Transcript Document

National Conference on Corporate Social ResponsibilityIssues and Challenges.
CSR & Higher
Education : A
lacuna that needs
to be filled
By Ms Sumbul Tahir & Ms. Neha Gupta
Assistant Professor
Jagannath International Management School, New Delhi,
Kalkaji
Introduction
• CSR is a widely recognized concept in the corporate
arena. However, there exists a gap in its
implementation in the higher educational system.
• This study attempts to highlight how higher
education institutions might also be mobilized to
initiate serious CSR interventions and the roadmap
through which the same can be achieved.
Objectives
• There happens to be an empty slot between knowledge
related to CSR and its implementation as only Industrial
corporations tends to work towards the welfare of the society
as one of their business objectives.
• Institutions imparting higher education must try to reform their
system by introducing CSR activities to be as important as a
part of course curriculum.
• To identify the facilitators in the field of academics for CSR
initiatives in Educational system and universities.
• To study the importance and need of CSR by providing
suitable interventions for the implementation of the idea of
CSR at university level.
Review of Literature
• Baruch and Lemming (1996, p27) suggest that “the
aims of MBA programs are to prepare graduates for
managerial roles, help them gain a better
understanding of the industrial and business world
and its needs, enrich their skills and provide them
with competencies relevant to their careers.”
• Trevino and Nelson (1999), business school
students may need training in ethics and moral
reasoning more than most other students.
Reasons for university
interventions of CSR
• To convince students that ethical issues are an
important part of the key business functions of
finance, marketing, and management.
• To provide systematic coverage of a wide range of
ethical issues to all students.
• To imbue all MBA students with a perspective of
what ethics mean in business practice.
• To provide students with a set of analytical tools
applicable to ethical problems in all aspects of their
business education, as well as their future jobs.
Some domains where CSR has
been or can be taken up
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Rain water harvesting
Minimization of waste and recycling programs.
Devising substitutes for harmful chemicals
Research for reducing harmful emissions in the
atmosphere.
Making use of renewable resources convenient and
fashionable.
Ensuring students become active members of
environmental organizations.
Eliciting support of industry in social and environmental
benefit schemes.
Contd..
• Environmental monitoring and reporting.
• Encouraging students to work with children with
learning difficulties or teach children with special
needs.
• Encouraging parents to donate to charities
recognized by the university.
• Supporting local homeless people by initiating
projects of donation of used clothes, utensils, rugs,
blankets etc.
• Sponsorship of students of less privileged
households for participation in sports teams.
Recommendations
• Socially responsible universities and colleges should initiate
steps to arrange and organize interventions for leaving a
positive impact on society.
• The interventions should involve academicians and students
both, in order to ensure that the expertise of faculty members
and the enthusiasm and fresh perspective of students are
channeled together for the betterment of the community.
• Academic institutions can make use of their departments in
mobilizing specific skills and knowledge for better targeted
interventions. For instance the Department of Life Sciences is
better equipped to handle rain water harvesting while
Department of Social Sciences will work better with
collaborating with NGOs.
Contd..
• Top management of academic institutions have to
take the lead in initiating all CSR activities and the
enthusiasm and zeal for the same will emanate from
them and then travel down the line.
• The time is near when government shall take active
interest in making CSR mandatory for all
organizations. Appointment of a nodal person who
manages all socially responsible activities with the
outside world seems like a good investment.
Otherwise the option of making one faculty member
as the ombudsman for the same can also be
explored.
Conclusion
• Universities are the most important areas of
imparting education, still in light of modernization the
basic objective of providing education must not
suffer. Educational systems must not become
commercial organizations stressing upon only
growth in number of students and span of control. It
should be the responsibility of the academicians as
well to do contribute a bit towards the welfare of the
society by making the world a little better.
Questions
Thank You