Companies move to strengthen corporate social responsibility

A new initiative to safeguard against failure of community-based activities by corporate organisations has been started providing companies and their employees a platform to share practical knowledge on how to sustain their projects.

The initiative, named Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Roundtable, is aimed at strengthening expert knowledge, competence and continuous development of CSR professionals in Uganda as they participate in business and economic development activities.

Mr David Katamba, the Chairman of the Uganda Chapter for Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives (UCCSRI), says the organisation has developed a training manual for companies on a tailor-made basis on how to identify and manage appropriate CSR undertakings that can be sustainable in the target communities.

“We have also designed a CSR curriculum that will be taught at university level to groom managers academically through formal education.

The curriculum starts with Makerere University Business School (Mubs) as a pilot before it is rolled out to other institutions,” says Mr Katamba.

Training professionals
During the maiden Roundtable dialogue in Kampala, Mr Katamba observed that with the training of corporates, target communities would benefit considerably.

“We are building a strong network of CSR-minded people to expand on the activities done for the people. Mr Katamba said professionals are not forced to join in the effort.

However, because of the benefits that would accrue to practitioners, like sustainability, customer base, getting a social license to operate, good will of the public and brand identity, it is advisable to join for some of these benefits.

By Ephraim Kasozi, Daily Monitor