The writer is the CEO of the CSR Centre and can be reached at ceo@csrcentre-bd.org
The ongoing revolution in communication, technology, and travel, underpinned by broader political, economic and social changes has made all businesses in any country become a part of a wider global market. Today corporate operate in a very different environment. Their priorities are now dictated by challenges in the name of competition, the emergence of stricter regulations, different complex consumer demands and many other factors. Such developments have opened an opportunity for businesses, to open new markets and manage their growth outside their home base, take advantage of capabilities located in other parts of the world and to build a competitive edge.
In the globalized world, business is becoming less and less described solely through the prism of economic categories. Increasingly, it is becoming a source of innovations that can help solve important social and environmental problems. The concept of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) brings an important contribution to this stratosphere. CSR has had an increasing impact on shaping the relationship between businesses and societies. It ensures that corporations promote corporate citizenship as part of their culture. CSR is about businesses transforming their role from merely selling products and services with a profit-making view to the development of a society through their abilities to generate capital and investing it for social empowerment.
Corporate Social Responsibility can be viewed as a comprehensive set of policies, practices, and programs that are integrated into business operations, supply chains, and decision-making processes throughout the organization. Wherever the organization does business, it includes responsibility for current and past actions as well as future impacts. CSR involves addressing the legal, ethical, commercial and other expectations society has from business and making decisions that fairly balance the claims of all key stakeholders.
With the completion of MDGs in 2015, there was the subsequent introduction of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) which specifically targets seventeen goals to achieve a better balance between the economic, social and environmental dimensions. Businesses, as well as national and international development partners, are increasingly becoming engaged in creating “a sustainable – responsible future for all” in Bangladesh. As resources become scarce and Bangladesh experiences a growing population, CSR initiatives are molding ways in which communities and businesses work together towards creating an accountable and transparent mechanism to create an enabling environment for socio-economic growth. The Government of Bangladesh has a pivotal role in this process to achieve its vision of a middle-income country by 2021 and has already implemented a number of programs and processes towards achieving its goal. There is a growing recognition that CSR, if strategically deployed, could aid in the implementation of SDG goals in social, economic and environmental sectors. It would also create business opportunities for the corporates and private sectors and bring positive impacts on enhancing productivity, creating jobs, ensuring workers benefit as well.
During the last few years, there has been a sudden process of recognizing the critical importance of CSR in business. Most of the larger businesses are already linking CSR into their operational philosophies whereas other entities are grappling to understand the benefits of introducing CSR into their business plans. The CSR Centre has been building CSR awareness and outreach not only in the business realm but also amongst other stakeholders for over the past eight years. Through strategic investments and innovative projects, organizations like Viyellatex Group, IDLC Finance, BRAC Bank Ltd., Grameenphone Ltd., Robi Axiata Ltd., Square Group, ACI Ltd., DBL Group, Epyllion Group, Bangladesh Bank, Rahim Afrooz Ltd., etc. are delivering visible socio-economic and environmental benefits which include:
i. Empowerment of marginal communities, especially women, through skills development and alternative livelihood opportunities
ii. Quality education for underprivileged children
iii. Rural community development through enhanced agricultural productivity, clean drinking water, and sanitation
iv. Training and awareness build-up on health, safety and nutritional issues
v. Addressing climate change and its impacts through environmentally sustainable financing, green products and practices, in-house management, tree plantation, and conservation
The CSR Centre in Bangladesh was founded through the need to establish strategic CSR in Bangladesh. It is the only entity in the country which does research, policy advocacy, capacity building, training and implementations on strategic CSR. As the Focal Point of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) which is the largest CSR platform globally, it advocates for all UN initiatives as well as the ten UNGC Principles and the SDGs.
The CSR Centre defines CSR as “a set of business practices based on ethical norms and transparency that contributes to the sustainable development of both internal and external stakeholders in the best interest of the business, society, and the environment”
In Bangladesh, the CSR Centre has developed a “National CSR Policy for Children” and drafted the “National CSR Guideline” under relevant Ministry of Government of Bangladesh with the support of development partners. The term CSR has already been introduced in the export-oriented sectors due to international trade compliance and standards and has created remarkable examples in areas such as the Ready Made Garment (RMG) sector in Bangladesh. The organization, in partnership with BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiatives), has been conducting intense training for managers in the RMG sector on:
i. Getting Started with BSCI
ii. Fair remuneration & Decent Work
iii. Occupational Health and Safety Management
iv. Introduction to Social Management System
v. Grievance Mechanism and so on
The CSR Centre’s mission is to be the catalyst which helps Bangladesh transform into a value driven society where businesses can thrive based on transparency, accountability and fulfilling global standards through strategic CSR approaches. By encouraging public, private and development sectors towards promoting responsible business it links SDGs and CSR to achieve business benefits by creating a holistic sustainability process.
