DAME Anita Roddick was the high-profile speaker at the launch of a new series of seminars being staged over the next year by Basingstoke College of Technology - and she gave her audience plenty of food for thought with her controversial views on business ethics.

The Body Shop founder addressed Basingstoke business leaders at a special event at The ARK, which was relayed live by the video conferencing systems of AuDeo, based at Chineham Business Park, to a second audience at BCOT.

Dame Anita pulled no punches in her talk, entitled "Business with a Conscience". She opened her address by saying: "I come here as a renegade business leader. A leadership totally influenced by the fact that I am essentially an activist and agitator.

"I've been in business now for over 27 years, with the zealousness of a religious convert trying to put altruism back on the business agenda.

"I founded and established one of the top global brands. Some of the time it felt a little fraudulent because it appeared so easy and instinctive, and at other times, it felt a little like management falling apart at the seams."

She said: "I look back over the last 27 years and I see it was remark-able. While many businesses have pursued what I call 'business as usual', we have been part of a different, smaller business movement - one that has tried to put idealism back on the agenda and, as a result, The Body Shop has been one of the architects of social responsibility.

"We have a proven track record that you can make a profit as well as a positive contribution to the community; you can trade on a global scale and you can stick your neck out with campaigns for human rights; you can open up shops on more high streets and speak out about the social problems in that community."

Dame Anita outlined many of the campaigns she has fought and the way The Body Shop has tried to put something back into society and the communities of the world. She said: "Many of us in business, especially when we travel in the majority world and see the results of Western economic policies, are outraged by much of what our economic institutions have bought into."

She added: "When business can roam from country to country with few restrictions in its search for the lowest wages, the loosest environmental regulations, and the most docile and desperate workers, the destruction of livelihoods and cultures, the results can be terrifying."

Dame Anita, who visited staff in the Basingstoke town centre branch of The Body Shop during the day, was introduced by Judith Armstrong, the new principal of BCOT, and a question and answer session was chaired by Mark Davies, former chief executive of the North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The panel included Mrs Armstrong, Chris Ferrer, director of property services for Sainsbury's, and Cllr Rob Donnelly, leader of Basingstoke council, which was a sponsor of the evening along with The ARK, AuDeo and Berry Bros & Rudd.

Cllr Donnelly urged businesses to work with the council to continue the economic prosperity of Basingstoke. He discussed initiatives such as higher learning standards and said: "We need to make many more people economically active to meet the needs of business."

Kevin Wilson, managing director of award-winning AuDeo, said it had taken two days to set up the two-way, real-time video link.

He said: "This is the first time we've done a live relay on this scale. Video conferencing is a technology that scores on all fronts.

"It gives you a competitive advantage, decreasing costs and increasing profits."

Information on future BCOT events is available on 01256 306389.