Free slots offering for EU Chamber Members and Invited Guests registered before 18th November (Details below Registration and Tickets)

The Road to a "Sustainable Enterprise" - Best Practices from Europe and China

Two-day conference, November 23-24, 2009.

Following its overwhelming success last year, the European Chamber is once again teaming up with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) to hold a two-day high-profile conference on Corporate Social Responsibility in China at the CEIBS Shanghai Campus on 23rd and 24th November 2009.

The key theme of this year’s CEIBS-European Chamber conference will be “CSR: The Road to a Sustainable Enterprise - Best Practices from China and Europe”

This year’s conference promises to again bring together high-level business and opinion leaders, academics and society figures. Attendees will be able to share knowledge on how to translate CSR from a buzzword to an effective way of transforming organizations toward a better form of sustainable enterprise (and to contribute to the development of the "Harmonious Society") in a period of tighter investment budgets and more attention to cost control.

The conference will blend theory and practices, methods, tools and concrete examples. It will share Chinese and foreign experiences (particularly from Europe) and illustrate the relevance and limits of CSR in a period of economic difficulties when responsible competitiveness is a challenge. Furthermore, the forum will propose and discuss scenarios potentially useful for guiding the many CSR stakeholders.

 

Registration form and Agenda 

Click here to view the two day agenda and registration form english version and chinese version  

Tickets - Entrance by Confirmation Letter ONLY !!

EU Chamber Members and Invited Guests by CEIBS: FREE! (for ones registered before 18th November only)
Non-members: 750 RMB 

Please contact Anna Reid on +21 6385 2023 ext.111, or email  the above registration form to areid@euccc.com.cn or 021-6385 2381 to book your space now!

To know more about this conference, please visit our website at http://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/ or please feel free to contact Ms. Penny Zhao, Business Manager for CSR Working Group at Shanghai Chapter via yzhao@euccc.com.cn




Media Partners

 

 

 

 

ChinaCSR.com
Corporate Social Responsibility is alive in China, and since 2003 the daily news website ChinaCSR.com has been delivering bilingual (Chinese and English) news about the growth of corporate social responsibility in China. Covering topics like health, safety, corruption, environment, labor rights, charities, sustainable energy, education, and new laws, ChinaCSR.com delivers daily news found nowhere else. As the only source of news of this kind covering China, it is the essential information source for executives operating in China, managers at NGOs, and governments monitoring compliance. ChinaCSR.com is a vital part of any executive's business toolkit. More information at www.chinacsr.com.

Website: http://www.chinacsr.com/en/
RSS: http://www.chinacsr.com/en/feed/
About Us: http://www.chinacsr.com/en/about-us/
Contact Us: http://www.chinacsr.com/en/contact-us/

ChinaNewswire.com & Xinwengao.com
China's leading press release distribution platform provides English-language corporate press releases at www.chinanewswire.com and Chinese-language at www.xinwengao.com. Xinwengao mean "press release" in Chinese -- ChinaNewswire.com & Xinwengao.com are the best way for companies to share their latest information with stakeholders around the world.

Website: http://www.chinanewswire.com/
RSS: http://www.chinanewswire.com/feed
About Us: http://www.chinanewswire.com/about-us
Contact Us: http://www.chinanewswire.com/contact-us

For more information, please visit: http://www.ceibs.edu/today/contact/index.shtml

Event review

CEIBS-EUCCC Host 2nd Annual Conference “CSR: A Road to the Sustainable Enterprise? Best Practice from Europe and China”      

CEIBS’ Euro-China Centre for Leadership and Responsibility (ECCLAR) today concluded a two-day conference on “CSR: A Road to the ‘Sustainable Enterprise’?” The forum, which was sponsored exclusively by AXA-Minmetals Assurance, attracted 200 attendees to the CEIBS Shanghai campus to hear 47 expert speakers from business, academia, and government, and civil organizations from China, Europe and the United States. This year marks the second that CEIBS has teamed with the EU Chamber of Commerce in China to host the conference.  The event began with a Welcome Address from Mr. Dirk Moens, the Secretary General of European Chamber of Commerce in China, and CEIBS Vice President and Co-Dean Zhang Weijiong, who introduced initial speakers Ms Lyn Kok, Vice President of EU Chamber of Commerce in China and General Manager of Standard Chartered Bank (China), and Mr H.E. Mikael Linstrom, Swedish Ambassador to China. 

