Core business competencies for development impact: moving beyond CSR

Event Details

Time: February 11, 2009 from 5:30pm to 7pm
Location: Shell Centre
Street: Lensbury entrance - C, on York Road
City/Town: London SE1 7NA
Website or Map: http://snipurl.com/ayjbw
Event Type: 'business for development impact' event series
Organized By: Overseas Development Institute,Department for International Development & Business Action for Africa
Latest Activity: Apr 24

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Event Description

This event is closed. See below for event outputs and related resources.

Core business competencies for development impact: moving on from CSR
Wednesday, 11 February, 17.30 to 19.00 followed by reception (Registration from 17.00).
Event sponsored by

Speaker:	Gareth Thomas MP, Minister of State for the UK Department for International Development and the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, speaking on the Government’s approach to leveraging the development benefits that business can have through its core business operations, such as responsible investment and trade: audio
	Mike Barry, Head of CSR at Marks and Spencer plc, and architect of M&S’s ‘Plan A’, speaking on how the company is meeting its ambitious commitments to being a ‘Fair Partner’ by adapting many different aspects of its supply chain and business approach: audio
	David Burling, commercial director of TUI UK, speaking on how the company is working with its suppliers in developing countries to improve labour and environmental standards for both social and commercial benefit: audio
	Graham Baxter, Director of Responsible Business Solutions at the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, speaking on the opportunities and challenges of using core business competencies for development: audio
Chair:	Simon Maxwell, Director, Overseas Development Institute
Discussion:	Audio

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Comment Wall

Comment by jessica romo on February 16, 2009 at 11:13pm: The speakers, especially Gareth Thomas MP, refer to CSR as if it were linked to a "development project" that would benefit developing countries but what it really means is just more of the same: continue expanding the market, sourcing abroad to benefit from open markets, more resources and cheap labor. Nothing new there and it is very worrying to see the above linked to the concepts of CSR, development and sustainability. These terms are used in such a vague fashion that is hard to say what is really being said behind all that rethoric that does not address what CSR should be as an ideal business model.

CSR is supposed to be first an internal audit and thoroughly analysis of how to maxime the company resources, be more efficient, pollute and waste less. This includes workforce training, employee engagement and inclusion, low energy appliances including computer hardware), recycle and so on.

CSR in the words of the speakers seems to be an external excercise focused on developing countries and less in their own day to day business tasks.