In recent years, much has been said about “Corporate Social Responsibility” (CSR), a term used to define companies' active and voluntary contribution to social, economic, and environmental improvement. CSR aims to achieve excellence within the company, paying special attention to people and their working conditions, as well as the quality of their production processes.
In our country, the participation of the business community in development has been significant not only from the perspective of their financial support but also, it could be argued, in many ways the private sector's support has been crucial in defending and advancing many community initiatives and even in defining public policies, particularly in the areas of education, environment, and credit support for the informal economic sector. Many passionate business leaders are highlighted as champions of various causes, leading in their respective fields of action. Numerous cases abound of individuals whose contributions are of such magnitude that without their involvement, the country's situation would be much worse than it currently is.
On the other hand, there is no doubt that there are also many companies that engage in development out of obligation and in a paternalistic manner, with a vision that focuses on the symptoms of the problems that plague us instead of the causes. In short, the participation of the business community from the perspective of CSR is still very timid and needs to evolve considerably.
Personally, I feared this might be another passing fad, but that hasn't happened, and it's perceived that, just as with gender, youth, the environment, and other topics, its permanence is highlighted as a cross-cutting theme in development policies and programs. Like any trend, this is only the beginning and a transition towards a new type of informed, conscious, sensitive, and participatory entrepreneurship in decisions and actions for the benefit of our society.
For the Dominican Republic to move towards equality (in all senses) and to be economically and environmentally sustainable, the private sector cannot settle for one-off, non-strategic support. The global situation has changed, and business leaders, like governments and the community in general, must change. In fact, their raison d'être will have to transform, as faced with the challenges ahead, individual profit at the expense of the common good is not enough. There are indications that this is beginning to happen, with many examples of coherent and proactive conceptualization in the face of the current crisis.
What they need to understand is that adopting a new way of doing business doesn't mean losing money, because that's not what it's about. Quite the opposite. A good example of this is the “Green Globe” certification awarded to environmentally responsible hotels and the “Blue Flag” for beaches, which are managed according to criteria of cleanliness, access, non-contamination, etc. Many tourists prefer to go to a destination that has received these recognitions and are even willing to pay more for the privilege. On the other hand, organic agricultural products have a higher demand than traditional ones, cost more, and are not as detrimental to the environment as other sectors.
Some companies are starting, correctly, to recognize that their employees and the communities where their families live are their partners, but they have not yet taken the step of truly making these populations co-owners of the companies. Sooner or later, this will change and there are examples of the creation of cooperatives that foster not only a better distribution of income, but also a greater identification and pride on the part of the employee with the company, which always has positive consequences.
The way companies manage themselves internally is also changing. For example, they are understanding that a company that manages its operations in a very hierarchical, vertical manner tends to be static and not very capable of adjusting to the volatile times we live in today. Including staff in decision-making allows for the capture of more experience and a greater level of co-commitment and co-responsibility in the company's management matters. The workplace is not simply a mechanism for receiving a paycheck or adhering to a schedule, but an opportunity for personal and professional growth.
I emphasize that a company cannot solely be a mechanism for individual profit, but must be an important factor in the balanced sustainable development of society where everyone can benefit. Entrepreneurs cannot only concern themselves with their economic balance sheet, but also with their social and environmental balance and impact. What is the point of exploiting the planet's resources for economic gain if we destroy it at the same time?.
Given the gravity of the looming climate change, this is no longer a recommendation, but a necessity. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is already talking about economic collapse if we continue with the status quo. We all have to change, and fast. Implementing a new way of life, of relating to each other, and of doing business is essential. Some want to call it social capitalism. I don't want to give it a name, I just know that if we don't change radically, we will leave a world to our children and grandchildren in a much worse state than we found it, and that is unacceptable and unbecoming of us as people.