To view a Summary of the opening speech of Ms. Lyn Kok, please  click here           

Prof Henri-Claude de Bettignies, Founder and Director of ECCLAR and Distinguished Professor of Global Responsible Leadership for CEIBS, delivered the first presentation of the conference. He began by answering the question: “Why another conference on CSR, when in China we see symptoms of ‘CSR fatigue’?” He emphasized that CSR in China is no longer a choice for companies in China, but is being demanded by the Chinese government, reported in the domestic media, and expected by local employees, NGOs and society at large. As examples in China, he pointed to the recent upgrading of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the development of a Carbon Disclosure Project, and newly developed systems of environmental assessment and ranking for companies. He added that the current global economic crisis makes CSR more relevant, by triggering new social needs to address, but also more challenging because resources are more limited.    

Offering the event’s first keynote speech, Dr Mike Thompson, CEO of GoodBrand & Co, London, and CEIBS Visiting Professor of Responsible Leadership, addressed “Is CSR Really on the Road to ‘Sustainable Enterprise?” Prof Thompson addressed: “Where is CSR going?” and “What is a sustainable enterprise?” Prof Thompson began by showing that more China-based companies are releasing CSR reports.. He emphasized that CSR is now a strategy for many businesses, drawing upon the example of retailer Marks & Spencer, which has publicly launched a 5-year, 100-point eco plan. He also used the bottled water industry as a case study illustrating a progression of motivation for consumers, from “good for me” to “good for the planet” to “good for others.” In closing, he stressed that, by focusing on such goals as sustainable innovation, brand social equity, mission culture, character-based governance, risk and opportunity management companies, and engagement of environment, social and corporate governance, companies can actually expect an significant ROI from CSR.   

To view the presentation of Dr Mike Thompson, please  click here 

In his talk on “CSR and the Global Health agenda: Can Business Really Help Heal the Planet?” Mr John E.Tedstrom, President and CEO, Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (GBC), drew upon his experiences over the past three years spent leading the coalition in fighting tuberculosis and malaria, especially in high priority regions.

 

When does CSR pay? 

The following roundtable discussion on “The cost in implementing CSR: when does it pay?” chaired by CEIBS Associate Professor of Management Steven White, featured presentations from Mr Henri Girard, Vice President of Lafarge Boral Gypsum Asia; Mr Mark Goyens, CEO of Bekaert China; Mr Vic Lee, Executive Vice President of Tencent; and Mr Sam Lee, CEO of InnoCSR China. The panelists shared real life case studies illustrating methods of developing CSR programs that boost revenue and improve business success. 

Afternoon sessions offered four workshops for participants to choose from.  The first, focusing on CSR and the Role of Government” featured Mr Liu Xuanguo, Vice Secretary General of the China Red Cross Foundation. The discussion stressed the three roles of government in regulating, in establishing a framework for CSR promotion, and as a stakeholder in many companies.  The workshop participants learnt of the experience of China Red Cross in organizing CSR-related awards, surveys and indexes. Participants also discussed the goal of evolving from countries developing national CSR efforts, into the development of coordinated international efforts.  

Addressing “CSR and the Role of NGOs,” second workshop speaker Ms Lyn Kok, General Manager of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Beijing lead a discussion focusing on the importance of partnering with successful NGOs as a strategy for CSR program development. She emphasized that Standard Chartered has developed effective CSR programs by focusing on a few projects -- especially fighting HIV/Aids and alleviating blindness in poverty stricken regions. Ms Kok stressed the importance of partnering with the best NGO partner for such projects. “As a bank, we are not specialists in these areas, so working with an NGO is crucial to implementing our CSR program,” she said. She also suggested that companies focus on a few projects in which they can be effective. “Sometimes less is more,” she said.   

To view the presentation of Ms. Lyn Kok, please  click here (English) and  click here (Chinese) 

The workshop on CSR and the Consumers” featured Nike Sports (China) Director of Corporate Responsibility Ms Kelly Lau, who shared the company’s efforts to improve operational efficiency in manufacturing through offering training to employees and suppliers and to boost innovation through introducing new technologies and through using more environmentally friendly materials. Ms Lau was encouraged by the development of a more socially active mindset among Chinese consumers following the 2008 Olympics and the Sichuan Earthquake. Workshop participants also suggested two areas of focus for China in the future: improve CSR education and address the inequality of rich and poor.  

