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World Vision Global Ambassador Dean Hirsch speaks to the AmericanChamber of Commerce in Taipei on global corporate social responsibility trends
MARCH 4, 2010, 16:00 – Global Ambassador and former President of WorldVision International, Dean Hirsch, spoke at the American Chamber ofCommerce (AmCham) in Taipei Annual Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) Forum, sharing insight about CSR trends and future challenges forcorporations.
In his speech, Dr. Hirsch shared his observations for the trends of corporate social responsibility and examples of World Vision’s partnerships with corporations such as Microsoft, HSBC and Corning.
He said that the global humanitarian imperative and the global corporate imperative are the emerging trends in the convergence of business and the humanitarian profession.
“Today we have a global economic crisis, global food crisis, climate change and governance issues in many countries. However, we also have a global corporate imperative through which the world is overcoming all these challenges.
The first CSR example Dr. Hirsch shared was Microsoft’s “TechSoup Global,” a non-profit organization helping more than 100,000 other non-profits, including World Vision, use technology to heighten their impacts and improve the delivery of services.
Another example was Corning Display Technologies Taiwan that had partnered with World Vision Taiwan to support low-income children in Taichung and Tainan where its plants are located.
The Corning CSR initiative includes funding students’ tuition and after-school programs, hosting more than 200 students for a “baseball camp” with a former Taiwanese professional player, and donating more than US$450,000 to help children and families affected by Typhoon Morakot.
“Experience has shown me that corporations must perceive CSR as a key element of their risk management policies, not merely opportunities for favorable publicity,” said Dr. Hirsch.
Dr. Hirsch also stressed that non-governmental organizations (NGO) must offer corporations effective partnerships to create a win-win situation where both can achieve sustainability.
“World Vision is committed to what we call cross-sector partnership between businesses, government and other NGOs,” said Dr. Hirsch.
He explained that partners from different sectors encompass alternative perspectives, and therefore spurring innovative thinking and practice. Each partnership has the potential to influence and impact mainstream practices. Moreover, through systematic collaboration, organizations learn how to manage and thrive in an arena of global interdependence.
Dr. Hirsch concluded that the shared future challenge for corporations and NGOs is to make success sustainable.
He said that success is no longer measured in quarterly profit margins, or in daily, or weekly, or monthly stock prices. Success is measured more broadly in community development, in environmental protection, in capital investment – that is, human capital – especially in the developing world.
He concluded, “We can make a difference by working together, not only for the environmental issues, but also for children around the world.”
Prior to Dr. Hirsch’s speech, Tiffany Huang, Board Chairman of World Vision Taiwan, introduced the audience to World Vision’s work.
“World Vision Taiwan is supporting poverty-reduction projects in over 30 countries, including here in Taiwan. The people of Taiwan are sponsoring over 45,000 children domestically, and over 120,000 overseas. We have supported relief work in over 80 countries since 1990,” said Ms. Huang.
She added that corporate donors have played a critical role in World Vision’ development, relief and advocacy work. Since the poor today are facing unprecedented challenges, and children living in poverty are especially vulnerable, more than ever, the corporate world must pay attention and rise up to help.
Earlier this morning, Dr. Hirsch and other World Vision representatives visited JP Morgan to receive a donation of US$31,875 for an education program for disadvantaged children in Taiwan.
JP Morgan has partnered with World Vision since 2005 to support three children’s centers in Hualien County and emergency responses both in Taiwan and overseas.
For more information: http://www.amcham.com.tw/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,380/
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