Message from the RI Director – October 2016
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship or responsible business, is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatory mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of law, ethical standards and national or international norms.
The aim is to increase long-term profits and shareholder trust through positive public relations and high ethical standards to reduce business and legal risk by taking responsibility for corporate actions.
CSR strategies encourage the company to make a positive impact on the environment and stakeholders including consumers, employees, investors, communities, and others.
CSR is titled to aid an organisation’s mission as well as serve as a guide to what the company represents for its consumers. ISO 26000 is the recognised international standard for CSR. Friends, we are in exciting times because of CSR.
Many companies are looking forward to partnership with proven and effective voluntary organisations. They are interested in partners who can work effectively with them in the same area to enhance the number of beneficiaries.
Last year, I experienced the magic of Rotary’s CSR seminar at Nagpur (D 3030) and Bengaluru (D 3190), and this year, when DG Dr S V S Rao and PDG Tikku (D 3020) organised a similar meet at Visakhapatnam where we met 20 top CEOs from various professions such as shipping, banking, hospitals, exports etc. In less than a week, we received an excellent offer from the CEO of Apollo Hospitals for reducing maternal mortality. Apollo has 85 branches in India and they are eager to partner with Rotary.
I have suggested to the Visakhapatnam team to create a model and give the data with a 90-second video of this project to showcase it to Rotarians. I have no doubt it will be replicated in many places.
I request the Smiling Sheriffs to try this new idea in all districts so that Rotary in India will achieve the status of ‘Preferred Partner.’
Dare to dream dreams — I shared my dream and Rotary’s power to realise it.
All the best.
Manoj Desai
Director, Rotary International
