Powerpoint Presentations

1
7th Annual Conference of Microfinance
Institutions, Warsaw, 27-29 May
2004 Introduction to Corporate Social
Responsibility Karolina Ludzinska
2
Agenda
? Responsible Business it is not enough to be
good, you need to convince the others - Boleslaw
Rok, Vice - President, Responsible Business
Forum ? Corporate Social Responsibility is it
worth it? Grzegorz Szczepanski, PR Director
Bank Pekao S.A. ? Business Responsibility and
Society A Public Relations Perspective, Gary
Woller, President, Woller Associates, Inc. and
co-founder and former editor of Journal of
Microfinance. ? Discussion, QA
3
Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate
Citizenship
CSR means addressing the legal, ethical,
commercial and other expectations society has for
business, and making decisions that fairly
balance the claims of all key stakeholders.
(Business for Social Responsibility)
CSR is the continuing commitment by business to
behave fairly and responsibly, contributing to
economic development while improving the quality
of life of workers, their families, the local
community, and society at large. (European
Commission's Green Paper).
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Critics of CSR
CSR is nothing more but big business cynical
response to charges of greed and corruption
indented to mollify those who say corporations
have too much power.
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Believers of CSR
CSR stands for dawning of a new era of
capitalism, when business, government, and
citizens join forces for greater good to do
something about water shortage, air pollution,
and 1,2 billion people who live on less than a
dollar a day.
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Does it pay to be good?
lets find out
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Business Importance of CSR

• Improved Financial Performance
• Reduced Operating Costs
• Enhanced Brand Image and Reputation
• Increased Sales and Customer Loyalty
• Increased Productivity and Quality
• Increased Ability to Attract and Retain
  Employees
• Access to Capital

8
MFIs and CSR

• Governments cannot solve all of the problems on
  their own. Businesses play a central role in
  regenerating deprived communities, by creating
  and sustaining local jobs, opportunities and
  wealth.
• Corporate social responsibility is not a soft
  issue or a nice-to-do activity on the fringe of
  business. It is central to doing business today.
• Corporate Social Responsibility is about how we
  build long term sustainable business success.

9
Case Study Citigoup
Microfinance represents an example of Citygroup
proactive support for a business initiative

• contributing money,
• providing technical assistance,
• assisting with training,
• engaging in board leadership and sharing
  expertise,
• providing financial services, such as cash
  management and lending to microfinance
  institutions themselves.
• being deeply involved as a donor
• looking at microfinance as a true business
  opportunity

BSR Magazine, November 2002
10
Citigroup's microfinance programs main
components

• working with microfinance intermediaries (MFIs)
  and networks to ensure that community-based
  partners have access to the best know-how
• being a partner with leaders in the field to
  support the emergence of uniform standards, to
  increase efficiency and transparency
• supporting the efforts of MFIs to achieve greater
  scale, outreach and financial self-sustainability
• establishing deep, multi-faceted relationships
  with microfinance institutions and networks

BSR Magazine, November 2002
11
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