Traditionally, the global development community has looked upon corporate social responsibility programs with a certain degree of skepticism. Too many companies, critics argue, have used their corporate donations to atone for — or distract from — harmful and unethical business practices.
Corporate giving has proven an easy way to counter the claims of activist groups and can help rebuild public trust when a company is under fire. Corporate giving can also help avoid costly new regulations by assuaging politicians and their constituencies. Even if a company is on good terms with the public, associating with a good cause is a relatively cheap way to bolster a company’s image or advertise among niche groups.
Based in Brussels, Belgium, CSR Europe — a European business network for corporate social responsibility — is trying to change this perception.
Although he freely admits its faults, it is Executive Director Stefan Crets’ job to promote the practice and he believes that CSR programs can be a win-win for companies and the societies where they work.
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