What is behind the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) ?
Kenneth Keirstead: Historic precedent implies that businesses and organizations from the West working in Africa have often not provided residual social benefit or impact on indigenous populations and the infrastructure – concurrent with the benefit taken out or derived. This often breeds mistrust and suspicion of outside interests. The world community has been sensitized to this by virtue of their wish to be seen as responsible and caring, and often a self-serving desire to enhance their corporate equity and reputation. Whether this is self-serving or altruistic, the result is that Western companies and organizations are now making strides toward making sure that they respect things like environmental assessments, pay attention to their contribution to the social fabric of communities and peoples in Africa, and provide equity to marginalized peoples (disadvantaged, women and children). They also strive to enhance their reputation and their “press” in Africa. Out of this, grew the movem
