This trend of looking to social responsibility when choosing an outsourcing vendor is listed as the No. 1 trend in the field for 2008 by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP). The association predicts that companies providing, using or offering advice on outsourcing will increasingly develop standards that go beyond pure business objectives to address ethical questions. It expects that these standards will touch on topics that indicate how a company interacts with people, the community and the environment.

This isn’t just a feel-good move, however. Proponents say that outsourcing providers with socially responsible policies will find that corporate citizenship has business value too by lowering expenses, such as the cost of replacing burned-out employees, and provide better outcomes.

It has attracted the attention of Dariusz Sus, head of global business process outsourcing product development at Capgemini, a global outsourcing provider. He says there has been an increase in clients inquiries about his company’s compensation plans, diversity initiatives and work schedules. He says clients want to ensure that Capgemini treats employees fairly so it can attract and retain qualified workers. As time goes on, Sus believes that this trend of focusing on social responsibility will only soon hit the mainstream.

For a few people like Kifer, it already has.

Full Article written by Mary K. Pratt can be found here.

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