Ghana business code develops implementation manual

Improving Business Practice (IBP), the organisation managing the Ghana Business Code (GHBC) has developed an implementation manual with the aim of inspiring Ghanaian enterprises to comply with the code.

The implementation manual seeks to explain the GHBC in detail, emphasising why a particular issue is vital, examples of non-compliance and implementation guidelines on how to implement the code.

So far, 120 companies have signed on to the code since its inception in 2006, thus expressing their commitment to best business practices according to international standards.

These companies are large and small companies, which include some of the biggest companies like Unilever and Accra Breweries, while Bits and Pieces, Tema, are some of the smaller ones.

At a media interaction in Accra, yesterday, the Manager of Improving Business Practice, Mr. John Oduro, noted that “although membership sign on is encouraging, there is the need to reach even a greater number of companies and the public, stressing that it is important that the business community and the general public alike get to appreciate the need for businesses to operate by a set of standards that will help create trust between an enterprise and its stakeholders”.

To this end, he disclosed that his outfit has stepped up comprehensive awareness programmes to educate the business sector and the public about the GHBC. These programmes are in line with the organisation's commitment to facilitate best business practices among the business community.

Improving Business Practice is currently set to introduce several activities to intensify its public education campaigns through the mass media as well as personal and small groups' communication activities, Mr. Oduro added.

Mr. Kim Clausen, an International Communications Specialist attached to the project that supports the Ghana Business Code stated that the reason why the project seeks to involve the media, is to explain what the initiative will offer an enterprise in terms of improved operations, management and public relations to help convince companies to sign on to the code.

Instructively, The Ghana Business Code is a set of norms based on the universal principles referred to in the United Nations Compact 10 principles, relating to human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.

The code was started in 2006 as an initiative by the Business Associations, namely the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GNCCI), and supported by the Danish Development Assistance.

The purpose of the Ghana Business Code is to strengthen practices in the business sector, as a voluntary initiative by the business sector itself.