Head, Organisation and Human Resource Management of the University of Ghana Business School, on Wednesday said many corporate bodies operating in Ghana lacked broad knowledge and understanding of what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) entailed.
Dr Daniel Ofori explained that CSR goes beyond philanthropy, and cover a wider perspective, which include observing sound environmental maintenance practices, good treatment of workers, ensuring quality products, adhering to basic ethical standards in social and business circles as well as observing their legal obligations.
Dr Ofori was speaking at the launch of a report and dissemination of findings and policy roundtable on identification of promotion and hindering factors for Corporate Social Responsibility.
The report, co-authored by Dr Ofori, is a study conducted in six countries - Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia and Mozambique.
He said the report was intended to draw public attention to the broader aspects of CSR so as to make it more appreciable to businesses.
Dr Ofori said the research in Ghana's own environment showed generally very narrow understanding of CSR in corporate circles, saying majority of companies and organisations had the notion that they needed to do something
for the communities in which they operated and therefore donated various items and facilities without extensive consultations with the beneficiaries.
He said if such interventions were not managed, quality CSR could not be sustainable and urged companies and organisations to look beyond
philanthropy and focus on the workplace, market place, customer as well as environmental CSRs.
He said the research revealed various forms of abuses by companies and organisations in diverse forms, which ranged from human rights to
environmental and legal.
Dr. Ofori said the absence of a clear cut legal policy on CSR had given room to so many violations.
Mr Johnson Oduro, Representative of Improving Business Practice, explained that the Ghana Business Code (GHBC) has been developed against the background of globalisation and outlined acceptable standards with regard to human rights, labour, issues of the environment and anti-corruption in business.
He stated that the Code was expected to focus on performance measurements of businesses operating in Ghana not only on the bottom line of
profits, but also on their social and environmental responsibilities, thereby strengthening the long-term prospects of individual businesses.
He mentioned some of the benefits as the creation of trust between an enterprise, its employees, customers and suppliers and the society at large.
Mr Oduro said businesses that committed to the GHBC gained recognition, both locally and internationally, saying currently about 170 companies has signed on to it, but only seven out of this number had qualified, based on a recent audit research report, with the rest still working at attaining perfection.