EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: Striking balance between employee safety and profits.(corporate manslaughter bill has implications for all businesses)

The corporate manslaughter bill has implications for all businesses, not just those engaged in industries with obvious safety issues such as construction or mining. Peter White explains how the legislation will require every company that provides company cars to review its policy

Corporate manslaughter legislation will be causing corporations and their senior executives considerable trouble in the near future.

The bill will create a new offence holding organisations to account when senior management negligence has fatal consequences. While such changes have been mooted for a number of years, they are finally being made a legislative priority.

There has been significant discussion around the intricacies of the planned proposals and changes are certain to have a great impact on the way companies work. Companies will need to strike a balance between responsible health and safety and running a profitable business.

Research compiled by law firm CMS Cameron McKenna suggests that while 49 per cent of organisations believe the new offence of corporate manslaughter will promote better health and safety performance, some 72 per cent also believe it will encourage risk-averse behaviour and more bureaucratic internal working practices.

Fiona Mactaggart MP, the minister for law reform, recently …