csr manual design 2.4

7/31/2019 CSR Manual Design 2.4

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This project is funded through the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Officeof the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). MEPI is a unique program designed to engagedirectly with and invest in the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). MEPI works tocreate vibrant partnerships with citizens to foster the development of pluralistic, participatory, andprosperous societies throughout the MENA region. MEPI partners with local, regional and

international non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academic institutions, andgovernments. More information about MEPI can be found at: www.mepi.state.gov

Special recognition goes to:

Ms. Walaa Hamdan, author of the CSR Handbook, SustainOman Project Coordinator, and AIESECalumna;, and Ms. Jamie Wernet, Vice President of Talent Management for AIESEC in Oman (2012-2013), and editor for the Handbook.


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It is with great pride that I introduce toyou AIESEC in Omans CorporateSustainability Handbook. Thishandbook is the culmination of a two-year project that took advantage ofAIESECs unique position at thecrossroads of corporations, civil society,and youth in order to contributesomething original to the conversationabout CSR in Oman.

In 2010, AIESEC in Oman launchedthe SustainOman project, designed to

raise awareness around the topic ofsustainability through events, trainings,and student internships. SustainOman

Executive Overview

Contents

Executive Overview1

Introduction2

Recommendationsfor Companies

3

Recommendationsfor Civil Society

4

was enabled through a grant from Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)and various other supporters.

Our handbook is meant to summarize the various learnings that AIESEChas gained through the SustainOman project, the events we haveconducted, and the discussions we have had with the society at largearound sustainability.

Corporate Sustainability encompasses a huge umbrella of actions for long-

term impact. Because the scope of the topic is so wide, we found itimperative to include a wide range of stakeholders in our conversationsabout it. AIESEC, as a leading international youth organization, is in aunique position to bring together youth, the corporate sector, civil society,and government to discuss important issues of our day.

We used this strategic position to organize the Corporate SustainabilityForum, which was held with the support of MEPI and National Bank ofOman in May of 2011.

We at AIESEC in Oman are excited to have played host to suchconversations, and thank all of the supporters and contributors whose ideasand hard work helped make this project a success. I hope this handbook

serves as a tool to stimulate discussion, and I look forward to watching thecontinued evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility in Oman.

Best Regards,

Rafael Pilliard Hellwig

President, AIESEC in Oman

2011-2012

Recommendationsfor You

5

Company Profile:National Bank ofOman

6

Youth and CSR7

Conclusion8

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Sustainability is a keytheme entering Omansbusiness jargon, and is

shedding its reputationas solely a green term.

-Hala SroujiGeneral Manager of Corporate Communications

Port of Salalah

Corporate SocialResponsibility and Corporate

Sustainability

Corporate Sustainability is abusiness approach focused on alldimensions of business andoperations and how they interact in

the social, cultural, and economicenvironment. A common way toexpress this is in the idea of thetriple bottom line that is,measuring success based oneconomic indicators (such as profitand loss), environmental indicators,and indicators of equity (such ashuman rights).

Corporate Social Responsibility, orCSR, is the method or structurethat many companies use to

support the sustainability of theirorganizations.

Corporate Social

Responsibility in Oman

Sustainability was only recentlyintroduced into the minds of Omanicorporations. Many sustainabilityprograms are really an ambiguousmix of branding activities and CSR.Most corporations do not considera holistic approach to sustainability

and CSR.

The current state of CSR in Omanvaries widely from organization toorganization. The lack of fact-

gathering or impartial studies makes itmore difficult to gather input acrossvarious industries and sectors. Untilrecently data was mostly compiled on acase-by-case basis, and output onlyshared in-house.

Some of the common mistakes made

by CSR departments/responsibles inOman are as follows:

I. No follow up and tracking on fundingthrough measures of success (MoS),key performance indicators (KPIs) orreporting on the impact of thefunding.

II. Viewing the funding as a cost ratherthan as an investment, thus notcalculating the return on investment(ROI) from the funding.

III. Often looking abroad for examplesor models of CSR, rather thancreating a definition of sustainabilitythat fits the specific needs of Oman.

The Corporate SocialResponsibility Handbook

This handbook is a compilationof knowledge and opinionsgathered through theSustainOman project. We hopeit can provide insights to

companies and individuals inOman and across the Gulf inour journey towards asustainable society.

Introduction


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he ideal CSR partnership isone where two or moreentities work together, each

one tapping into the resources andexpertise of the other, in order tofind creative solutions to critical

challenges. Companies canconsider the following findings fromthe SustainOman project toimprove their CSR programs.

1. Shift from treating CSR asmarketing or charity to treating itas a strategic investment

CSR programs are often thought ofas charitable contributions that is,having a one-way benefit.However, if focus is shifted to

creating strategic partnershipsbetween CSOs and companies,CSR programs can deliver benefitto both parties, as well as thecommunities impacted by theprogram.

