Dear All, Could you please help me with some info on corporate social responsibility. Ours is a multinational travel org. I Have been told to build some for our org...jst needed some help.
From India, Pune
From India, Pune
Hi Rupali,
Corporate Social Responsibility came into light after Bhopal tragedy. It is nothing but giving back to the society where the factory is situated. The villagers would have given their lands, paddy fields and any immovable properties for the sake of setting up the factory. Moreover, they are the people nearby bearing the pollution menace in any form that may come from the factory. The Public Relations Department abridge the villagers and the Management to suffice the needs of the villagers and facilitate smooth functioning of the organization.
Normally CSR will be addressing the educational, medical and infra-structural needs of the villagers. The organization will have an annual budget and some emergency expenditure such as for natural calamity etc., can also be met on special sanction. Many companies in addition to seek the goodwill of the people, use CSR for advertisement purposes by flashing the news in print and electronic media.
You said yours is a travel organization and not a manufacturing unit. CSR is not essential for establishments like yours and in case you have to operate big trucks and container lorries carrying abnormal, voluminous goods hindering public traffic, you can go for it otherwise CSR can be used as an activity of advertisement.
Hope I have answered your question to your satisfaction. Did I?
All the best,
Regards.
Ganesh Ramachandran
Founder: LIME
From India, Tiruppur
178Corporate Social Responsibility came into light after Bhopal tragedy. It is nothing but giving back to the society where the factory is situated. The villagers would have given their lands, paddy fields and any immovable properties for the sake of setting up the factory. Moreover, they are the people nearby bearing the pollution menace in any form that may come from the factory. The Public Relations Department abridge the villagers and the Management to suffice the needs of the villagers and facilitate smooth functioning of the organization.
Normally CSR will be addressing the educational, medical and infra-structural needs of the villagers. The organization will have an annual budget and some emergency expenditure such as for natural calamity etc., can also be met on special sanction. Many companies in addition to seek the goodwill of the people, use CSR for advertisement purposes by flashing the news in print and electronic media.
You said yours is a travel organization and not a manufacturing unit. CSR is not essential for establishments like yours and in case you have to operate big trucks and container lorries carrying abnormal, voluminous goods hindering public traffic, you can go for it otherwise CSR can be used as an activity of advertisement.
Hope I have answered your question to your satisfaction. Did I?
All the best,
Regards.
Ganesh Ramachandran
Founder: LIME
From India, Tiruppur
Hi Rupali,
You can have a donation drive in your office for a week, in which, you can ask all your employees to donate clothes, books, toys etc. Also you can collect monetary donations. All this collection can be donated to any small/ big NGO nearby your office location.
Additionally, if you can arrange Blood Donation camp, that would also an very good action for CSR.
From India, Pune
You can have a donation drive in your office for a week, in which, you can ask all your employees to donate clothes, books, toys etc. Also you can collect monetary donations. All this collection can be donated to any small/ big NGO nearby your office location.
Additionally, if you can arrange Blood Donation camp, that would also an very good action for CSR.
From India, Pune
Kindly read and digest the info at the following sites and tell us how will go about the task set for you.
<link no longer exists - removed> <link updated to site home> ( Search On Cite | Search On Google )
Huge growth in Corporate Social Responsibility | Business Destinations – Make travel your business
From United Kingdom
<link no longer exists - removed> <link updated to site home> ( Search On Cite | Search On Google )
Huge growth in Corporate Social Responsibility | Business Destinations – Make travel your business
From United Kingdom
In just over two short years since the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) introduced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a major industry initiative, the number of travellers and companies embracing environmental awareness has more than doubled. A joint ACTE/KDS industrywide survey indicates that 59 percent of respondents companies now have CSR charter, and that the same percent of their travellers (59 percent) look to these charters in making environmentally sound travel decisions.
Speaking at a joint ACTE/KDS press conference at the Business Travel Show in London on 5 February 2008, Susan Gurley, ACTE Global Executive Director, said, “CSR is establishing new levels of what is environmentally acceptable to the global business travel industry. Ten years ago, this was the farthest thing from anyone’s mind. That fact that it has become core business component for 59 percent of this survey respondents clearly indicates that a growing majority of organizations have incorporated CSR into their business DNA.”