During the “CSR and the Suppliers” workshop, Bayer (China) Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Mr William Valentino emphasized the complexity of following sustainable standards across a large field of suppliers. Bayer, which produces 500,000 products in 80 countries, has established a vast and diverse supply chain in which standards of CSR must become “part of the genes.” He explained that companies must monitor suppliers according to three principals: people, planet and profit. If any of these three pillars is ignored, the company will fail, he said, adding that solid CSR practices offer a method of addressing all three. He also stressed that CSR projects can be measured not only in terms of ROI but ROR -- “return on a company’s reputation.”   

 

Examples from the Service Industry 

The final roundtable of the day focused on “CSR in Action: Examples from the Service Industry.” Chaired by CEIBS Professor of Economics Horst Loeschel, the discussion first featured Mr Neal Beatty, Regional Director for Global Client Services, Greater China, for Control Risks; who shared the experience of a service operator in making CSR a part of the fabric of the business strategy. Next, Mr Jamie McCarry, President and CEO of AXA-Minmetals Assurance, stressed that AXA-Minmetals Assurance chose to sponsor the event because of underlying ‘crisis of confidence’ in the insurance industry since the financial crisis hit. “I have to say, there have been cases of social irresponsibility within this industry recently, which created a period of instability and un-sustainability in the financial industry,” said Mr McCarry. “The global crisis has created a crisis of trust for us -- we have a challenge we have to address.” He emphasized that his company is focused now on showing its commitment not through words, but actions, illustrating recent actions including offering clients the option of continuing their insurance coverage if they become unemployed, and offering coverage in case of contracting the H1N1 virus. Said McCarry: “Our corporate social responsibility is to care for customers when they are in need.”

KPMG (China) CSR Director Diana Tsui then recommended that successful CSR campaigns follow four guidelines: are genuine and “needs driven” not communication driven; involve the top management; enhance the company’s long-term business success; and create a corporate culture that attracts talented people. Finally, Mr Erik Baden, Executive Vice President DKSH, emphasized the four “f”s of successful CSR initiative: they should be fast, focused, familiar, and have the future in mind. He pointed to the efforts of DKSH in offering assistance in Myanmar following the recent typhoon there, in which his company assisted in building a hospital and school as well as fishing boats for victims.    

 

Day Two: Learning from China
 
Kicking off Day Two of the conference was a keynote address from Mr Thomas Lagerqvist, Partner at Mannheimer Swartling, Hong Kong, who spoke on “CSR -- from Buzzword to Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Theory, A Reality and a Strategy”. He stressed the importance of analyzing the supply chain to identify areas for “minimization” (being less bad) and “optimization” (being more good). For example, minimization efforts may focus on cutting incidents of accident in the work place, but optimization seeks to create an ideal workplace through offering employee training and career opportunities and by creating a socially responsible and rewarding corporate culture. He stressed that “sustainability is not a fad, it is a reality,” mentioning the worthy work of the Sino Swedish Sustainability Program, which helps Chinese suppliers to improve their business models and practices.   

To view the presentation of Mr. Thomas Lagerqvist, please  click here          

During his workshop on: “CSR as an Opportunity for Innovation,” AXA-Minmetals Asurance President and CEO Jamie McCarry continued his discussion on the need for improvement and change within the insurance industry. He said AXA seeks not to emerge as the leading supplier in the industry but instead to “redefine the industry” due to the current atmosphere of public distrust triggered by the financial crisis and the seeking of government bailouts by some high profile industry players. Against this backdrop of “distrust,” AXA has worked to “reinvent ourselves in every dimension” and to move from “the Land of Promises to the Land of Proof” by introducing products and services that truly address customer needs. As an example, he pointed the innovative new policy of instructing sales personnel not to sell policies on the first customer meeting ? but to instead take more time to listen to customer needs. AXA also sponsors research with educational institutions such as CEIBS. For example, AXA will work with ECCLAR to study how best to support the development and education of migrant children in Shanghai. “CSR has become a part of AXA’s DNA,” Mr McCarry said, explaining that today, employees seek out social projects for the company to support.   

