Corporate Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR can be defined as behaviour by businesses over and above the legal requirements, voluntarily adopted because businesses determine it to be in their long-term interest. CSR is intrinsically linked to the concept of sustainable development.

• CSR is not about management, it is about leadership.
• CSR is both about how you spend the money you make and how you make the money you spend.
• Trends on CSR indicate that consumers want to take action on key issues.
• Good use of CSR initiatives motivates employees, enhances brand, encourages differentiation and gives the company a story to tell.
• Partnerships between companies and NGO partners help build credibility on both sides.

Gorta and CSR

An important component of a 21st century NGO is an ability to interact with the business community at many levels and on many different agendas. Gorta supports a CSR development model and is spear-heading this approach to development. We have worked successfully with a number of different large corporations including AIG and Intel, and are currently in discussion with other business interests.

A one size fits all approach to CSR does not work as each company needs a strategy tailored towards its needs. Gorta can gather together a multi disciplinary team of professionals to work with companies to see how best their contribution can be channeled. In some instances this could relate to:

1. fundraising with employees for a specific project or programme
2. guiding direct corporate funding to a programme or country area
3. providing opportunities for people to share expert skills and time for specialist volunteering both in Ireland and overseas.

A Private Sector Response to the Challenge of Achieving the MDGs

Never before in history has there been a greater alignment between the objectives of the international community and those of the business world. Common goals, such as building markets, combating corruption, safeguarding the environment and ensuring social inclusion, have resulted in unprecedented partnerships and openness between business, governments, civil society, labour and the United Nations.

This ever-increasing understanding is reflected in the growth of the United Nations Global Compact, which today stands as the largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative in the world — with over 7700 corporate participants and stakeholders from over 130 countries.

Launched in July 2000, the Global Compact is a both a policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. As a leadership initiative endorsed by chief executives, it seeks to align business operations and strategies everywhere with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

Gorta's programmes embrace the UN Millennium Development Goals which challenge all of us to respond to tackle poverty, hunger, disease, lack of shelter and exclusion – while promoting gender equality, healthcare, education, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity.

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