“This major industry shift clearly indicates companies and their travellers support Corporate Social Responsibility,” added Gurley, pointing out that in 2005, less than seven percent of the association’s membership supported CSR. “Those figures grew to 14 percent the following year and now up to 20 percent for 2007. CSR has quickly become a fundamental in the business travel process.”
“Travellers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious and their travel booking behaviour is starting to impact corporate travel management,” said Stanislas Berteloot, marketing director of KDS. “With an overwhelming majority or corporations now using a self-booking tool (69 percent) the communication of sustainable travel guidelines is facilitated. Travel managers now need to think of using online tools to not only control costs, but also to travel smarter and greener.”
Looking beyond the travel program, survey respondents were also familiar with their respective company’s overall approach to CSR. This included neighborhood educational activities, emission offsetting, and carbon reduction at production plants. Fifty-one percent believed their company was doing the “right” thing, while
39 percent believed more could be done. (The remaining 10 percent was divided on their companys’ CSR performance, but rated it as insignificant.)
The joint survey revealed that cost reduction and traveller security were given an equally high priority for 2007. Yet corporate social responsibility climbed in priority to the top spot in for 29 percent of the respondents, up nine points from last year.
“This is a very good report card for the CSR concept,” said Gurley. “Travel departments are now increasingly tasked with reporting on travel related carbon emissions, showing a 15 percent increase over last year. This is significant as it shows CSR is beyond the tipping point with companies and will continue to grow as a corporate initiative.”
Among ACTE’s current CSR initiatives for 2008 are a white paper, which is being written in collaboration with the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, on Global Sustainable Travel, and a partnership with Verkehrsclub Deutschland, a major transport and environmental organization in Germany on the Green Business Travel Project, which will be used to create guidelines for environmentally friendly business travel processes and alternatives to business travel.
In addition, Gurley noted, “Interest in CSR as an educational must has continued to build at five of ACTE’s global education conferences in the past two years.”
At ACTE’s Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C., 18-20 May 2008, CSR will be the topic of two sessions: Green Taxes vs. Cap and Trade, and Light Green, Dark Green – What Color is Your Company?
The ACTE/KDS survey also drew a much larger field of participants this year, with the number of respondents growing by 127 percent (263). Participants hailed from Africa, Asia Canada, Continental Europe, Eastern and Central Europe, Ireland, Middle East, Northern Europe, South America, The United Kingdom, and the United States. According to Gurley, this increase indicates the significance the industry attaches to CRS and ACTE’s efforts to promote it. The diversity of respondent origin reflects ACTE’s global presence, which now extends to 82 countries.
Noted Gurley, “Through championing the CSR cause, ACTE has helped to move it to the C level at more and more companies. We’ve made tremendous strides in the promotion of sustainable travel, but there is still much work to be done; although 59 percent of companies have CSR charters, only 34 percent promote sustainable travel.”
Comment
From India, Hyderabad
Speaking at a joint ACTE/KDS press conference at the Business Travel Show in London on 5 February 2008, Susan Gurley, ACTE Global Executive Director, said, “CSR is establishing new levels of what is environmentally acceptable to the global business travel industry. Ten years ago, this was the farthest thing from anyone’s mind. That fact that it has become core business component for 59 percent of this survey respondents clearly indicates that a growing majority of organizations have incorporated CSR into their business DNA.”
“This major industry shift clearly indicates companies and their travellers support Corporate Social Responsibility,” added Gurley, pointing out that in 2005, less than seven percent of the association’s membership supported CSR. “Those figures grew to 14 percent the following year and now up to 20 percent for 2007. CSR has quickly become a fundamental in the business travel process.”
“Travellers are becoming increasingly eco-conscious and their travel booking behaviour is starting to impact corporate travel management,” said Stanislas Berteloot, marketing director of KDS. “With an overwhelming majority or corporations now using a self-booking tool (69 percent) the communication of sustainable travel guidelines is facilitated. Travel managers now need to think of using online tools to not only control costs, but also to travel smarter and greener.”
