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Four in five Britons believe many companies pretend to be ethical just to sell more products, compared to just over two-thirds in 2005. Almost 80% are also of the opinion that companies need to back up their ethical claims with proof.

The research, by Ipsos MORI for SEE Potential, has been published to coincide with the launch of SEE Companies, a new accreditation scheme.

SEE Companies accreditation seeks to differentiate businesses that are able prove their Social, Environmental and Ethical (SEE) claims from those that are not. It helps people base purchasing, employment and investment decisions on SEE criteria. Accredited companies are licensed to display the SEE Companies Logo on packaging and marketing materials, making identification easy.

Michael Solomon, founder and managing director of SEE Potential commented:
"In the past two years, concern over issues like global poverty, working conditions in the developing world, species extinction and climate change has become more widespread. Business has reacted with claims of increasing responsibility.

"In some cases these claims have been based on solid SEE policies and practices but in others they have not. Until now it has been incredibly difficult to identify genuine SEE business. The launch of SEE Companies tackles this problem head on."

The SEE Companies initiative accredits companies, not individual products. It encompasses a broad range of SEE issues, rather than a single issue, including: Community Relations, Corporate Governance, Donations and Payments, Environment, Human Rights, Marketplace Ethics and Workforce.

To become a SEE accredited company, the company has to answer 35 questions, based on the issues above, which were developed in collaboration with ActionAid, Christian Aid, the Commission for Racial Equality, Tax Justice Network, World Land Trust and Survival International.

Though most of the questions require a Yes/No response, the companies to need to provide supporting information, which will be available for all to see on the See Companies website.

Julian Oram, Policy Officer, Trade and Corporates Team, ActionAid UK, said:
"ActionAid believes that increased transparency is vital for greater confidence in the information provided by business. Annual reports tend to be limited in scope. The SEE Companies initiative focuses corporate attention on a wide range of areas, requiring businesses to consider how their policies and practices affect societies and the environment."

Michael Solomon added:
"Accreditation is challenging because it requires transparency on all SEE issues. The level of scrutiny required for accreditation may, at first, be uncomfortable for some businesses. However, they should take reassurance from the fact that people do not have unrealistic expectations of business, they just prefer more straight-talking: nine out of ten believe it’s better for companies to be honest rather than pretend to be squeaky clean."