To view the presentation of Mr. Jamie McCarry, please  click here   

In the workshop titled “The rise of social entrepreneurs and what they bring to the table,” Ms Fang Hui, Director of Hands On Shanghai discussed volunteerism using the example of her NGO. The workshop participants concluded that volunteerism serves the needs of both business and the community. A ‘new philanthropy’ is developing, the speaker said, in which more charitable organizations are willing to take risks rather than continuing to use traditional existing models, . So we looked at the characteristics of ‘new philanthropy’. During the workshop on “CSR and the sustainable enterprise,” CEIBS Professor Mike Thompson, who is also CEO of Goodbrand & Co, London, looked at the transition of CSR into a long-term activity. He highlighted several companies which have interwoven CSR into their production processes. Turning to the issue of the current recession, the speaker showed evidence of a proliferation of sustainable activities that took place during the financial crisis. He also highlighted several socially responsible firms which are also highly successful, such as investment funds that have outperformed competitors on the FTSE index in the UK. Finally, Prof Thompson emphasized the importance of brand sustainability and stressed the importance of credibility for a responsible enterprise.   

To view the presentation of Mr. Mike Thompson, please  click here  

The workshop on “CSR and city management” explored the Pudong government’s efforts, since 2007, to establish a CSR framework. This framework offers guidelines for all industries investing in this region of Shanghai, and encourages individual enterprises to act as responsible business leaders. The speaker, Pudong New Area Governmetn CSR Office Director Ms Li Yuhong, explained that four broad standards have been set in the guidelines, including: enterprises should have better relations with employees; companies should establish anti-corruption rules and should be held responsible to all stakeholders; and the government encourages enterprises to be more responsible in their communities, for example by working with NGOs. Ms Li also stressed that the government offers favourable policies for compliant companies.   

 

Examples from the Manufacturing Sector   

The afternoon session of Day Two featured a roundtable discussion on “CSR in Action: Examples from the Manufacturing Sector.” Chaired by CEIBS Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Rama Velamuri, the session began with a talk by Mr He Chao, PR Director, Bao Steel Group. Mr He shared the current CSR initiatives at Bao Steel, explaining that the company’s social responsibility work focuses on three areas: value creation, operating with integrity, and protecting the environment. Bao Steel has also incorporated philanthropic activities into its business plan, donating RMB125M in scholarships in recent years, benefitting 15,000 Chinese teachers and students. The company also played a role in the reconstruction efforts after the Wenchuan earthquake. Bao Steel has also reduced its carbon emissions by half in recent years and remains committed to continuing to reducing this even further.        

In his talk, Mr Bai Changbo, Director of Communications & External Affairs, BP China shared lessons learned during the past 30 years with his company. He urged listeners to work hard to balance different interests of stakeholders and shareholders. He also said strong leadership is essential to successful CSR efforts. He also recommended that companies “leverage your company’s strengths and expertise,” and focus on “long term” engagements and staff involvement.    

Speaking as Vice President of Pacific Millennium, Shanghai, Dr Morley Su shared the three key mission statements which have driven his organization over the past 30 years: First, the company learned the lesson “do not pollute the air of the mother country,” during the 1980s when building a US$50M paper recycling plant in Hong Kong. Second, in the 1990 when building a US$100M box plant division, the company learned the lesson “do not pollute the hearts of our mother country (no bribery).” As Su said: “If your company is successful through bribery, you have failed. If you do not bribe and you survive, then you truly win!” Third, in the 21st century, when tasked with safely destroying 40M tons of green house gases, the company learned to “clean up the sky of our mother country.” Today, the company focuses its social innovation on the principles of clean development, new economy (including rejecting high polluting ventures and protecting IPR), and a policy of “growth with China” which promotes sustainable economic development.      

Finally, President of Rhodia Asia Pacific Mr Michel Ybert introduced his company’s systematic evaluation of its operations in order to identify areas to improve. For example, Rhodia is now regularly analyzing the carbon impact of new products. Another area of focus now is to insist that suppliers use the same standards established for Rhodia. He said this system of monitoring suppliers has given the company new confidence in the quality of its suppliers. Third, the company follows a new policy of being open and accessible to the local community, in order to build trust, including inviting the public in to the facilities for regular “open days.” He says in China, such efforts are very rewarding as they are “immediately recognized” by the authorities.      