2. Run educational campaignsand increase transparency inCSR award criteria to combat

public misunderstanding

While many companies are making

progress toward creatingexemplary CSR departments andprograms, they often must fieldrequests from a public that is stillused to the old model. Companiesshould make an effort to educate

CompaniesRecommendationsfor

the public about the true valueof CSR, and should make theirpolicies regarding public bids forfunding available andtransparent.

Omran, for example, publicizestheir CSR award criteria on theirwebpage, making clear both thetypes of projects they willconsider and the objectives ofthe CSR department.

3. Adopt sustainability

reporting

Reporting on KPIs andindicators of companysustainability can shed light on

inefficient or environmentally

unfriendly processes in thesupply chain.

In addition, sustainabilityreporting increasestransparency and accountability,

which is in itself a move towardresponsible corporatecitizenship.

4. Ensure consistentcompany messaging if yourcompany cares, everyonecares

Senior management should notbe uninvolved in theircompanys CSR initiatives ortreat them as an afterthought.

For CSR to be truly effective, aconsistent and clear messagemust be communicated acrossall levels and departments. CSRshould be considered a centralstrategy of investment in thelong-term health and

sustainability of the corporation.CSR is aninvestment, not

a cost.-

His Excellency Stefan van Wersch,Ambassador of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands to Oman, at the CorporateSustainability Forum


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ivil Society Organizationsoccupy a unique position insociety; they are able to

gather resources and influentialpeople together to create impact ina way that neither individuals nor

corporations are able to do.

However, CSOs also face uniquechallenges. Many struggle on adaily basis to secure enoughfunding to support operations. Inaddition, many NGOs also have aboard that is not able to commitfull-time, which increases the risk ofpoor financial decisions.

CSOs can consider the followingfindings from the SustainOman

project to support their operations:

1. Capitalize on corporateknowledge

CSOs often think of partnershipswith corporations as purelyfinancial. However, CSOmanagement teams often strugglewith business strategy and effectivemanagement. CSOs shouldconsider securing strategic learningpartners to help give their

employees and managers a crashcourse in business logic, proposalwriting, and general management.

2. Understand your differentiator

NGOs should be able to answerthese questions:

What makes my programs andmy organization different fromothers in the market?

Does everyone in my

organization understand itsmission statement?

Is the mission statementwritten, accessible, andimplemented?

NGOs often suffer from a lack ofdirection; it is crucial that eachperson involved with the NGO cananswer these questions in order tomaximize the value they add to the

Recommendationsfor

Civil Society

organization.

3. Track and measure impact

All programs should be trackedand reported on, including

reports on critical measures ofsuccess (MoS) and KeyPerformance Indicators. CSOsshould be able to define theaudience of each program andzero in on the exact impacttheyre having in the community.

4. Aim for three-way addedvalue

A partnership between acompany and CSO should add

value in three dimensions: tothe community, to the CSO, andto the company itself.

5. Cultivate a strongcommunication and mediastrategy.

CSR initiatives can only benefitfrom increased awareness;CSOs should focus on involvingmany different organizationsand individuals in their CSR

initiatives to create large-scaleawareness through differentlevels of society.

Sustainabilityshould be

defined by thevalue it deliversto the individual,the corporation,and the planet.

- Monaem Ben Lellahom, AIESECalumnus and chair of the Corporate

Sustainability Forum

C


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t is each individualsresponsibility to contribute to

the sustainability of the community,whether they be a student, anemployee, a volunteer, or a parent.While institutional and

organizational change is imperativeto a sustainable and sociallyresponsible society, often thechanges that are easiest to enactand have the largest impact comefrom individuals.

Here are some suggestions basedon the findings of the SustainOmanproject to help you to takeresponsibility over your own impacton your environment:

1. Take small steps to reduceyour environmental footprint

It is easy to think that an individual

environmentally friendly (orunfriendly) action will beunnoticed, or wont have amajor impact in the long run.However, small practiceseventually add up, and make all

the difference. There are athousand small things you canchange about your daily routineto reduce your impact on theenvironment. Commit to startingwith just one!

Some actions to consider inyour home or work place are thefollowing:- Unplug any electronic

devices if they are not in use.- Wash clothes in cold water.

- Use cloth bags while groceryshopping instead of plastic

- Get a reusable water bottleand fill it at water stations

- Carpool and combineerrands to reduce petrol use

- Eat one vegetarian meal perweek

2. Volunteer and support

CSOs:

Young people especially should

actively seek out opportunitiesto support CSOs; it can be assimple as paying them a visit toask if they need any volunteersto support their organization.

Recommendationsfor

You!

Professionals should also beencouraged to volunteer inCSOs as a method ofknowledge sharing andsupporting them in themanagement of the CSO

3. Encourage your peers, andshare your values

Start sharing ideas with friends,colleagues and family. Spreadthe word about excitingvolunteering programs, or newinformation about sustainabilityand the environment. This iswhere the power of theindividual truly lies: activatingones network to become

responsible over theirenvironment and society.


