FIRST

William Hague presents FIRST Responsible Capitalism Awards 2014

4th December 2014

José Ignacio Sánchez Galán CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Iberdrola S.A receives the Responsible Capitalism Award for his successful leadership of one of the largest renewable energy companies in the world.

Rahmi M. Koç CBE, Honorary Chairman of Koç Holding A.Ş, receives the Responsible Capitalism Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the Turkish economy and his investment in healthcare, education and cultural programmes across Turkey.

Sir Richard Lambert, Founding Chairman of the Banking Standards Review Council, was awarded the Responsible Capitalism Advocacy Award for his for his work in striving to improve professional standards throughout the banking sector.

Kay Allen OBE, Founder of Really Useful Stuff and Trading for Good, was awarded the SME Dahrendorf Responsible Capitalism Award for her dedicated work with the disabled community and her promotion of small businesses and corporate responsibility.

The FIRST Responsible Capitalism Awards 2014 were presented by Rt Hon. William Hague MP at a special 15th Anniversary Award ceremony at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London, attended by over 300 prominent business leaders, Parliamentarians and Ambassadors. First Secretary of State and Leader of the House of Commons, William Hague commented “I welcome the 2014 FIRST Awards for Responsible Capitalism. I am very grateful to FIRST and much appreciate the important contribution it makes to discussions on Foreign Policy.”

When making the Award, the Judges, chaired by Lord Woolf, are looking for leaders who have consistently demonstrated social responsibility as an integral part of commercial success, examining in particular the manner in which their business interacts both with the environment and the communities in which they operate.

In his opening speech, Lord Woolf, Chairman of FIRST Judging Panel said “In this the 15th Anniversary of the establishment of the First Awards for Responsible Capitalism the field of candidates from which the award winners had to be selected was remarkably strong so it was only with the greatest difficulty that the panel of judges were able to select the four outstanding individuals who are the winners of the awards.”

On receiving the FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism, José Ignacio Sánchez Galán CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Iberdrola S.A, said “We are very honoured to receive this award. Iberdrola now supplies ever cleaner and more reliable energy to over one hundred million people in the world. We are convinced that the business world must do things differently and that a new capitalism is needed, based on values like honesty, effort and responsibility. We therefore have a business model based on long term vision, ethics and transparency and integration of people and culture. Today’s award motivates us to continue developing this model and also reinforces our commitment to the UK, which has an increasing presence in our company and hearts.”

The FIRST Responsible Capitalism Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Rahmi M. Koç CBE, Honorary Chairman of Koç Holding A.Ş. On accepting this award Rahmi M. Koç said “The Koc Group has always been committed to the kind of responsible capitalism that this Lifetime Achievement award is recognising. The creation and use of wealth through responsible capitalism is crucial to resolve the world’s problems. I am delighted that such an eminent international panel, with the world to choose from, has selected this Turkish success story, and in doing so has honoured my beloved country and its extraordinary people.”

The Responsible Capitalism Advocacy Award was awarded to Sir Richard Lambert, Founding Chairman of the Banking Standards Review Council, who said “Responsible capitalism has two essential ingredients. The first is a sense of purpose that goes beyond the next quarter’s earnings numbers, and puts the needs of the customer front and centre of business priorities. The second is an inclusive approach that takes into account the interests of employees and of the wider community, as well as those of the management and the shareholders.”

On receiving the FIRST Responsible Capitalism Dahrendhorf Award for the SME sector, Kay Allen OBE said “I am delighted to receive this award which is a tribute to the hard work of the teams at both Trading for Good and Really Useful Stuff. For me, being in business is all about strong purpose and passion, making a difference and leaving a legacy – which we have proved can be achieved as well as making money.”