The South African CSI Scene

Posted on 27. Aug, 2009 by admin in Headlines and Opinions

Band Aid relief versus Thought Leadership… CSI for systemic change in South Africa
Yogavelli Nambiar-Varma, Head: CSR Consultancy of Kaelo Worldwide Media

There is much talk about corporate social responsibility, corporate social investment, sustainability, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable development, philanthropy, triple bottom line, etc. What a plethora of terminologies exist to describe this sector! We’re really good at labeling what we do and love the endless chatter around it.

But, do we do it well?

Not always.

Granted, there are a few companies that lead the pack but largely, the corporate investment sector vacillates between a few who envision innovative interventions; to some who do a great job in strategizing and implementing social investment efforts, to the majority of others who still believe that the traditional “charitable model” is the way to go.

But it is not a doom and gloom scenario?

Corporate citizenship is in an exciting nascent space right now. The sector has grown and new, creative perspectives have joined the guiding voice of the experience and expertise of development stalwarts. Consulting agencies and conferences have sprouted which indicate that there has been an identification of the need for more strategic corporate interventions.

There is a new government – one that still needs to gain the trust of the private sector – and new possibilities to carve public-private partnerships that rise to meet our social development challenges. A highly impactful example is the partnership platforms created by The Business Trust and we need more of the same to share our learning.



South Africa may be in a much more favorable position with regards to the global financial crisis; but many companies have initiated cutbacks to their CSI budgets or CSI communications budgets necessitating a need for greater innovation and strategic thought around how the company’s social investments are implemented and brand value realized.

And adding to the possibilities, the biggest sporting spectacle arrives on our doorstep in 2010 and there will be no more hiding from the critical view of the world.

As a developing country, South Africa has more to solve and more to lose…there are too many people within and without our borders, who are dependent on “us”, the “other”, the ones who can.
Our incredible intellectual capital locally and regionally must be harnessed to bring about the sustainable social change we desire. It is in South Africa that the innovative, now global concepts of e-pap, lapdesks and the award-winning Phelopepha train were created to meet the huge development needs of hunger, education and health in rural areas.

Now it’s time to focus the energy, intelligence and expertise we have to achieve even greater results.

Collaboration is oft spoken about and while it is (sometimes) done well between companies and non-profit organizations, we would be hard pressed to find examples of multi-corporate partnerships for social good. Concerns around the loss of brand differentiation and/or a lesser competitive advantage of going it alone narrows the perspective on the role and opportunities for business to use the power of collaboration to effect social change.

However, a more holistic intervention is needed – encompassing advocacy and lobbying; awareness-building and fundraising ; galvanizing all company resources for the effective implementation of its projects and consolidating business alliances into strategic partnerships that look at all the needs around a chosen issue.

It’s the difference between being a thought leader that strategizes around systemic change, as opposed to being the bearer of band-aid relief.

The crux of current debates in the CSI sector is on diverse methods of using the capitalist marketplace for social good ranging from how to create real structural change in addressing social issues (as opposed to providing continued short-term relief efforts with no long-term strategy) to dialogues on social entrepreneurship, social enterprises, creating blended value, socially responsible investing, etc.

Both the CSI and development paradigms are required equally in order to bring about the social equity we all strive for.

Read more about the author: Yogavelli Nambia