CSE develops Sustainable Solutions for Corporate Social Responsibility in the Banking Sector
January 2008
In recent years, public and private entities, including the banking sector, are expected to operate in a manner that is accountable both to organizational strategy and to stakeholders. The surfacing importance on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has stimulated business thinking on ways corporate values can be aligned with stakeholder expectations in manner that is both socially and environmentally sustainable. However, while in theory, the co-habitation of the corporate and socially pillars of business operations may seem like an easy task, in reality, it entails the input, dedication, and co-ordination of common resources, which need to be incorporated and aligned within the same strategy. A common mistake made by businesses is the notion that CSR is an external component of operations, which is not part of corporate strategy. Findings show that such misalignment, not only prevents businesses from sustaining CSR programs, but most importantly, but is in conflict with business stakeholders, which include customers, employees, communities, regulators, suppliers, governments and a range of civil society groups.
In response to accumulating interest from companies for custom-designed CSR services, the Centre for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) has developed a range of sustainable solutions, specially designed to fit the needs and demands of the financial and banking institutions, enabling them to successfully design a CSR strategy, implement it with into core business strategy, and succeed building a sustainable and fruitful relationship with stakeholders.
Being a leading global training and advisory organization on CSR & Sustainable Development, the CSE has formulated innovative, yet practical, solutions for financial institutions seeking to design and implement a successful CSR strategy.
In order to better fit the needs of the individual organization, the CSE provides practical consulting services and training in CSR, specialised in the banking sector. More specifically, trainings range from basic introductory workshops on CSR, to advanced certification CSR trainings, providing input on ways to develop and implement a CSR strategy, as well as designing an implementing annual CSR reports. Furthermore, the CSE offers specialized trainings on climate change and instilling innovative climate change solutions into an organisation’s CSR strategy.
The CSE is a specialist provider of a full range of workshops and training courses in the area of CSR and Sustainable Development, targeting in particular the managerial level (CEOs, General Managers, CSR Directors, etc.) of large multinational business entities. Services are delivered world-wide and to the highest standards and have a track record of successful co-operation with many leading businesses. To date the CSE has trained more than 3.000 professionals from all industry sectors.
Pertaining to the needs of the financial and banking sectors, the CSE provides practical solutions that support compliance to BASEL II requirements, including Stakeholder Risk Analysis and CSR Reporting for better transparency. CSE offers the following specialised services:
- Advanced CSR Strategy for reducing Risks (BASEL II)
- CSR Report Development based on International Standards
- A 2-days CSR Training customized training addressing all the key CSR aspects, including Strategy Development and CSR Reporting (This training can be organized in-house or it may be sponsored by the organisation as a country specific CSR initiative with open invitations)
CSE offers its services globally and has provided specialised CSR assistance to multinational organisations, such as European Investment Bank (EIB), Lloyds TSB, Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), ALPHA BANK, Piraeus Bank, on their journey towards sustainability.
CSE cooperates with international organisations, such as the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management), World Council for Corporate Governance (WCfCG), UN Global Compact (United Nations Global Compact), EBEN (European Business Ethics Network), Forum for International Communications and the European Commission.
Specific to the Middle East region, the CSE has active experience, being the first organization to introduce the CSR concept as part of a strategic and sustainable framework. It supports leading organizations in the UAE, such as the Dubai Center for Corporate Values and the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), and current expansion plans are under way in other countries in the region. Globally, the CSE has been active in many countries/regions, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, India, Russia, China, Baltic Countries.
For more information please visit the CSE Website,
http://www.cse-net.org , to access information on CSR and learn about CSE’s specilized and innovative sustainable solutions. You may also contact the CSE directly via telephone, 00 30 210 8085565, or via email
research@cse-net.org
