what is CSR 8 Q&A

8/13/2019 what is CSR 8 Q&A

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WHATISCORPORATESOCIAL

RESPONSIBILITY?

WHATISCSR?

QUESTIONS

& ANSWERS

JULY2002

8


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21STCENTURYCORPORATESOCIALREADVANCINGFAMILYPLANNINGANDREPRO

HATIS

CORPORATRESPONSIB

WWWWW

8 QUESTI& ANSWE


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CATALYST Consortium is a USAID-funded fam

health activity focused on working in Asia and thand Latin America and the Caribbean. Composed

Academy for Education and Development, The Population Activities, Meridian Group Internatioand PROFAMILIA/Colombia, CATALYST is dpartnership with the public, private and NGO seand sustaining quality family planning and reprodpractices through both clinical and non-clinical p

Special AcknowledgmentsCATALYST extends its appreciation to the HealEast Bureau, USAID/Washington for its encourcontributions in the development and production

Credits

Principal Author/Project ManagerZynia L. Rionda, MPA

ContributorsVictoria Baird, MBAChristina Kramer, MBADavid Wofford, MS

PhotographyZynia L. Rionda, MPA

Graphic DesignDe Val Grafik Source, LLC202.362.7600

July 2002, CATALYST Consortium

This material was made possible through supporterms of Cooperative Agreement No. HRN-A-0material may be reproduced, excerpted and quoteCATALYST, provided the material is distributed


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Within the world of business,

responsibility for corporations ha

make money and increase sharehold

words, corporate financial responsib

bottom line driving force. However

a movement defining broader corpo

for the environment, for local comm

conditions, and for ethical practicesmomentum and taken hold. This ne

known as corporate social responsibility

oftentimes also described as the cor

linethe totality of the corporation

environmental performance in cond

As the commercial sector incr

corporate social responsibility in its

workplace, the marketplace, and the

is presented with the unique opport

corporate partnerships that can help

sustain its health efforts in developin

The following eight questions

Introduction


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1.While there is no universal def

social responsibility, it generally refe

business practices that are based on

compliance with legal requirements,

people, communities, and the enviro

making profits, companies are respo

of their impact on people and the p

constitute the companys stakeholdecustomers, business partners, invest

vendors, the government, and the c

stakeholders expect that companies

environmentally and socially respon

their business. In the business commalternatively referred to as corpora

essentially means that a company sh

neighbor within its host communit

What isCorporate Social Resp


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2.Today, more and more compa

in order to stay productive, competi

rapidly changing business world, the

socially responsible. In the last deca

blurred national borders, and techno

time and masked distance. Given th

corporate environment, companies

ability to manage their profits and rireputation of their brands. Because

is also fierce competition for skilled

and consumer loyalty. How a compa

workers, its host communities, and t

greatly contribute to the sustainabilisuccess.

Why do companies deto get involved in CSR

how do they benefit?


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How many companies

are practicing CSR?

There are scores of CSR orga

associations promoting corporate so

with a collective membership of tho

-big, small, and medium-sized in d

the United States, San Francisco-ba

Responsibilityalone has 1,400 corpora

globally employ more than six millio

account for a total annual revenue oIn Europe, the London-based Intern

Forumcounts 60 major global comp

has established affiliate resource cen

market economies where there is a d

involvement in social causes. In devas India, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, an

business associations dedicated to C

that there are as many variations of

are CSR advocate companies and or

3.


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The business community can m

contributions in promoting good he

especially if innovative CSR initiativ

partnership with government and ci

the most remote areas or closed soc

massive reach and influence. For de

been engaged in charity, philanthrop

including social investments in healtoftentimes these investments were l

were not directed to real social chan

understands that viewed through len

doing good, CSR can be a revoluti

contributing to systemic social chaninvestments can produce lasting soc

health arena.

2 In the 1870s steel baron Andrew Carnegieenlightened industrialist by building mode

workers and prescribing eight-hour workdayIn the 1930s the Rockefeller Foundation, bethe UN and WHO functioned as the world

What does CSR mean finternational health de

4.


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There will, of course, be many

road to building health partnerships

sector. USAID and the private sectocultures, professional goals, ways of

governance structures. This can mak

complex to build the mutual trust an

needed for working together. Also,

perspective, the public sector and Nbusiness benchmarkson-time and

performance. It will be necessary to

cultural and operational differences,

groundwork for a strong and lasting

Another challenge will be for Usector to find a common ground on

will require resourceful thinking, as

cutter approaches to partnershipe

need to be especially tailored to fit e

company or organization. Historicaloften been difficult for the private s

find a standard contracting mechani

medium -to long- term partnership:

h i fi i l l l d

5.

What are the challengein working with the pr

on CSR health partner


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Both USAID and the private s

and resources. Through CSR partne

can be harnessed to promote a syne

improving the health status of local

When USAID and the private secto

addressing common health issues, th

for consumers can multiply. With le

USAID will be able to extend its famreproductive health program efforts

market-based and community-based

where the private sector has a prese

worker health can positively affect p

line productivity factors such as absmorale. With CSR investments in co

corporate brand and image areenha

stakeholders. To the extent that the

to the companys core business obje

sustainability prospects of the healtimproved, since some companies in

for the long term. Successful CSR p

raise awareness of public health issu

l d Th l h l

6.How can USAID and thsector mutually benefhealth partnerships?


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In developing countries where

presence, USAID primarily works w

through a bilateral development fram

USAID is to become involved in CS

governments must be supportive.

The specific role of the gover

health partnership will depend on thenvisioned initiative. A partnership b

and NGO sectors would not necess

governments active involvement. N

cooperation of the health ministry o

government would be essential in encommunity infrastructures or public

Whether or not the government is a

CSR initiative, or whether its role in

or informal, keeping the governmen

the initiative enhances the environm

future success. Governments have r

leveraged, such as funds, staff, expe

infrastructures. In countries where t

health policy reforms CSR partners

7.What role could host g

play in CSR partnersh


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On May 10, 2001, Colin Powe

Development Alliance as USAIDs n

as the first pillar of its reorganizatio

The GDA is based on the agencys r

dynamics of international developm

longer are governments, internation

multilateral development banks the

development funding and expertise.decade, the private sector, including

private foundations, has had an incr

human and social development.

Through GDA strategic alliancemobilize resources for addressing inte

issues. Both GDA and corporate soci

partnerships aim to stimulate new tec

by bringing in new actors and ideas to

Both also recognize the corporate sec

promoting greater productivity and so

social responsibility partnerships can b

USAID missions to draw in new reso

reaching target populations and innov

8.How can CSR partners

enhance the prospectsGlobal Development A


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Catalyst Consortium1201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036T. 202.775.1977F. 202.775.1988

www.rhcatalyst.org

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Asia and Near East BureauStrategic Planning, Operations & Technical Support (SPOTS)

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20523

www.usaid.gov

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what is CSR 8 Q&A