BUSINESS IN CHINA IS TAKING UP ITS RESPONSIBILITY Go back »

2009-12-02 | All chapters

Shanghai 27th November 2009, CEIBS’ Euro-China Centre for Leadership and Responsibility (ECCLAR) and the European Chamber of Commerce in China (EU Chamber) jointly hosted their Annual CSR Conference, which was exclusively sponsored by AXA-Minmetals Assurance. The conference attracted 200 attendees to the CEIBS Shanghai Campus to exchange ideas with 47 expert speakers from business, academia, government, and civil organizations from China, Europe and the United States.

Dr. Rolf Cremer, Dean of CEIBS, called upon businesses to take up their responsibility in addressing the urgent environmental and social issues that affect Shanghai and China. “CSR requires striking a balance between effective business, governance and rules, and individual ethic. It is up to business schools, to find out creative and effective solutions to CSR Problems in Asia, to relentlessly drive us forward.”

The CSR conference addressed these issues and gave businesses hands on guidance to contribute to the solutions. These were summarized by the ECCLAR Director, Prof. Henri-Claude de Bettignies:

1. Gain support from the top

2. Be embedded into the corporate DNA

3. Build trust and transparency

4. Real commitment

5. Staff engagement

6. Measure

7. Establish and apply standards

8. Create a long-term view

9. Minimize problems, maximize benefits

10. Cooperation between government, business and NGOs

Ms. Lyn Kok, the Vice President of European Chamber, said: “It is all about the right mindset and approach when CSR becomes part of the DNA of every business. They should work together with government, NGOs, academics in order to be a responsible business that not only follows the law, but goes beyond." 

To view the detailed meeting minutes and presentations, please click here (EU Chamber member only)