Looking beyond the travel program, survey respondents were also familiar with their respective company’s overall approach to CSR. This included neighborhood educational activities, emission offsetting, and carbon reduction at production plants. Fifty-one percent believed their company was doing the “right” thing, while
39 percent believed more could be done. (The remaining 10 percent was divided on their companys’ CSR performance, but rated it as insignificant.)
The joint survey revealed that cost reduction and traveller security were given an equally high priority for 2007. Yet corporate social responsibility climbed in priority to the top spot in for 29 percent of the respondents, up nine points from last year.
“This is a very good report card for the CSR concept,” said Gurley. “Travel departments are now increasingly tasked with reporting on travel related carbon emissions, showing a 15 percent increase over last year. This is significant as it shows CSR is beyond the tipping point with companies and will continue to grow as a corporate initiative.”
Among ACTE’s current CSR initiatives for 2008 are a white paper, which is being written in collaboration with the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, on Global Sustainable Travel, and a partnership with Verkehrsclub Deutschland, a major transport and environmental organization in Germany on the Green Business Travel Project, which will be used to create guidelines for environmentally friendly business travel processes and alternatives to business travel.
In addition, Gurley noted, “Interest in CSR as an educational must has continued to build at five of ACTE’s global education conferences in the past two years.”
At ACTE’s Global Education Conference in Washington, D.C., 18-20 May 2008, CSR will be the topic of two sessions: Green Taxes vs. Cap and Trade, and Light Green, Dark Green – What Color is Your Company?
The ACTE/KDS survey also drew a much larger field of participants this year, with the number of respondents growing by 127 percent (263). Participants hailed from Africa, Asia Canada, Continental Europe, Eastern and Central Europe, Ireland, Middle East, Northern Europe, South America, The United Kingdom, and the United States. According to Gurley, this increase indicates the significance the industry attaches to CRS and ACTE’s efforts to promote it. The diversity of respondent origin reflects ACTE’s global presence, which now extends to 82 countries.
Noted Gurley, “Through championing the CSR cause, ACTE has helped to move it to the C level at more and more companies. We’ve made tremendous strides in the promotion of sustainable travel, but there is still much work to be done; although 59 percent of companies have CSR charters, only 34 percent promote sustainable travel.”
Comment
From India, Hyderabad
Dear Pasla, I wonder what’s the idea of copying and pasting information from the link that I have given in my post above!! I did not want to do that to avoid posting a long message.
From United Kingdom
From United Kingdom
Hi Rupali,
As CSR Activity we can come forward with many ideas. Tree plantation, PUC of vehicle, zero garbage program etc. I have done all these activity in my organization. You can also do such kind of activity in your organization.
From India, Mumbai
As CSR Activity we can come forward with many ideas. Tree plantation, PUC of vehicle, zero garbage program etc. I have done all these activity in my organization. You can also do such kind of activity in your organization.
From India, Mumbai
Dear Rupali,
First and most important thing you have to remember is that whatever CSR activity you take up it should be sustainable i.e. for your organization should not become a cost center it should be investment center. Why I am recommending this because in background of Companies Act 2012 Passed by Rajya Sabh waiting for approval in Lokshabha before it becomes Law into which as per clause 135 it has been made mandatory for Companies/organizations having profit 5 Crores and above to invest minimum 2% of their profit into CSR. ( I am not giving entire detail since this is not discussion on that issue).
Their is common mis-concept about Corporate Social Responsibility that it is just Philanthropy. The Most common projects done under the head of CSR are Starting of schools, Starting Hospitals, Organizing Blood donation camp Organizing Wellness Camp, Organizing Eye checkup camp, Donation of clothes, books, toys etc. But how its add value to the brand of company? it is considered as just a extra overhead cost center for organizations so, in the month of December when this bill was passed by Rajya Sabha many Industries and other establishments has written at lot against it. This shows the lack of awareness about CSR and its benefit.
An Organization earns by exploiting all resources from the society. Like manpower working in organization comes from society, Raw material is taken by exploiting resource( may be natural resource or manpower or time or any other thing) whatever product or services offered is again directly or indirectly provided(sold) to the society i.e. profit is earned from the society.