 

Adapting to climate change 

The conference’s final sessions focused on “CSR and the Environment: How business is adapting to climate change.” The workshop on Carbon Trading featured Climate Bridge, Shanghai, Director Mr Mark Labbs, who discussed “Beyond carbon trading: what’s the future of energy for a sustainable development of the world?” The discussion focused on the expansion of carbon trading as an effective means of climate preservation. In the workshop titled “Green technologies: is this the answer,” President of Eaton China Mr Joe-Tao Zhou shared information on Eaton’s green products and technologies and explained how Eaton walks the talk in its daily operations. For example, in China, the company has focused on investing in green facilities and has emphasized the use of local materials and products, and has developed manufacturing systems incorporating recycling and re-use.     

To view the presentation of Mr. Joe-Tao Zhou, please  click here   

The presentation addressing “The water crisis” featured Dr Sun Hua, Deputy Division Chief of Aquatic Environment and Natural Ecological Conservation Division, Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau. The discussion addressed the severe lack of water worldwide, with participants stressing that economic growth is not possible without expanding the global water supply. Dr Sun introduced solutions including expanding irrigation, transfer of water rights, and expanding water treatment. She discussed several water treatment and conservation projects underway in Shanghai, and stressed that the 2010 Expo will provide a crucial showcase of how well these strategies will be implemented. Finally, in the workshop addressing “Environmental protection and grass roots: the corporation and the civil society,” Fudan University Professor Benoit Vermander discussed the scarcity of resources in China and how this affects the perception of CSR.  -- how CSR is perceived in China,    

No time to turn away

The conference closing speech was given by Mr Frederick Dubee, Associate Director of the Asia Research Center, Global Compact, United Nations; and Sr Advisor to the UN Global Compact, China Network. Mr Dubee said the financial crisis should not be used as an excuse to turn away from socially responsible efforts. He stressed the scale of the world’s challenges, in which 1 billion people lack access to clean water and adequate nutrition -- a problem that leads to children being born with mental and physical disabilities. Such a situation creates a sad cycle of poverty and despair. He also stressed that between 25 and 30 million people die yearly due to problems associated with lack of sanitation -- a problem easily solved through technology. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by the scope of the problem, he urged the audience to realize the opportunities that now exist. He quoted Professor Peter Drucker in saying “Every social and environmental challenge is a business opportunity in disguise.” In closing, he said today’s new business model follows two concepts: ensure that the work of management serves a higher purpose, and fully embed the ideas of community and citizenship in the management systems 

 
In concluding the conference, ECCLAR Director Prof Henri-Claude de Bettignies shared his 10 CSR lessons with the audience. He said all effective CSR programs must have the following:

1. support from the top
2. be embedded into the corporate DNA
3. rely on building of trust and transparency
4. demand a real commitment
5. staff engagement
6. be measured (no measurement means no management)
7. established and applied standards
8. long-term view
9. a desire to minimize problems and maximize benefits
10. cooperation of government, business and NGOs   

In closing the conference, CEIBS Dean and Vice President Rolf D Cremer thanked AXA-Minmetals Assurance for its support, and offered three final “take aways”. First, he asked audience members to take to heart the concept of social “responsibility” as the “ability to respond”. Second, he asked the audience to remember that CSR efforts are a “marathon” rather than a sprint, meaning that successful efforts are long-term endeavors. Third, he stressed that CSR requires striking a balance between effective business, governance and rules, and individual ethics. “We must readdress the issue of balance, and this is the work of business schools,” he said. He also said he expects creative and effective solutions to CSR problems to originate in Asia, and said it is up to business schools, especially those in Asia “to relentlessly drive us forward.”           

ECCLAR

The Euro-China Centre for Leadership and Responsibility (ECCLAR) was created at CEIBS in 2005 by CEIBS Professor Henri-Claude de Bettignies with two purposes: a) to bring a contribution to the development of responsible leadership in Chinese organizations through research, education, forum and networks building, and b) to enhance the capacity of Chinese and Europeans to manage their long-term interdependence for their mutual benefit.    

EU Chamber CSR Working Group 

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum was established in Beijing in the spring of 2005 and in Shanghai two years later. The CSR Forum serves as a platform for European enterprises operating in China to exchange experiences and practical information to support their responsible business practices in China. The CSR Forum is an event-driven platform that regularly organises seminars with topics that are of interest to all European Chamber members. The aim is to share CSR experiences in China, exchange best practices, improve the understanding of different approaches and expectations and, where possible, to collectively find solutions to challenges in implementing responsible business practice, with the end goal of establishing harmonious and sustainable business practices in China.

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