Asian CSR 'will go mainstream soon'

Social innovation will bring CSR into mainstream corporate culture in Asia this year, Jude Mannion, chief executive of Robin Hood Asia, has predicted.

Businesses are finally appreciating that an integrated, strategic approach can deliver huge social benefits while improving the bottom line and corporate reputation, says Mannion, whose organization aims to guide companies towards innovative policies that reduce poverty.

At present Robin Hood Asia is working with Unilever Indonesia to build on the company’s efforts to bridge the gap between business and the social sector.

Patrick Cescau, Unilever’s group chief executive, has written in the Global Compact’s Global Quarterly: ‘For the majority of multinational companies, simply making philanthropic donations in return for intangible corporate reputation benefits is no longer enough. This type of support is neither sustainable nor scalable. Crucially, it fails to capitalize on the specific skills and capabilities that business can bring to bear in working with the public sector to tackle social and environmental challenges.’

Mannion adds that one problem has been that every participant has a different interpretation of what constitutes responsible business practice. However, there is now more hope because publicity about poverty has spurred business in Asia into placing the subject on the mainstream agenda.