The Centre for Social Markets (CSM) is an independent non-profit
organization, with offices in India and the UK, dedicated to
making markets work for the triple bottom line - people, planet
and profit. We believe that markets are social institutions that
should reflect changing norms and standards to meet economic,
social and environmental goals.
RATIONALE
The role of both business and the state is changing. The days of
business-as-usual for both are over. Both are under pressure to
deliver the goods - and increasingly these include social and
environmental goods - in an efficient and accountable fashion.
Traditional responses have
been proved
inadequate. Effective responses must include ‘humanizing’
markets, seeking innovative and integrated solutions, and
involving new constituencies. Leadership for social and economic
entrepreneurship has become vital.
For a long time, the
focus of the international movement for corporate social and
environmental responsibility was
entirely on the western multinationals. CSM is different.
It
was one of the first to
focus on the local business sector, and economic actors such as
investors, consumers and workers, in developing countries and
emerging markets. The private sector in these countries
had been
playing an increasingly prominent role in national development
but - though exceptions existed - largely without attention to social, ethical or environmental
considerations. Corruption, weak regulatory enforcement, poor
governance and lack of accountability
were, and still
are, endemic. These factors not only undermine responsible business
and erode public confidence, they are also a deterrent to
foreign investment and economic development. The days of
business-as-usual are over. International business is squaring
up to the challenges of rising regulatory standards, public
expectations, commercial pressures and a more alert investment
community. Developing country business cannot afford to be left
behind. This is where CSM steps in.
ACTIVITIES
CSM was established in 2000 by Malini Mehra, young Indian social
entrepreneur with business, NGO and policy experience, to
respond to these challenges. We promote leadership for
responsible entrepreneurship and accountability in commercial
and public life. A values-based organisation committed to
sustainable development and human rights, CSM brings a pragmatic
but principled approach to the challenges faced by modern
business in developing countries and emerging markets.
We provide a variety of on-line/ on-site awareness-raising,
educational and technical referral services; conduct research;
promote innovation and partnerships; and engage in advocacy for
corporate citizenship at major fora. Our hallmarks are
integrity, professionalism and effectiveness.
Our international network of associates and partners links us to
virtually every major organization -including United Nations’
and other multilateral bodies - working on issues of corporate
citizenship, sustainable development and human rights. A full
list of partners can be found on our website.
CSM promotes action at all levels – local, national,
regional and international. Examples of our work include:
-
Local: our state-wide initiative in Eastern
India called the West Bengal Forum on Business for
Sustainable Development, being promoted through two
innovative initiatives called the SME (Small, Medium and
Micro Enterprises) Initiative and ICT (Information
Communication Technologies) Initiative;
-
National: our pathbreaking initiative on ethnic
minorities, such as British Asians, and corporate
citizenship in the UK (view
details);
·
Our joint
consultations and awareness raising with Transparency
International (India) on Business and Corruption in India;
-
Our pioneering initiative initiating a Rough
Guide series to improve the financial literacy of the
common man;
-
Regional: our project on sustainable and
socially responsible investment in South Asia, in
association with AsRIA (Association for Sustainable &
Responsible Investment in Asia);
-
International: our initiative the Southern
Business Challenge (view
details) launched at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development, Johannesburg 2002).
-
International: CSM is a founder member of the 9-country
Asia-Pacific CSR Group, launched in July 2004 to encourage
responsible business practices and promote better CSR
standards and benchmarks in the Asia-Pacific region
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