CSR is one of the method of returning it back to the society creating brand value for the organization its an opportunity of demonstrating strength and goodwill building for the company.
To demonstrate your strength you should know what are the CTQ(Critical to Quality) and CTP (Critical to Profit) factors. Your organizations CSR should be focused on that. This will help not only in creating goodwill for your organization but also help in brand building. The indirect benefits realized from it will make realize your organization that CSR is the investment center which gives multiple times intangible returns, which will help in sustainability of your organizations CSR program instead of considering it as Overhead Cost Center.
You have mentioned you are working in an multinational travel organization this doesn't clarifies the type of organization is it a logistics company or a Tours and Travel agency( like Thomas Cook or Cox and King). Requested to please clarify.
You have also not mentioned about your location.
In the mean time some I propose some CSR ideas that will be affecting your organizations CTQ( Critical to Quality) factors and can be done in any part of world.
1) In India we have surplus manpower but lack of properly trained skilled manpower. It is affecting Deliverable/ Quality in all sectors of economy that affect profitability. You can propose of starting Skill development center for the unemployed/ under employed people during which stipend will be paid and after completion of training a Certificate will be issued. This will help not only in creating pool of skilled manpower in the society but also create awareness among the competitors to select skilled manpower certified by your organization.
2) Another CSR activity could be, you can provide free counseling services to the your direct and indirect customers through Camps or any other events.
If its a tour and travel company then you can Organize free "Kumbh mela" visit for people in old-age homes or orphanages which can be appropriately covered by different media. the people participating it this tour will speak about the quality of your service and could be used as value creation tool for company as well as providing service back to society. This will also be an excellent opportunity for special training for your employees involved in it for managing package tour in such big events on which scholars from Harward and other top business school students have come to study.
If your organization is logistics company you can have free counselling for farmers and other small traders for efficient and effective logistics management for increasing profitability.
3) Depending on Number of employees and their location of residence in your organization you can plan for organizing free counseling camp about the segment of your business( Tours and Travels or logistics) in their locality/ society.
If its a tour and travel company then you can organize free holiday planning or picnic planning camp for Saturday & Sunday in nearby areas in the residential society where your employees stay.
If your organization is logistics company you can have free counselling camp for small traders and house shifting for efficient and effective logistics management.
4) You can also organize monthly open travel safety training open for all.
5) You can organize monthly open energy conservation training for all.
Regards
Yogesh S Pandey
Head ( Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability and HSEQ)
KAEFER Punj Lloyd Ltd.
Udyog Vihar II, Gurgaon
From India, Delhi
First and most important thing you have to remember is that whatever CSR activity you take up it should be sustainable i.e. for your organization should not become a cost center it should be investment center. Why I am recommending this because in background of Companies Act 2012 Passed by Rajya Sabh waiting for approval in Lokshabha before it becomes Law into which as per clause 135 it has been made mandatory for Companies/organizations having profit 5 Crores and above to invest minimum 2% of their profit into CSR. ( I am not giving entire detail since this is not discussion on that issue).
Their is common mis-concept about Corporate Social Responsibility that it is just Philanthropy. The Most common projects done under the head of CSR are Starting of schools, Starting Hospitals, Organizing Blood donation camp Organizing Wellness Camp, Organizing Eye checkup camp, Donation of clothes, books, toys etc. But how its add value to the brand of company? it is considered as just a extra overhead cost center for organizations so, in the month of December when this bill was passed by Rajya Sabha many Industries and other establishments has written at lot against it. This shows the lack of awareness about CSR and its benefit.
An Organization earns by exploiting all resources from the society. Like manpower working in organization comes from society, Raw material is taken by exploiting resource( may be natural resource or manpower or time or any other thing) whatever product or services offered is again directly or indirectly provided(sold) to the society i.e. profit is earned from the society.
CSR is one of the method of returning it back to the society creating brand value for the organization its an opportunity of demonstrating strength and goodwill building for the company.
