CSR: a PR activity?

CSR: a PR activity?

by Gayatri S -
Number of replies: 1

Prasanna could you said that CSR in context of industries in SEZ is not helpful and essentially a PR activity. Could you please explain why ?

In reply to Gayatri S

Re: CSR: a PR activity?

by Prasanna Saligram -
It needs a detailed explanation and a session itself. The starting point for understanding CSR is to understand the basic mantra of companies. The bottomline for companies is about profits. So historically companies would not want to engage in issues that are political as that would affect their public relations (affecting even share prices etc. in addition to coming into bad books with the governments). So companies would be rather happier providing books and pens to students rather than getting their hands dirty on questioning the schooling system. Or companies would be happier distributing medicines rather than questioning the patents or even insisting on buying of branded medicines (as evidence regarding Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). The most famous one and oxymoronic thing is about the Coca Cola company in Plachimada having a CSR initiative for water conservation smile So such CSR initiatives have been termed as greenwash.