The two-day workshop in Mexico City aimed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand how to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies to improve competitiveness and access new markets. 10 SMEs from various sectors participated. Through presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises, participants' awareness of CSR increased significantly. Prior to the workshop many saw CSR as only for large corporations, but afterwards recognized its applicability for SMEs. Participants developed tailored CSR action plans and committed to implementing aspects of the plans over six months with support from the organizing NGO. Future workshops are planned in Costa Rica and Panama to continue building CSR capacity among SMEs.
The two-day workshop in Mexico City aimed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand how to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies to improve competitiveness and access new markets. 10 SMEs from various sectors participated. Through presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises, participants' awareness of CSR increased significantly. Prior to the workshop many saw CSR as only for large corporations, but afterwards recognized its applicability for SMEs. Participants developed tailored CSR action plans and committed to implementing aspects of the plans over six months with support from the organizing NGO. Future workshops are planned in Costa Rica and Panama to continue building CSR capacity among SMEs.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
The two-day workshop in Mexico City aimed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand how to implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies to improve competitiveness and access new markets. 10 SMEs from various sectors participated. Through presentations, discussions, and interactive exercises, participants' awareness of CSR increased significantly. Prior to the workshop many saw CSR as only for large corporations, but afterwards recognized its applicability for SMEs. Participants developed tailored CSR action plans and committed to implementing aspects of the plans over six months with support from the organizing NGO. Future workshops are planned in Costa Rica and Panama to continue building CSR capacity among SMEs.
Copyright:
Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Workshop: Awareness to Action: How to Implement CSR in SMEs
Mexico City, Mexico 2-3 July 2013 I. Workshop Oeriew O!"ecties: Understand the opportunities that CSR can generate for SMs, especially !y i"pro#ing co"petiti#eness and pro#iding access to ne$ "ar%ets& 'ro#ide current state of CSR, including an o#er#ie$ of CSR principles& (e#elop a tailored CSR action plan for each SM that can !e i"ple"ented o#er a period of six "onths& #e$ materials coere%: )#er#ie$ of CSR principles and ad#antages& *o$ to de#elop and i"ple"ent a CSR action plan for an SM+ this includes, "apping sta%eholders, diagnosis, !ench"ar%ing, strategic planning, i"ple"entation strategy, e#aluation and co""unication& *o$ to ta%e initiati#e once a CSR action plan is de#eloped& Workshop str&ct&re: -ntroduction, o!.ecti#es, expectations, introducing participants& CSR a$areness, current state of CSR, !enefits and o!stacles of i"ple"enting CSR in SMs, CSR and !eco"ing "ore co"petiti#e+ interactive sessions: CSR in a SME, benefits of CSR. )#er#ie$ of CSR principles, internal pu!lic, external pu!lic, suppliers, en#iron"ent, responsi!le "ar%eting and co""unity relations+ gender and hu"an rights; interactive session: responsible practices in my SME. -"ple"enting CSR in a SMs !usiness strategy, de#eloping a "ission, #ision and #alues+ "apping sta%eholders+ CSR diagnosis, incenti#es, opportunities and challenges+ strategic analysis+ creating an action plan+ e#aluation+ co""unication+ interactive sessions: mapping stakeholders, diagnosis and benchmarking; business case for key CSR principles; and presenting action plans. /ollo$ up and conclusion, next steps for de#eloping a tailored action plan, )0S role and support+ present diplo"as& Workshop participants: 10 participants, "ost of $hich $ere SMs fro" #arious sectors including, energy, touris"2hospitality, "anufacturing, trade, ser#ices, and others& /ro" the 10 participants, 23 $ere $o"en and 21 $ere "en& 1 SMEs !