AICC Newsletter

Global African Corporate Sustainability Forum Launches

The Africa Corporate Sustainability Forum (ACSF) – initiated by the African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC) – is a multi-stakeholder platform providing an opportunity for business, government and broader civil society to discuss and act on corporate sustainability policy and practice in Africa.

The ACSF, which was initiated during the joint Commonwealth Business Council and British Council Leadership Conference on Corporate Citizenship (18 – 22 January 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya), was launched formally during AICC’s 2nd African Corporate Citizenship Convention, on 21 September 2004 at the Nedcor Auditorium, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In addition, the Forum was also launched in Europe during the European Union Presidency Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), held on 9 November 2004, in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The EU Conference on CSR was held on the 7 -9 November 2004, with the theme: “Competing for a sustainable future.”

The conference attracted 700 participants, including representatives of businesses, social organizations, trade unions, governments and academic institutions.

The importance of achieving a balance between economic growth, social cohesion and sustainable development as a basis for competitiveness and higher productivity was eminent during the conference. The final conclusions of the Maastricht conference (and speech by Karien van Gennip, Minister for Foreign Trade, the Netherlands) can be found on www.ez.nl or www.csr2004.nl.

At the start of the EU CSR conference, AICC held a meeting of Pan-African delegates (sponsored by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs) on the 7 November 2004. The meeting provided the opportunity for pan-African delegates to meet each other before the commencement of the conference and network towards exploring synergies, enhancing collaboration and creating deeper relationships. The meeting also enabled pan-African delegates to reflect on CSR in the African context and formulate a common “African” agenda for the Conference. Present at the meeting were among others: Ailly Hanguilo-Paulino (Namdeb, Namibia), Mokhethi Moshoeshoe (AICC) Eddie Smith (Multichoice, Malawi), Sam Seepei (BHP Billiton), Dr. Maggie Kigozi (Uganda Investment Agency), Goodie Ibru (NEPAD Business Group Nigeria), Sean de Cleene (AICC, Malawi), Minkailou Samega Janneh (West African Rural Foundation, Senegal/Gambia & Guaranty Trust Bank, Gambia), Tagbo Agbazue (Africa Corporate Sustainability Forum), Odey Oyama (RRDC, Nigeria) Paul Kapelus (AICC), Dr. Yusuf Turundu (Consultant, NEPAD Private Sector) and Karugor Gatamah (Centre for Corporate Governance, Kenya) etc.

During the EU CSR Conference, various parallel sessions were held, including the workshop – “African view of CSR” – held on 8 November 2004 and organised by AICC. This parallel session highlighted that CSR is a vital and fundamental ingredient within the framework of NEPAD and that there is the need to ensure that economic development in Africa incorporates principles of responsibility, so as to improve the competitiveness of companies, sectors and countries on the continent. The discussion actively engaged with the different dimensions of CSR (including challenges, opportunities and innovations) within the African context, as well as the need for building and strengthening multi-stakeholder CSR networks across Africa to inter alia facilitate learning and sharing across the continent, as well as to provide an “African Voice” grounded in the cultural, political, economic, historical and social realities of African countries rather than the continent merely being reactive to agendas driven in the North.

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