‘… CSR should be an extension of every company’s values, not an add-on’

Staff Reporter                                                                                                                         

CORPORATE Social Responsibility Network Zimbabwe (CSRNZ) will on Friday launch its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Guide during its belated World CSR Day commemorations.

The Zimbabwe CSR Guide which is a tool kit that assists companies to navigate their CSR activities will not only give an overview of the most relevant policy developments, but is also a primer on corporate social responsibility in Zimbabwe for all businesses, from Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to the large corporations.

CSRNZ is a non-profit making organization, which is aimed at raising awareness, building capacity as well as promoting and supporting the development and implementation of best CSR practices in the public and private sectors.

CSRNZ executive director Willard Razawo said the launch of the CSR Zimbabwe Guide will be done concurrently on Friday in every region throughout the country and will culminate its belated celebrations of the World CSR month of February. In Manicaland, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba is expected to be guest of honour at the cocktail event to launch the Guide.

“February is commemorated as the World CSR month. We however decided to hold our belated commemorations on March 1, which is the first Friday of the month, to support Governments national clean-up campaign programme as corporate. This Guide as such, contains information on how to assess the effects of business activities on stakeholders, develop and implement a corporate social responsibility strategy and commitments as well as explain how to measure, evaluate and report on performance and stakeholder engagement. It will also help Zimbabwean and multinational corporations to better understand the revolving, modern CSR environment in Zimbabwe and Africa at large,” said Razawo.

As part of the planned activities in Manicaland, in accordance with the national clean-up campaign on every first Friday of the month, CSRN in conjunction with the Office of the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs will on Friday morning between 8 and 10am join the rest of the nation in a clean-up exercise in the city centre of Mutare. Then in the evening there will be a cocktail event to launch the CSR Guide.

Razawo said CSR should be an extension of every company’s values, not an add-on. He said the platform created by the commemorations unites public and private sector executives and also gives organizations best opportunities to showcase, learn and share best practices in corporate social investment.

He said senior managers in large corporations, SMEs and micro-businesses should find this Guide valuable, as will management teams, board members and front-line employees. “We believe this Guide will also prove useful to those already engaged in CSR activities wanting to adhere to international best practices. We encourage you to join us on this momentous occasion,” said Razawo.

CSRNZ was founded in November 2016, to champion and promote the best corporate social responsibility practices in Zimbabwe. Last year it held its inaugural decentralised awards in every province and this year early this month appointed national provincial committee members to expand its operations throughout the country.

In Manicaland entrepreneur and socialite Tendai Chitowa was appointed as the Manicaland patron, real estate businessman Joseph Sanhanga was was appointed its Ambassador and freelance journalist Ngoni Dapira was selected as a committee member.

“These people will expand our operations in Manicaland and co-opt other provincial members in the committee. Decentralising helps coordinate regional activities better it has proven to be a more efficient system,” said Razawo.

Sanhanga said he was happy to serve as an ambassador to help encourage fellow businesspeople to sow in the communities that build them to be what they are.

“As people in business we do not operate in a vacuum. We need to sow back to the community that builds us. Most people and companies often randomly donate goods or help with community projects but this should be done within some form of standard of guidelines, especially for corporate that make millions of dollars each year. Corporate social responsibility must be compelled to those in business and these platforms being created by CSRNZ are a good starting point for engagement as business with government,” said Sanhanga.

Chitowa who founded the Tendai Chitowa Foundation in 2017 which has been raising money for charitable donations said he hopes to encourage more people in business to take up philanthropy.

“Most people think you need to give big for you to be considered to be doing something for your community. At times it is the small things that matter and that change lives. Through CSRNZ we hope to unite the corporate world in Manicaland to work together annually towards social community development projects. The onus is with us to build our communities and help those less privileged, the disabled, orphans and vulnerable children as well as to initiate community building projects in the communities where we have our business operations,” said Chitowa.

Such progressive initiatives by CSRNZ come at a time that in Manicaland, communities in Marange and in Mutare have been at loggerheads with government for its failure to meaningfully bring about any infrastructure development from the millions of dollars realised from harnessing the Chiadzwa diamonds. Razawo said through a CSR Guide that is backed by government, such clashes between displaced communities, corporate and government will be avoided as each party will be mandated to operate within set, standard guidelines.