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CSR is alifestyle. Its howyou raise your

kids, how you goto work, its howyou create jobsand live aresponsible life.

National Bank of Oman, the first local bank founded in Oman, has a near40-year history of serving Oman and its citizens. They have long takenthe lead in responsible banking, and have a stated goal of becoming

Omans most sustainable bank. NBOs experience with CSR andsustainability in Oman can provide valuable insights to the emergingCSR community.

NBOs head of CSR & Corporate Communications, Aisha Al Kharusi, is

one of the key spokespeople for CSR in the MENA region and a drivingforce behind NBOs partnership with AIESEC for the CorporateSustainability Forum. Part of the reason this initiative was successful, in

Aishas opinion, is that the NBO team was involved heavily as mentorsfor the young people running the project. The great thing about theCorporate Sustainability Forum was that youth were the driving factor; itwas AIESEC and the young people who are involved there. And in the

end they were able to send a very effective message to big corporationsthat CSR can play a huge role in your strategy. This kind of knowledgeand experience partnership is an interesting model for civil society toexplore.

Aisha is also experienced in managing the difficulties that companies canface when attempting to run CSR programs in Oman. While companiesoften choose to team up with civil society organizations to maximizeimpact, she points out that many CSOs do not have formal businesstraining. This often results in proposals that arent compelling, eitherbecause the project impact has not been thoroughly thought out, orbecause the proposal itself is not well written. This also results in poor

tracking of CSR programs, as often CSOs do not understand whatexactly they should be tracking.

Aisha and the National Bank of Oman are a good example of a CSR

department that places as much importance on investing in key peopleas in key projects, as well as having a personal connection to programs.My team gets involved with different projects from A to Z. We want toalign our CSR programs with our business strategies, to touch livesthrough wealth creation and embedding strong values, empowering theyouth. We feel its our responsibility, says Aisha.

- Aisha Al Kharusi

Head of CSR & CorporateCommunicationsNational Bank of Oman

National Bank of Oman

Company Profile


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The potential of young people toimpact Omani society is huge.They are the largest demographic,with over 500,000 young peoplebetween the ages of 14 to 25. If allof those young people chose to be

responsible stewards of theircommunities and environment, theimpact could be huge. However,both youth and companiesidentified challenges to youthengagement and socialresponsibility during the CorporateSustainability Forum.

For example, many people at theForum thought that young peopleoften have an incompleteunderstanding of CSR. They do not

usually have role models showingthem how to act sustainably, so theconcept often remains abstract to

them.

Another problem identified was thatcompanies and NGOs could beunsure about how to reach out toyoung people. While young people

may be the target audience of CSRprojects, they are not usually askedfor input in their creation.

Young people at the CorporateSustainability Forum sawthemselves becoming involved inCSR activities mainly throughvolunteering, organizing events tosupport various causes, orpromoting the efforts of CSOsthrough social media.

However, many also describedsome external limitations thatprevent them from participating inthese activities, such as:

Limited opportunities forvolunteering.

Misconception of volunteerismin society as "free labor"

Little societal regard given tothe experience gained throughvolunteering

Lack of financial support for

civil society projects Societal support going to

initiatives, which are more wellknown meaning less supportfor grass root initiatives.

Young peopleshould stop

being recipientsand start being

creators.- Aisha Al Mahrami, AIESEC alumnae, at

the Corporate Sustainability Forum

Youth at the forum submittedthe following recommendationsfor their peers on how toovercome these challenges:

Create awareness around

existing projects and NGOsand the impact they aremaking.

Take initiative; be thepeople who are takingaction to create change.

Start with a small-scaleactivity and involve manypeople.

Do not underestimate theopportunities for self-development thatvolunteering can give.

Youth and CSR


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Sustainability in Oman is close toreaching the tipping point when itwill be widely adopted bycompanies, organizations, andindividuals. At that point, CSRprograms and corporatesustainability will stop beingconsidered as extraneous

initiatives and will be incorporatedinto core business strategy.

Until the perception of sustainabilityundergoes that major change, it isimportant for any initiatives to focuson the involvement and educationof all stakeholders.

This handbook is only one piece inthe puzzle of sustainability in theSultanate, which has various othercontributors such as NBO, Omran,

and Aramex.

What is truly needed to maximize

the impact of all the CSR andsustainability initiatives run bycompanies or CSOs is anunbiased body which couldstreamline systems, defineprocesses, and be a reference forall matters sustainability in thesultanate.

Till such an entity exists,companies, CSOs and individualsshould still continue to seek outopportunities for them tocooperate and create sustainablepartnerships around importantissues.

With all that being said,sustainability is not a goal to beachieved, but a constant process,which requires innovation, sharing

of best case practices, andeducation of the public at large.

Conclusion

Sustainability isnot an endresult; its aprocess.

- Walaa Hamdan, AIESEC alumna, at theCorporate Sustainability Forum


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