Article Review - Csr and Its Effectiveness in Poorer Communities
Article Reference
Newel, P (2005) ‘Citizenship, accountability and community: the limits of the CSR agenda’, International Affairs, 81 (3) May, pp. 541-557.
Objective of Article
The writer attempted to highlight the benefits and limitations of CSR, the challenges facing its implementation particularly in poorer communities that do not enjoy a good relationship with their local corporate industry due to the absence of strong state socio-economic agencies, poor legislation, and access to NGOs amongst other things.
The article sought to assess how CSR was being interpreted by companies and communities, the role state governments have played in ensuring that companies fulfilled their obligations and areas where improvement was needed.
The writer also looked at several community driven initiatives with a view to critically analysing their legality, effectiveness and justification.
Understanding CSR
The World Bank defines Corporate Social Responsibility as the “commitment of business to managing and improving the economic, environmental and social implications of its activities at the firm, local, regional and global levels. CSR can be used as a framework through which business engages in multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.”1
Writer’s Concern (Issues Raised about CSR)
The writer observed that measures put in place to ensure that companies conduct their businesses in a responsible manner in the west have not been applied in developing countries. Some of these include economic, legal and ethical responsibilities required by states and international bodies like the World Bank Care International Business Partners for Development Scheme, World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Citizenship Initiative amongst others. The writer expressed concern that companies in some cases assumed CSR initiatives were just “one-off philanthropic projects instead of a set of strategically planned efforts consistent with companies’ own corporate
Newel, P (2005) ‘Citizenship, accountability and community: the limits of the CSR agenda’, International Affairs, 81 (3) May, pp. 541-557.
Objective of Article
The writer attempted to highlight the benefits and limitations of CSR, the challenges facing its implementation particularly in poorer communities that do not enjoy a good relationship with their local corporate industry due to the absence of strong state socio-economic agencies, poor legislation, and access to NGOs amongst other things.
The article sought to assess how CSR was being interpreted by companies and communities, the role state governments have played in ensuring that companies fulfilled their obligations and areas where improvement was needed.
The writer also looked at several community driven initiatives with a view to critically analysing their legality, effectiveness and justification.
Understanding CSR
The World Bank defines Corporate Social Responsibility as the “commitment of business to managing and improving the economic, environmental and social implications of its activities at the firm, local, regional and global levels. CSR can be used as a framework through which business engages in multi-stakeholder partnership for sustainable development.”1
Writer’s Concern (Issues Raised about CSR)
The writer observed that measures put in place to ensure that companies conduct their businesses in a responsible manner in the west have not been applied in developing countries. Some of these include economic, legal and ethical responsibilities required by states and international bodies like the World Bank Care International Business Partners for Development Scheme, World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Citizenship Initiative amongst others. The writer expressed concern that companies in some cases assumed CSR initiatives were just “one-off philanthropic projects instead of a set of strategically planned efforts consistent with companies’ own corporate
References: The Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European Economic and Social Committee “Implementing the Partnership for Growth and Jobs: Making Europe a Pole of Excellence on Corporate Social Responsibility.” Brussels, 22.3.2006. COM 136 Final. World Bank Institute, The Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), The Arab Labour Organisation “Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Citizenship in the Arab World” Conference. (November 21-22, 2006) 1 and 2 Ned Potter, Ryan Owens and Kate McCarthy “Gulf of Mexico Oil Hits Coast; White House Calls Spill Event of 'National Significance.” (April 30, 2010) http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Eco/bp-oil-spill-national-significance-obama administration/story?id=10509844.