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Listen now: HR's role in responsible business

What does it take to be a responsible business? HR magazine editor Jo Gallacher put this question to 2021's top thinker Shereen Daniels, managing director of HR Rewired, in the latest episode of the HR Most Influential podcast.

Until recently, Daniels argued, there was a lack of responsibility in business. 

She said: "All the traditional ways of thinking about business has now changed partly because of the pandemic, or partly because we have just seen an increase in awareness of social justice issues such as racism and climate change - there was a lack of responsibility up until that point."

Workers have new expectations of employers, Daniels added, which has forced companies to change in kind.

She said: "When you start to understand that the traditional, transactional approach to said employee with said employer has fundamentally changed. Organisations do have a responsibility to think about the ecosystem of what sits around their employees.

"You can't just pretend that everything that people are going through in their lives stops the moment they hit the front door of your office."

Catch up on the full discussion here, where you can also find Eugenio Pirri's thoughts on communicating purpose and David Frost's tips for building lifelong learning.

You can subscribe to the HR Most Influential podcast wherever you like to listen - available now on Spotify and Apple.

HR Most Influential 2021 and the HR Most Influential podcast is sponsored by HireRight.