Evaluating UK Employment Law and Corporate Social Responsibility

This essay provides an overview of the UK's employment law structure, examining its sources in common law, legislation, and European law, while also considering the balance of power between employers and employees. It discusses key legislation such as the Employment Relations Act and the National Minimum Wage Act. Furthermore, the essay delves into the extent to which corporations take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously, highlighting strategies like philanthropy, improving operational effectiveness, and transforming business models. It concludes that while UK employment law aims to protect employees' rights, corporations are increasingly recognizing their social responsibilities, contributing to a more ethical and sustainable business environment. Desklib provides students access to similar solved assignments.

Business Law and
Ethics

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
Discuss the broad structure of UK Employment Law and indicate who you think UK ............4
Employment Law favours – either employers or employees ....................................................4
Discuss the extent to which corporations take Corporate Social Responsibility Seriously.......6
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Business law or the company law of the United Kingdom consist of the rules and
regulations with the respect to the Companies Act, 2006 of UK. In business law there are
different different areas where it applies like, in employment law, law of contract, bankruptcy
act etc. This business law came into force to protect the environment in the company sector or
in the business sector and to assure the business holders that there are some laws to protect their
business and to tell them the way to operate the business in a fair manner. There are many rights
given under the company law of UK which gives right to the business holder to sell, to buy, to
manufacture or basically how to trade in the State. To running the business, values and the ethics
are very important, it plays a crucial role to make the business successful. Nowadays, the
managers and the owners of the business were given the higher importance to the basic ethics
and they were adding the ethics in their policies (Andelman, 2021). The role of ethics in the

business is to govern the behaviour and the action of an individual and the organisation. So, in
this essay two topics are covered with the prospective of United Kingdom which are; The
structure of the UK employment law and at what extent the corporatisations take the corporate
social responsibility.
MAIN BODY
Discuss the broad structure of UK Employment Law and indicate who you think UK
Employment Law favours – either employers or employees
There are three major sources from which the employment law derived are: Common
law, legislation and European law. Provided that as Brexit is implemented , the covenant and
agreements will be no longer be implemented nor be sourced from Europe but the UK might opt
to retain European sourced legislation in domestic law. It is assumed that UK employment laws
are the worlds finest legal framework as derived from three major sources. Across the UK
enormous disputes arises between employers and employees are heard by tribunals not by the
civil courts (Kaufmann, 2021). These tribunals have their own set of procedures, rules,
regulations and jurisdiction. In case of appeal from the order of the tribunal , the party may bring
the appeal in the employment appeals tribunal.
There are various legislation in the UK that covers different elements relating to operations of
business. Some of these laws deals with the issues concerning equality in the workplace in order
to avoid the claims of discriminations. Some of the major employment laws that affect
businesses affairs are: Employment Relations Act 1996 , covers all employment rights
including contracts , unfair dismissal , parental leave and redundancy.
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998, which directs the employer to pay the minimum wage
on the basis of age with yearly increase. Employees over the age of 23 are also legally entitled to
receive the National Living Wage as to maintain basic standard of living (Knudsen, and Moon,
2022).
Employment Relations Act 1999, provides vast number of legal rights such as recognition of
trade union bodies. The rights provided to employees for taking time off to look after their new
baby covered under Maternity and Parental Leave etc. Regulations 1999, as per law the

children of employees under the age of 18 are allowed to take 18 weeks off in a year to look
after their family.
It is the duty of employers to maintain healthy and hygienic environment at workplace which is
covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. it is the legal responsibility of the
employer to provide safe working environment, carrying out risk assessment , offering staff
training and providing adequate safety equipment. The law within the scope of business
regulates : sale of goods . Consumer credits , labour relations which specifically determines
contractual rights and obligations between employers and employees .Presently, as business
sector rising with pace on national and international levels has resulting in evolution of new
areas of law developing in relation to consumer protection, employer employee relation.
In order to protect the businesses and to ensure the functioning of business fairly, Employment
laws play vital role in governing business and its every faculty. Employment law covers a wide
range of legal system in the employment relationship. The most common areas in the area of
business is owner of business, employment contract , equal pay , holiday entitlement pay.
Working hours , grievances procedures , disciplinary procedures , types of discriminations ,
equality , diversity in workplace , healthy and just environment for employees, adjustment for
employees with disabilities and many others.
The employment law prevailing in the UK by and large unacceptable by the employees, many
think that the laws on employment preventing growth of the employees particularly in respect to
unfair dismissal of the employees by their employers and it has been observe that the procedures
in relation to filing claim on grounds of unfair dismissal is a complex process and favours
employers much than employees, this indirectly concerns more to new candidates as the
businesses are showing disinterest in recruiting new employees (McClean, 2019).
Since April 2012 in order to pursue claims on grounds of unfair dismissal increased from one
year to two years, this change may give some relief to the employers by which employers will
get some time to assess employees performance. In response to this issue there have been
various consultations being conducted by the concerned department of the business to enhance
innovation and skills and to address the internal issues of unfair dismissal of the employees. The
effects of such changes may help in redressing the balance between employers and employees.

