Transcript Social Responsibility in Binational Centers

Social Responsibility in
Binational Centers
Michele L. Lee
Executive Director
Centro Venezolano Americano de
Merida
Agenda
Definitions of Social Responsibility
Government and Business
Types of Social Responsibility
How BNC’s can take part
Examples of Social Responsibility
What is Social Responsibility?
Corporate responsibility
Corporate citizenship
Responsible business
Sustainable responsible business (SRB),
or,
Corporate social performance
Social responsibility
All organizations have:
 Responsibility to society
 Obligation toward the good of a larger social unit as
opposed to the self alone
 Imperative to improve the quality of relations with key
stakeholders: putting values into action in the
perspective of our relations with society at large
 Responsibilities as citizens as part of a society and
nation.
 Need to contribute to the welfare of society and not be
solely devoted to maximizing profits
Origins of
Social Responsibility
We have always had government or
caretakers
Government & business
Government has always asked business
to lend a hand in societal concerns
⃰ Obligatory: Taxes
⃰ Self determination: Philanthropy
⃰ Sustainable development: Responsibility
Government & Society
Government is stepping back:
Government & Society
Business is rising to the challenge
The Role of Business
Traditional role: management must
maintain its wealth-producing resource
intact by making adequate profits to offset
the risk of economic activity.
SR model management must also
increase the wealth-producing capacity of
these resources and with them the wealth
of society.
Working definition
Business has an obligation to make
choices and take actions that will
contribute to the welfare and interests of
society as well as the organizational
(Richard L.Daft, 1988).
 Two principles which provide the
foundation for contemporary views on
social responsibity, the principle of charity
and the principle of stewardship.
Two Principles
Principle of Charity
Principle of Stewardship
Two roads to take
Global Issues
Local Challenges
Hot topics in
social responsibility
Culture and the arts
Sports programs, especially with children
Environment, sustainable development
Community Health and safety
Education and Scholarship
The BNC Social
Responsibility Dilema
Today’s world has contemporary social,
economic, environmental, and political
challenges.
BNCs can contribute to the tasks required to
meet those challenges
Pro´s and Con´s
Pro´s
1. organizations benefit
from society, therefore,
have an obligation to
improve it.
2. It is in the interests of
business to improve its
community
3. Improves public image
Con´s
1. High cost involved
2. Resources diverted to
non profitmaking
activities
How to
1. List your stakeholders
2. Identify the issue(s):
⃰
⃰
that most identify you with your stakeholders
within a global or local context
Where BNC can make a difference
(obtainable objective)
3. Decide to which you would like to or you
could most contribute?
How to
3. Identify the expected outcome
4. Identify alternative outcomes
5. Determine your action plan
6. How can you incorporate your Social
responsibility plan in your binational
center plan
7. Write a mission, vision, and values
statement with social responsibility in
mind.
Who are our
stakeholders?
Those individuals or groups who have an
interest in and / or are affected by the
activities of the organization or the
behavior of its members.
⃰ Assembly, board of directors
⃰ Directors, teachers, and staff
⃰ Clients, students, community
⃰ Country, world
⃰ Special interests
Cevam believes
We can implement systemic practices that
create safe, caring, and equitable
environment so that all young people
succeed in school and life, and help shape
a safe, democratic and just world
We can contribute to an education for young
people which provides them with hopeful
and intelligent engagement with their world
Teaching Content
Ricardo Romero: we not only teach
English, we teach content
Gary Strong: It’s not just about learning
the language, it’s creating social
interaction with the language.
Therefore, we add social responsibility
content to our language classroom.
CEVAM’s Example
We do what we do best:
⃰ Teach our children
⃰ Collaborate with our adults
To raise their conscious about issues
important to us
⃰ Environment
⃰ Civic education
⃰ Citizen participation
Cevam’s examples
The World Cup
Appreciation for other cultures, cultural
differences
Repower America’s Wall
We added our Voice
Bob Marley’s Earth Day Remix
Thank you
Michele L. Lee de León
Executive Director
CEVAM
References
http://socialresponsibility.vinsign.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2161226_teach
-children-social-responsibility.html
http://www.viacom.com/corpresponsibility/
Pages/ourinitiatives.aspx
http://www.ashoka.org/
http://faculty.darden.virginia.edu/leeperm/d
ocs/gbus-8306-spring-06-syllabus.pdf