Business

Ethics
CSR - D

J. Oloba Z.
+256-785552288
Slide Outline
 Response to Hillary
 Importance of CSR
 CSR Standards development
 CSR limitations
Traditional View of CSR
Response to Hillary!
Large corporations – small business!
• CSR causes implementation issues because one
size does not fit all.

• Large corporations: standardisation and

formulation

• Smaller business: organic structure, looser and

informal.

…this leads to significant differences in CSR

approach
Response to Hillary!
Large corporations – small business!
• Large corporations often have a CSR
policy which is developed at board level
and implemented from the top down.

• CSR in smaller businesses often seen as

an additional activity (Jenkins, 2004;
Schaper & Savery, 2004).

• Academic research is dominated by

analysis of CSR in larger organizations
Importance of CSR
• Corporate Social Responsibility has
become more and more of a business
and societal imperative across the
African continent.
• Over the past decade, many leading
African companies and brands have
committed to CSR campaigns that have
benefited millions of people.
• African businesses have not been
formally recognized or rewarded for
these initiatives (HRPulse, 2018)
Importance of CSR
• For the past 10 years however, businesses
across West Africa have had the opportunity
to showcase their CSR projects and be
awarded and recognized for the most
innovative, effective and sustainable projects
• Through The Sustainability, Enterprise and
Responsibility Awards (SERAS).
• A range of top businesses including MTN,
Exxon Mobile, Samsung, Total Nigeria and
British American Tobacco have all been
recognized by the SERAS for their CSR
initiatives across West Africa.
Importance of CSR
• The Sustainability, Enterprise and
Responsibility Awards is expanding
beyond its West African roots and is
now open to businesses in east and
southern Africa.
• Recognizing this work is of critical
importance in ensuring the continued
sustainability of CSR on the continent.
Importance of CSR
• As part of its program to recognize the
importance of CSR, The SERAs also produce
The Social Enterprise Report that documents
the sustainability interventions of corporate
organizations across Africa.
• This publication targets all the players in CSR
and sustainability, thus providing an
effective, unique and strategic platform for
corporate organizations to demonstrate to
their stakeholders how they are positively
impacting and engaging with the
communities where they do business.
Importance of CSR
• Companies can enter in a range of Award
Categories as well as based on their size.
• The awards are adjudicated by an
international panel of experts including:
– Indira Kartallozi (founder Chrysalis Family Future
based in the UK),
– Rob Okiyi (Standards Org of Nigeria),
– Tunde Arogunmati ( president- Nigeria Britain
Chamber of Commerce),
– Dr Veronica Broomes ( British sustainability expert),
– Deborah Leipziger (American and author of
Corporate Responsibility code book and SA8000
and worked intensively with the UN amongst
others.)
Importance of CSR
The awards categories are as follows:
1. Best Company in Poverty Reduction
2. Best Company in Eradication of Hunger
3. Best Company in Promotion of Good Health &
Well -Being
4. Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality
5. Best Company in Provision of Clean Water &
Sanitation
6. Best Company in Affordable & Clean Energy
7. Best Company in Industry & Innovation
8. Best Company in Infrastructure Development
Importance of CSR
The awards categories are as follows:
9. Most Sustainable Cities/Communities Award
10.Best Company Responsible Consumption &
Production
11.Best Company in Climate Action
12.Best Company in Partnership for Development
13.Best Company in Stakeholder Engagement
14.Best Company in Sustainability Reporting
15.Best Company in Supply-Chain Management
16.Best SME Company of the Y ear
17.Best in CSR Reporting (Media- Television; Print;
Radio; On-line)
18.Most Improved Company in 2018
 ETHICS
Vs.
SUCCESS!
Key CSR Standards
• As companies build up experience of CSR, the
development of standards has emerged as a
powerful tool for codifying and sharing
learning and ensuring a common standard of
practice.
• It is argued that this approach has helped to
advance the practice of corporate
responsibility, providing clarity and a
common basis of rules and braking
unproductive stalemates between businesses
and their critics (Forstater, M, Zadek,S,
Guang, Y, Yu,K, Xiao Hong, C and George, M,
2010).
Key CSR Standards
• Forstater, et al. (2010), argue that a
number of these standards are
particularly relevant to business and
development in Africa. For example:
– The Equator Principles
– Extractive Industries Transparency
Initiative (EITI)
– Forest Stewardship Council
– The Global Reporting Initiative
– The International Council for Mining and
Minerals (ICMM) Sustainable Development
Framework
Key •CSR Standards
Forstater, et al. (2010), argue that a
number of these standards are
particularly relevant to business and
development in Africa. For example:
– The Kimberley Process (KP)
– UN Global Compact (UNGC)
– Voluntary Principles on Security and
Human Rights (VPs)
Key CSR Standards
• However, while international standards for
CSR offer clarity and an established basis of
expectations, they are not always a perfect fit
with local needs and need to be adapted and
evolved, so that they are effective and useful,
and do not become barriers to entry for new
investors.
• On the other hand the lure of permitting
weaker standards for Africa should not be
allowed to encourage less than ethical global
players from ignoring the international
norms.
• A fine ethical balance is needed here.
Key CSR Standards
A few African Countries setting their own
CSR Standards:
• Ghana
• Nigeria
• Cameroon
• Kenya
• South Africa
CSR Limitations
• Cost & workload
• Business objective
• Staff morale
• Shareholders interests
• Corporate reputation

– Competitive limitations
• Expenses
• Shareholders expections
Conclusion
• Social responsibility involves walking a fine line
between conservation and consumer demand.
• Balancing environmental responsibilities with
economic considerations is not an easy task, but it's
one that many corporations are struggling with well
into the 21st century.
• This includes thinking in Long-term, which is and
added value for any Strategy within a company

WIN-WIN

STRATEGY/VALUES
Easy Life!