I’ve just finished reading Help for Heroes, a very touching and inspiring book, narrating stories of British soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty and who’s courage and determination not to let the traumas and injuries of war prevent them from accomplishing what they want to achieve in life; it’s a very humbling book and one I strongly recommend.

My thoughts passed to a large firm of accountants whose offices I regularly pass overlooking a major intersection; emblazoned across the front of the building is the proclamation that they support XYZ charity.

Now call me cynical but I found the “luvvies” with their arms draped around some poor unfortunate soldier and the four-foot square sign from the firm of accountants, somewhat jarring and false.

Does a business think that charity sponsorship is as mandatory as a social media strategy and therefore need to stage-managed in the same way? doesn’t charity come from our beliefs and our ethics or am I missing something?

There should be ethics in business because we are the ones imparting our position (that we have been granted by our consumers, let’s not forget) upon our Customers and Clients; does not that inherent trust automatically bring a responsibility of social conscience with it?

From the Directors that I talk to, they say it’s difficult enough juggling the demands already made upon them without having to consider yet another dimension and so it sits there, often unaddressed.

I believe however that it can be addressed, hopefully not in the same way I’ve commented upon above, but more in the style of Joanna Lumley, Jim Davidson, the late Bob Monkhouse and innumerable other dedicated, hard-working, selfless and often nameless individuals across our country.

They don’t shout “look at me” instead they say “look at them”