Seeing is Believing visit leaders and themes are:

• Duncan Tait, Chief Executive Officer, Fujitsu UK & Ireland  - Scaling up business support for local communities
• Marc Bolland, Chief Executive Officer, Marks & Spencer - Employability
• Martin Baggs, Chief Executive Officer, Thames Water - Apprenticeships
• Steve Pateman, Head of UK Corporate & Commercial Banking , Santander UK - Enterprise
• Peter Mather, Regional Vice President Europe, and Head of Country, UK BP Plc – Enterprise & Olympic Legacy
• David Sproul, Chief Executive and Senior Partner, Deloitte LLP – Enterprise and Olympic Legacy
• Volker Beckers, Chief Executive Officer, RWE npower – Community investment
• Andy Clarke , Chief Executive Officer, ASDA Stores Limited - Youth unemployment
• David Atkins , Chief Executive Officer, Hammerson - Employment

**Business in the Community Leadership Survey, November 2011