$ Sector 334 504 34 124 64 64 nergy 7ouri s"2 *ospi tal i ty Manufacturi ng 7rade Ser#ices )thers II. Workshop Res<s Emer'in' themes: 7he Mexican SMs $ere #ery enthusiastic a!out learning ho$ to i"ple"ent CSR in their !usiness strategies& 0s a result, the participants $ere #ery engaged and co""itted throughout the process& 'rior to the $or%shop, "any of the participants $ere already ad"inistering so"e CSR initiati#es !ut "ost had not de#eloped a strategic plan that $ould assist the" $ith strea"lining CSR in their !usinesses& (uring a !ench"ar%ing exercise, SMs de"onstrated strong existing practices in the areas of, responsi!le "ar%eting 8904:, go#ernance 8;14:, en#iron"ent 8;14: and internal audience 8;14:& 7hese nu"!ers confir"ed that the participating SMs already possessed a high le#el of %no$ledge a!out CSR& 7he SMs also expressed a lot of interest in learning a!out ho$ to "easure the success of their CSR progra"s and the added #alue of CSR fro" a financial perspecti#e& Sponsors and o!ser#ers $ere #ery interested in replicating the $or%shop in their respecti#e .urisdictions& 7his $ould indicate that there is a strong de"and in Mexico for CSR %no$ledge, especially in the area of i"ple"entation in SMs& <oth the pri#ate and pu!lic sectors recogni=e the i"portance of CSR in assisting SMs to !eco"e "ore co"petiti#e and facilitate their transition into an econo"y that re>uires greater corporate accounta!ility& Res<s an% participant (ee%!ack: 'articipants %no$ledge of CSR increased !y 364 o#er the course of the $or%shop, according to the sur#ey that $as ad"inistered prior to and follo$ing the $or%shop& 'rior to the $or%shop, "any of the participants !elie#ed that CSR $as a concept exclusi#ely for large corporations+ ho$e#er, upon its co"pletion, "any of the SMs considered that CSR is applica!le to their o$n !usinesses& 2 /ollo$ing the $or%shop, the SMs ac%no$ledged that in i"ple"enting CSR, they should include gender sensiti#e practices& 0ccording to the sur#ey, this perception increased !y 1;4 o#er the course of the $or%shop& 0ll of SMs indicated their co""it"ent to the follo$ up process !y signing a letter of co""it"ent at the outset of the process, $hich guarantees that they $ill i"ple"ent CSR practices in their !usinesses $ithin a six "onth period& 'articipants indicated that they $ere extre"ely pleased $ith the instructor and her extensi#e %no$ledge of CSR& *er experience and conduct facilitated intensi#e participation and generated rich discussion&
'articipants #alued the practical and interacti#e nature of the $or%shop !ecause it facilitated learning and strengthened their existing %no$ledge a!out CSR& 7he for"at $as effecti#e !ecause they could learn fro" others and, in turn, this $ill facilitate applying future CSR initiati#es& 7he SMs $ere grateful that the )0S $ill !e pro#iding a follo$ up to ensure that the "o"entu" of the $or%shop is not lost& )e*t steps: 7he )0S $ill !e follo$ing up $ith the Mexican SMs& 7he SMs $ill ha#e to su!"it the action plans that they de#eloped during the $or%shop for )0S re#ie$ and inputs& 7hereafter, the SMs $ill select a fe$ %ey aspects of the action plans that they $ill i"ple"ent o#er the next six "onths $ith the support fro" )0S& 7he training, as $ell as the six "onth follo$ up, should pro#ide the SMs $ith a solid idea of ho$ to i"ple"ent the re"ainder of their CSR action plans& 7he )0S CSR 'rogra" $ill also !e holding $or%shops for SMs in the follo$ing countries, 1& Costa Rica 812-13 0ugust 2013:, o Status, there is considera!le interest to hold a $or%shop in Costa Rica& (ate, place, and local partners are confir"ed& 2& 'ana"a 8)cto!er 2013:, o Status, in con#ersation $ith the local partners& )0S is finali=ing the dates and $ill !egin recruiting participants shortly& 3 III. Workshop +ict&res 5
Corporate Governance- Corporate Governance: Meaning, Historical Perspective, Theoretical basis of CG, CG Mechanism, CG System, Good CG,Land mark in the emergence of CG: CG Committees, World Bank on CG, OECD Principle, Sarbanes, Oxley act-2002