Corporate Social Responsibility

We have discussion with Sony Malaysia this morning over their proposal to organise a tree planting cum environmental education campaign in June as part of their corporate social responsibility program. They are proposing to plant forestry trees, to organise children drawing contest, briefing on environmental issues and quiz under the theme of Living with Nature. This annual activity by a MNC is commendable and is supported by MBPJ. Having said this, CSR can go beyond merely doing an annual PR activity but to absorb best social and environmental practices into work culture and processes. In this era of Climate Change with close scrutiny by the stakeholders and consumers, producers are more than willing to DO GOOD and be Looked Good. Rather than maintaining profit as the only bottom line, some have started to profit from engaging in the environmental friendly activities. Companies like Ikea and The Body Shop are good examples to vindicate that CSR is not cutting into the profit margin, but an opportunity to improve the financial cash flow. CSR is not only confined to the big corporate, SME and even the hawkers, government agencies and individual have their respective role to play. To my mind, hawkers occupying the government stall has responsibility to ensure food hygiene, cleanliness of the food court or even to offer lower price to the customers, after all tax payers are the one who foot the construction cost of stall. Businesses, either big or small have CSR to adhere to.