Discuss the extent to which corporations take Corporate Social Responsibility Seriously
While embarking the corporate social responsibility many companies have adopted it,
whereas the actions which are expected by the organisation such as producing determined
product, deploring fair prices for the goods and the services with managing the margins of the
profits and concerning paying fair and just wages to the workers of the organisation. The ethical
matters of CSR includes looking after for the environment and being considerate towards the
social reforms. The load of organisation which are working on the pro - social enterprises and
the ventures sharing the information wit the valuable customers and the communities which they
are involved with or doing business, the corporations hold a flack of faith with their share
owners, it is a truth and facts for the shareholders which are working for the community, have
small profit value in the institution and which are manufacturing sights near the area of
corporation. The ideal epitome of the CSR facilitates the managers for professing the social
goods of their new products and latest undertakings. There is a growing awareness in the actions
of human which made the organisation clarify the stakeholders about the concern in regards to
the sustainability and the objects of the surroundings (Morrison, 2019). The CSR is become an
opportunity to promote the firm and to represent the firm in the society as a environmental or
socially friendly. If the CSR is used in a positive way then it will give the profitable shape to the
organisation. In the recent years the CSR maintain a corporate relationship with the Non- Profit
organisation, it creates the charitable image of the company. When the company is following the
CSR properly then it will help the business domestically as well as globally, with the help of
CSR the company can engage in a well manner with the customers which will give benefits to
the company. When the company becomes socially responsible then its improve the name of the
brand or image and the company will become well known in the society and its become a very
popular way to promote the brand. The employees of the company would also like to work at
that place which are environment friendly. When the employees work in a good atmosphere they
become more innovative and it will help them to work in their full capacity.
To maximise the positive impact on the social and environment the companies must
adopt following strategies;
Philanthropy – this is the strategy to directly improve the business performance by
donating money or the equipments, deal with the community initiatives and support the
employees (Quoquab and Mohammad, 2019).

Improving operational effectiveness – company's motive is not always to increase the
revenue or decrease the cost but sometimes the sustainability initiatives which reduce the use of
the resource, waste which may turn to reduce the cost, investment in employee working
condition, health care, education which helps the company to enhance its reputation.
Transforming the business model - to establish the business the stakeholder has to
transform the business and adopt the strategies which helps the environment and give benefits to
the company as well. For example, despite of distributing the products through wholesaler to
retailer in the remote areas the company can hire the woman of that village to distribute the
products of the company after giving them a well training.
CONCLUSION
To successfully implement the business ethics a business must be operate on its best
strength, work on the weakness of the business and to deal with all the threats. Without the
ethics none of the business can run for a long period of time because, the consumers not only
demand the products but also wants the well deserved behaviour which makes them interested to
contribute in the business. So, the ethics are not only work inside or home whereas, to run the
business effective and efficient ethics played a crucial role. According to the above essay the UK
employment law is inclined towards the employees as discussed above the various laws were
framed to protect the rights of the employees. But, it doesn't mean that the employment law of
UK does not help the employers, they also got the safeguard under the act, however its more
positive on the side of the employees. Corporations are not only running by only fulfilling their
official duties, nowadays most of the corporations were understood the responsibility towards
society, and most of the companies were promoting their activities which they were doing for
the betterment of the society. The different companies can fulfil the different social
responsibilities, as per their work.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Andelman, L., 2021. Employment law: Beyond the bounds of Uber: Implications for
Australia. LSJ: Law Society of NSW Journal, (76), pp.74-76.
Kaufmann, L., 2021. Feminist Epistemology and Business Ethics. Business Ethics Quarterly,
pp.1-27.
Knudsen, J.S. and Moon, J., 2022. Corporate social responsibility and government: The role of
discretion for engagement with public policy. Business Ethics Quarterly, 32(2), pp.243-
271.
McClean, D., 2019, September. State and church in the United Kingdom. In State and church in
the European Union (pp. 657-676). Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG.
Morrison, K., 2019. HR Theory and Employment Law. In Management for Scientists. Emerald
Publishing Limited.
Quoquab, F. and Mohammad, J. eds., 2019. Green behavior and corporate social responsibility in
Asia. Bingley: Emerald Publishing.