ACID head calls for CSR statements

With the UK General Election getting closer, it was no surprise to learn that Dids Macdonald, CEO of Anti Copying in Design (ACID), took the opportunity of World Intellectual Property Day last Monday to write an open letter to the Chancellor, which reads in part:

"... WIPO Day 2010 will also see the start of a new and ongoing campaign launched by ACID (Anti Copying in Design) to encourage UK PLCs to include the respect for intellectual property (IP) in their Corporate Social Responsibility commitments. As a result of the pioneers and campaigners, many PLCs now focus on ethical issues - human rights, sustainability, the environment, employee welfare, etc., but all too often the communication of high ethical standards and respect for IP do not get a mention. A simple statement such as, "(name of company) respects the intellectual property rights of other companies and individuals" would go a long way to ensure that UK innovators and creators could rely on the knowledge that they could trade with ethical companies who demonstrate a commitment to encourage respect for IP. According to the British Library and IP Centre 79% of users prefer to work with companies who have ethical standards.

The economy will play a central role in the election campaign and future Chancellors must show how they will stimulate recovery from the longest recession in modern times. Tax, financial regulation and public spending policy will be at the top of the agenda. However, another effective way to foster the green shoots of recovery is by innovation, creativity and a knowledge economy encouraging collaborative use of IP, safe from the threats of infringement. Key UK PLCs who take the important step of declaring their positive policy on intellectual property within their CSR will compel other market leaders to follow suit and, hopefully, it will become a "must have" for ethical trading inclusion. After all, in tough economic times it will be the knowledge economy and the encouragement of innovation and creativity which will be a significant stamp in the passport to economic recovery. Currently the UK Creative Industries contribute 8.2% to the UK's GDP. ...

I do hope that amongst the many challenges a new chancellor will have to juggle to re-ignite the economy will be a simple Government endorsement to encourage key UK PLCs to include respect for intellectual property within Corporate Social Responsibility. Others will follow suit".

The good thing about CSR commitments is that they don't cost governments anything, they cost implementing companies very little and they cause a lot of embarrassment when, having been breached or forgotten, they are drawn to the attention of the media. The bad thing about them is that they are of little use in a court of law and that they're not incompatible with fairly regular infringement by, for example, importers and retailers who have no easy means of respecting unregistered design rights which they don't know exist. It will be interesting to see if any other pro-IP bodies and organisations take up the call, and what sort of difference it might make to the current commercial environment.