The New Nation - Internet Edition

The British High Commission in Dhaka has been continuing its support to the development of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a wide variety of export oriented factories in Bangladesh with a second special CSR training event for factory managers on February 13 at the BRAC Centre in the city.

British Deputy High Commissioner, Duncan Norman, said, "Ethical policies are good for business; this trend will only increase. CSR can give companies a competitive edge - it has become a big selling point for buyers and consumers. There's a growing realisation that CSR is the smart route for Bangladeshi businesses and can be applied practically."

The 'Good for Business, Good for Bangladesh' project was successfully launched in January 2008 by the British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury and aims to embed practical CSR measures which can actually help Bangladeshi firms gain more business, as well as support the rights of workers. The second event, entitled 'Corporate Social Responsibility in the Factory', is expected to attract even greater attendance than the first, showing the growing levels of interest in making CSR profitable and practical.

"That a large number of senior factory managers have already confirmed their intention to attend this training conference is proof," say conference organisers Reed Consulting Bangladesh Ltd, "of the timely nature of this British High Commission initiative for business development."

Senior representatives from the British High Commission and the Government of Bangladesh Departments and Trade Associations (including BKMEA BGMEA and DCCI) will also contribute to the discussions on topics including:

'Is social compliance a 'demeaning' term for a Bangladesh business? What would be a more honourable term? Moving to a 'partnership of the like-minded' - beyond the rule setting buyer and the subservient servant manufacturer

What are the characteristics of CSR in a Bangladesh factory - in supervising staff and in protecting the natural environment around the factory?

Is ISO 26000 (the Corporate Social Responsibility ISO) a threat or an opportunity for Bangladesh businesses? Mrs Ann Reed and Mr Rodney Reed, international trainers from Reed Consulting Bangladesh Ltd will make presentations at the event on 'What is in-factory Corporate Social Responsibility?' and 'Delivering the Corporate Social Responsibility the buyers and their in-store customers want'.

Under the project, the British High Commission project is also making available, for interested companies, free resources on how to make CSR work for them, including a factory CSR guide book, 'Corporate Social Responsibility, A Guide for Companies Operating in Bangladesh'.