corporate social responsibility: about the project

Around all the fun we're having (!), we're actually here to do two pretty serious projects.  I may have mentioned earlier that the 11 of us are split into 2 project teams:  my team is doing a corporate social responsibility strategy and the other subteam is doing a knowledge and data management project.  Both teams have the same client, Al Ain Municipality, which is the local government here in Al Ain.  It's shocking to realize that tomorrow marks the halfway point for both our projects.


So what is corporate social responsibility (CSR)?

The simple answer to this question is that CSR is the voluntary engagement in environmental and social problems by corporations, who collaborate with the public sector.  As an example, the program that brought me to UAE - Corporate Service Corps - is one of IBM's CSR initiatives.  It meets the criteria for CSR because IBM provides resources (people, money) to emerging economies to provide solutions for community problems.  Both the local community and IBM realize benefits - emerging economies get the benefit of IBM skills, experience and solutions and IBM develops leadership skills for its employees and finds new markets.  It's a win-win situation.  CSR has become very prominent among large companies as both the public and private sector has realized that complex environmental and social issues require a collaborative approach.

What's interesting in our particular situation is that the local government wants to develop their own CSR strategy.  In most of the world, multinational and other corporations hold the CSR strategy, the resources, and the initiatives that they then take to disadvantaged parts of the world.  Going back to the Corporate Service Corps program, the program and resources belong to IBM and the program is executed in places like Tanzania, Philippines, India, Mexico, etc.

However, this model of CSR doesn't really apply in the Middle East - here, countries like the UAE have plenty of resources (particularly funding).  Unlike other emerging economies, Middle Eastern governments are able to develop their own CSR strategies, create programs and other initiatives and then provide their own funding.  They may (or may not) engage the private sector to help.  In one local CSR example, the Sheik of Dubai created a program called Dubai Cares, in which the royal family provided money that provides quality early education programs for over 7 million children in 28 countries.  Dubai Cares does engage private companies to assist with Dubai Cares, so this initiative does meet globally-accepted definitions of CSR.  But, most common definitions of CSR do not apply very well to Middle Eastern government entities, so this region is redefining social responsibility initiated from the public sector.

The project I'm on will help our client develop the strategy that governs their local CSR work.  It will help them identify projects in line with the new strategy, better understand CSR projects already in progress and identify new initiatives they may not have thought about yet.  With a strategy in place, they will be better prepared to take control of their own destiny and engage the private sector in meaningful ways that are relevant to them.

It's really a tremendous project - hugely compressed timeframe and an international team in a foreign place.  Aside from all the incredible things I've learned from my teammates, I've learned so much already about what's going on in cities worldwide to promote things like human rights, fair labor practices, environmental sustainability, community involvement and fair operating practices.  I'll also say that the U.S. is definitely not in a leadership position for CSR practices - that becomes abundantly clear when you research what places like Melbourne (Australia), Calgary (Canada), Curitiba (Brazil) and even Cardiff (Wales) are doing, especially in the area of environmental sustainability.

We've still got a ton of work to do but this project definitely speaks to my idealistic, altruistic self - I think she's been sitting in a dark closet for a while now.  So nice to get out and see the sunshine!  

Next week will be super-busy with multiple presentations and workshops, since we've now completed all the background research and will get into the heart of our engagement.  Watch this space for more updates!  #ibmcsc uae