To demonstrate your strength you should know what are the CTQ(Critical to Quality) and CTP (Critical to Profit) factors. Your organizations CSR should be focused on that. This will help not only in creating goodwill for your organization but also help in brand building. The indirect benefits realized from it will make realize your organization that CSR is the investment center which gives multiple times intangible returns, which will help in sustainability of your organizations CSR program instead of considering it as Overhead Cost Center.
You have mentioned you are working in an multinational travel organization this doesn't clarifies the type of organization is it a logistics company or a Tours and Travel agency( like Thomas Cook or Cox and King). Requested to please clarify.
You have also not mentioned about your location.
In the mean time some I propose some CSR ideas that will be affecting your organizations CTQ( Critical to Quality) factors and can be done in any part of world.
1) In India we have surplus manpower but lack of properly trained skilled manpower. It is affecting Deliverable/ Quality in all sectors of economy that affect profitability. You can propose of starting Skill development center for the unemployed/ under employed people during which stipend will be paid and after completion of training a Certificate will be issued. This will help not only in creating pool of skilled manpower in the society but also create awareness among the competitors to select skilled manpower certified by your organization.
2) Another CSR activity could be, you can provide free counseling services to the your direct and indirect customers through Camps or any other events.
If its a tour and travel company then you can Organize free "Kumbh mela" visit for people in old-age homes or orphanages which can be appropriately covered by different media. the people participating it this tour will speak about the quality of your service and could be used as value creation tool for company as well as providing service back to society. This will also be an excellent opportunity for special training for your employees involved in it for managing package tour in such big events on which scholars from Harward and other top business school students have come to study.
If your organization is logistics company you can have free counselling for farmers and other small traders for efficient and effective logistics management for increasing profitability.
3) Depending on Number of employees and their location of residence in your organization you can plan for organizing free counseling camp about the segment of your business( Tours and Travels or logistics) in their locality/ society.
If its a tour and travel company then you can organize free holiday planning or picnic planning camp for Saturday & Sunday in nearby areas in the residential society where your employees stay.
If your organization is logistics company you can have free counselling camp for small traders and house shifting for efficient and effective logistics management.
4) You can also organize monthly open travel safety training open for all.
5) You can organize monthly open energy conservation training for all.
Regards
Yogesh S Pandey
Head ( Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability and HSEQ)
KAEFER Punj Lloyd Ltd.
Udyog Vihar II, Gurgaon
From India, Delhi
Dear Rupali
Since you are in travel business , i propose that , you can support for ECO tourism , Agri Tourism. We are Maharashtra base Small NGO and helping some villages for ECO tourism initiative. This provides local livelihood to the villagers , if required you can contact us on
. Pl visit our website www.wotr.org.
Regards
KISHOR
From India, Pune
Since you are in travel business , i propose that , you can support for ECO tourism , Agri Tourism. We are Maharashtra base Small NGO and helping some villages for ECO tourism initiative. This provides local livelihood to the villagers , if required you can contact us on
Regards
KISHOR
From India, Pune
Dear Rupali,
CSR is something to do with what can be given back to the society by the corporation that exist from there. Any company or corporation can design its own CSR. In your case although you are not a company that manufature basic needs, your company can allocate (CALAMITY FUND or Special Fund ) formulated as POLICY of the company. From here you can draw amount needed of whatever help you can do anytime of any calamity or disaster or any form of CSR related concerns like enviroment - protection programs or health programs or livelihood programs.
You may tie up your programs with NGO's or Foundations intiating programs alike. Other companies do their CSR in cooperation with MEDIA networks.
Regards
klaus
From Australia
CSR is something to do with what can be given back to the society by the corporation that exist from there. Any company or corporation can design its own CSR. In your case although you are not a company that manufature basic needs, your company can allocate (CALAMITY FUND or Special Fund ) formulated as POLICY of the company. From here you can draw amount needed of whatever help you can do anytime of any calamity or disaster or any form of CSR related concerns like enviroment - protection programs or health programs or livelihood programs.
You may tie up your programs with NGO's or Foundations intiating programs alike. Other companies do their CSR in cooperation with MEDIA networks.
Regards
klaus
From Australia
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Corporate Social Responsibility. pps
Corporate social responsibility. doc
CSR-Corporate Social Responsibility- Sec.135 Companies Act, 2013.pdf