eBusiness Weekly
Michael Tome
HARARE – Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Network Zimbabwe will this month host the Responsible Business Awards at Rainbow Towers in Harare to honour companies that have contributed to the welfare of communities they operate in.
Over 200 senior business executives are expected to attend the awards ceremony, which is set for November 15.
Running under the theme “Fostering Corporate Social Responsibility in Zimbabwe to achieve a middle-income economy by 2030” the event will honor firms that have positively impacted on societies and country at large.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is often used synonymously with philanthropy. However, CSR also deals with how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts. Well-conceived CSR strategies can result in better working relationships between stakeholders, including management, workers, the community and regulatory authorities.
Recently the corporate world was instrumental in the eradication of the cholera epidemic which affected some sprawling high-density suburbs of Glen View and Budiriro in Harare as they chipped in with donations in cash and kind.
Leading mobile telephone operator Econet Wireless Zimbabwe donated $10 million whilst Quest Motors donated a brand new 2,5 tonne truck.
Beverages manufacturer Delta Corporation chipped in by supplying fresh clean water to the affected communities for use towards the fight against the cholera epidemic.
These are some of the few instances where the corporate world has intervened for a national cause during times of need.
The CSR accolades will be awarded to top 50 organisations that will emerge best in financial investment, impact of the project, collaboration, quality of project, stakeholder engagement and involvement as well as inclusion(did the project include employees at all levels)
Zimbabwe today is a fountain of vital and inventive CSR practices across the business spectrum and the annual CSR Awards is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and pay tribute to sustainable and productive projects.
