CSR briefs

Migrant and homeless children, children living in informal housing and children engaged in labour are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change in Da Nang.

This was one of the key findings of a research project announced on September 24 at a regional workshop held by Save the Children International in Vietnam.

They found few climate change adaptation activities for children. Textbooks and other study aids on climate change adaptation were not available at primary and secondary schools, nor were teacher training materials and guides on community-based adaptation.

Nguyen Minh Hung, deputy director of Da Nang’s Education and Training Department, said a set of documents was being compiled about climate change adaptation that would be integrated with subjects such as geography and citizen education. 

The documents would provide students from primary to the high school level with basic skills for adapting to climate change.

Da Nang and other central coastal localities are hit hardest by climate change and extreme weather. One or two strong storms have battered the city annually in recent years and flashfloods and landslides have become more common, damaging local schools and infrastructure, Hung said.

Heat waves and environmental pollution also caused health problems for children, especially the underprivileged or disabled, he added. – Viet Nam News 

 

FedEx enhances primary school facilities

Students attending Bon Nongtae Pattana primary school will soon enjoy new equipment and facilities thanks to a donation from FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp and the world’s largest express transportation company.

The grant will be used to acquire playground equipment, library books, water tanks and water filtration systems. 

David Carden, managing director of FedEx Express Thailand and Indochina, presented the donation to school administrators and 67 students at a dedication ceremony on September 27. 

He was joined by 61 FedEx volunteers who helped serve lunch and organise games for the children at the half-day event. The volunteers also rolled up their sleeves, and trousers, to plant rice in the afternoon. 

“FedEx is committed to giving back to communities, especially initiatives to help young people realise their potential. Today’s programme is also a good opportunity for FedEx team members to make a hands-on contribution and we hope the rice planting, and other activities, will become regular events on our community calendar,” he said.

The donation continues FedEx Thailand’s support of the Adopt-a-School programme run by the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. Since it was launched in 2007, the project has enhanced school life and learning for more than 2,500 rural students throughout the country. 

The Buri Ram activity was also part of the seventh annual FedEx Cares Week in Asia-Pacific. From September 20-28, some 1,000 FedEx volunteers from 12 Asia-Pacific markets took part in 36 community initiatives across the region. 

 

‘Companies focusing more on sustainable practices’

A survey of 2,500 businesses in 34 economies finds that businesses are being driven towards more socially and environmentally sustainable practices not simply by brand building or altruism, but also good financial sense, according to Grant Thornton.

The company’s “International Business Report” also shows that more companies are reporting on sustainability while most now view integrated reporting as a best practice.

The top driver towards more sustainable business practices globally is cost management, cited by 67 per cent of respondents, up from 56 per cent in 2011. It is a particularly dominant driver in Latin America (77 per cent, up from 68 per cent) and North America (76 per cent, up from 45 per cent). 

Client/consumer demand is the biggest driver in Asia-Pacific (72 per cent), BRIC (68 per cent), eurozone (72 per cent) and Thailand (67 per cent).

Tom Sorensen, the partner for people and culture at Grant Thornton Thailand, said research provides compelling evidence that CSR and broader business objectives are becoming more aligned. 

The findings suggest that the benefits of adopting more environmentally and socially sustainable business practices are becoming even more tangible, for example through tax relief for charitable activities or lower energy bills due to efficiency measures being introduced.

Strong social and environmental credentials can also create customer loyalty and enhance reputations, which has become even more important with the rise of social media. 

“We live in an increasingly digital world characterised by instant customer feedback, so businesses need to be mindful not just of what they are doing, but also of how they are doing it. Companies that gain while the local population or environment loses can quickly find that demand for their products or services erodes,” he said.

“We are very mindful of how our Gen Y uses social media in their engagement with CSR activities. The recent ‘ice bucket challenge’ is a fantastic example of how a relatively simple idea can be so powerfully communicated and have such incredible participation around the globe. 

“The results speak for themselves. The ALS Association, which had raised US$64 million in all of 2013, raised more than $10 million on one day alone, on Thursday, August 21, as a result.”

The IBR data show that the No 1 CSR initiative implemented globally over the last 12 months is donating to community causes/charities, cited by 68 per cent of business leaders. Two-thirds said they had participated in community/charity activities, while 65 per cent had improved their energy efficiency or waste management. 

Products or services donation is the most popular CSR activity in Thailand at 58 per cent.

Just 31 per cent of firms globally report on sustainability initiatives, either combined with financial reports or separately. However, 26 per cent plan to begin reporting externally on sustainability matters in five years. And overall, 57 per cent agree that reporting on non-financial matters, such as sustainability, should be combined with financial reporting.

Francesca Lagerberg, global leader for tax services at Grant Thornton, said that for business leaders, commercial drivers can no longer be viewed as separate from social or environmental ones. 

“During the lean times of the global financial crisis, cutting costs became the norm. But improving energy efficiency or sourcing local products also makes financial sense when economies are growing. 

“In an ever more crowded and competitive marketplace, we’re seeing businesses use CSR to differentiate themselves and unlock new potential for growth.”

Integrated reporting can play an important role in encouraging businesses to demonstrate how they are performing not just financially, but also within the wider social, environmental and economic context.