First Nations and Corporate CSR: In Need of Shared Assumptions - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

First Nations and Corporate CSR: In Need of Shared Assumptions - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: First Nations and Corporate CSR: In Need of Shared Assumptions

India forces companies to start charitable giving - Hindustan Times

India forces companies to start charitable giving - Hindustan Times: Indian government still struggles to provide reliable basic services to a majority of its citizens, trapping hundreds of millions of them in poverty. Now the country's richest firms have been told they must help.


Under the new amended Companies Act passed last month by Parliament, large businesses have been asked to spend 2.0% of their profits each year on "Corporate Social Responsibility" (CSR).

KPMG accuses charities of being 'bunker-minded'

KPMG accuses charities of being 'bunker-minded': KPMG’s global CSR chief got short shrift from an audience of charity people yesterday when he remarked that the voluntary sector ought to ditch its “bunker” mentality and learn from the private sector way of doing things.

Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick used his address to the Westminster Social Policy Forum to implore the voluntary sector to take a “business-driven approach to outcomes as opposed to a socially-driven approach of good intentions”.

From charity to responsibility - The Hindu

From charity to responsibility - The Hindu: Corporate social responsibility or simply CSR, as the “beyond business” initiatives of companies have come to be globally known, is a complex, evolving subject. Any serious attempt to understand it in a large, diverse, developing country like India calls for considerable research and contextual analyses. Though in vogue for centuries, more as a form of charity and largely driven by religious beliefs, CSR as a concept has matured only recently. Corporate charity initiatives continue to be viewed with suspicion by many.

Some organisations active in CSR and philanthropy in Slovakia - The Slovak Spectator

Some organisations active in CSR and philanthropy in Slovakia - The Slovak Spectator

The missing philanthropists | Business Standard

The missing philanthropists | Business Standard: ndia's growth is often compared with China's. The striking difference, however, is the history of India's merchant charity and its robust civil society. Interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) is growing, now that the Companies Bill has been cleared by the Lok Sabha and is awaiting approval in the Rajya Sabha.

CECP Insights

CECP Insights: As corporations become more global, so does their giving; businesses are targeting their CSR efforts in communities in which they operate or have a customer base. According to CECP's 2012 Giving in Numbers report, companies that generated more than half of their total revenue from abroad gave more than 20 percent of their total contributions to international programs. Countries with emerging markets (such as Brazil, India, China and many African nations) are seeing positive changes in their giving landscapes thanks in large part to major corporations viewing CSR activities in these regions as long term business investments, rather than simple philanthropy. As globalization makes the world smaller every day, supply chains, a diverse employee base and international customers make it important for even U.S.-based companies with no direct international presence to think globally when it comes to their philanthropic efforts. This is especially exciting for us at Global Impact because international giving is our specialty; with member organizations in virtually every developing country in the world, we can create custom giving solutions that meet business goals.

Make CSR mandatory, says philanthropist Sitaram Jindal

Make CSR mandatory, says philanthropist Sitaram Jindal: The idea of legislation for corporate houses to make charity mandatory might sound pushy, but veteran industry warhorse Sitaram Jindal, who set up his charitable trust as early as in 1969, foresees the need of one immediately to push Indian industry into more vigorous philanthropy in the social sector.

Linking CSR with corporate values critical to success | Executive | Financial Post

Linking CSR with corporate values critical to success | Executive | Financial Post: More and more companies embark on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. And why not? Customers like it, and perhaps even more importantly, so do employees. There’s evidence both here and in the U.S. that people – especially younger people – want to work for organizations that care about the way they impact or contribute to society. What’s more, CSR programs can be an important tool when you’re looking to align your culture with your strategy.

CSR vs philanthropy in India | Latest from Alliance

CSR vs philanthropy in India | Latest from Alliance: 2012 is set to bring major changes to corporate philanthropy in India. After more than five decades, the Companies Act is being updated to bring not only much-needed reforms in the area of governance, transparency and accountability, but also an institutionalization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

gulfnews : Philanthropy versus social responsibility

gulfnews : Philanthropy versus social responsibility: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is neither synonymous with Corporate Philanthropy nor an alternative. In Corporate Philanthropy, corporates donate a certain portion of their profits to charitable causes. In this context, it is perceived as "improper" for corporates to consider receiving any benefit from it.

Nick Cowling: Corporate Citizenship: Big Cheques Just Don't Cut it

Nick Cowling: Corporate Citizenship: Big Cheques Just Don't Cut it: While there are companies out there that still fit this description, it's generally become a dated notion. In fact, a strong majority of companies today are taking a serious approach to corporate citizenship, CSR and cause marketing. However, that doesn't mean all this "good work" is being done with the most altruistic motives. Companies recognize that generosity is increasingly a key factor in a company's reputation.

Bangkok Post : Thai firms may need CSR for European ties

Bangkok Post : Thai firms may need CSR for European ties: It is widely believed that while big companies involved in exporting know a lot about the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR), smaller companies don't care very much.

The biggest challenge in Asian countries can be explaining what CSR is, especially when small companies and investors look at it as a cost, as they are likely to equate it with philanthropy.

But now that CSR plays a larger role in global development, it is also a tool for free trade as businesses that do not take responsibility for their actions might face sanctions.

Bright night for Mercedes-Benz philanthropy

Bright night for Mercedes-Benz philanthropy: "Under a ceiling painted with blue skies and twinkling with shimmering stars at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing, Mercedes-Benz celebrated the first anniversary of its Star Fund yesterday, marking a milestone in the carmaker's long-term commitment to China.

Since June 30 last year, the Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has embraced the company's core corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs - nature protection, music, arts and sports, culture of driving, education as well as social care and disaster relief programs."

Companies share CSR best practices - Channel NewsAsia

Companies share CSR best practices - Channel NewsAsia: "SINGAPORE : Top company executives themselves are taking time out to serve communities.

Volunteerism is becoming a byword, which they said should sustain efforts to make companies socially responsible."

Corporate social responsibility isn't charity but survival issue: CEC - The Times of India

Corporate social responsibility isn't charity but survival issue: CEC - The Times of India: "'We need a Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates to teach our corporates on the need for CSR. What you do is not CSR but corporate social compulsion,' Qureshi told a meet on CSR organised by Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry."

CSR spending to be voluntary, not mandatory, under new law - Hindustan Times

CSR spending to be voluntary, not mandatory, under new law - Hindustan Times: "The government is unlikely to thrust companies with a mandatory spend on philanthropy as was being debated earlier. The new Companies Bill will make a mention asking companies to spend upto 2% of their net profits on corporate social responsibility (CSR) but may not make it mandatory under a specific
clause. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has, however, underlined the need to mandate firms to spend on philanthropic activities."

The Tata group: Out of India | The Economist

The Tata group: Out of India | The Economist: "ata charitable trusts own two-thirds of the holding company, Tata Sons. Alan Rosling, a former Tata executive who spearheaded the group’s globalisation, liked to say, “We’re making money so that our shareholders can give it away.” The trusts funded worthy causes, from clean-water projects and literacy programmes to the various Tata institutions, to the tune of $97m in 2010. But the commitment to CSR is deeper than this.

Consider Jamshedpur, the home of Tata Steel and perhaps the world’s most successful company town. Tata Steel runs almost all the city’s institutions: these include a 980-bed hospital, a zoo, a giant sports stadium, academies for football, archery and athletics, golf courses and the local utility company. (“They provide you with a house and a car,” jokes Prabhat Sharma, head of corporate affairs for Tata Steel. “The only thing you need to bring is a wife.”) The company also employs 250 people to work with local tribespeople, to improve agriculture, health care and education, and regularly sends a hospital train farther into the hinterland. The city is remarkably well run by Indian standards, with broad avenues, green parks, reliable power and water that you can drink. Tata Steel gently mocks all this corporate philanthropy with the slogan, “We also make steel”."

Multinational Companies Giving Back to Costa Rica / Business & Real Estate / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times

Multinational Companies Giving Back to Costa Rica / Business & Real Estate / Costa Rica Newspaper, The Tico Times: "Many of the large multinational companies have some of the most involved corporate social responsibility programs in Costa Rica."

CSR in Asia gaining traction | News | eco-business.com

CSR in Asia gaining traction | News | eco-business.com: "Singapore, October 6 – Asia has traditionally been a laggard in corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices, but in recent years, action on CSR is growing amongst Asian firms. Experts noted on the first day of the International Singapore Compact CSR Summit that companies adapting CSR to Asian cultures still face upcoming challenges."