The importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Levant is on the rise and can no longer be ignored, and as of now, Executive is making CSR its business. Stimulating organizations to think that it is possible for corporate values to be aligned with stakeholder expectations in a way that is socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable is a major challenge. But, according to Professor Dr. Thomas Beschorner, professor at Montreal University and director of the internet platform CSR NEWS, “Ethical values and economic advantages can coincide.” The corporate world in our region is just starting to see how such a combination is actually possible. While the corporate sector realizes the possible benefits of this dichotomy, civil society must as well see that there is no harm in seeking financial gains when looking into the ‘do good’ business. Beschorner went on to say that, “there is nothing wrong with seeking an appropriate synthesis of microeconomic logic and social values,” and cautiously noted, “[h]owever, corporate profit seeking cannot be the ‘ultima ratio’.” Also, getting civil society to morph their perspectives on the private sector players as mere money trees is a daunting task.
Surpassing the general idea of charity and philanthropy, CSR targets consumers. The latter are becoming increasingly aware about the companies they are purchasing from, and are thus major drivers of CSR — not just in the Levant, but all around the globe. Overall, CSR in the Levant is nowhere near its Western counterparts, but it is definitely becoming a hot topic throughout the region.
Undeniably, with such a high number of NGOs, civil society organizations (CSOs), and non-profit organizations (NPOs), the Levant is an area that has always been in need of aid. Poverty, illiteracy, health issues, political instability, lack of infrastructure, etc. are all common problems shared by the countries that make up the Levant and need to be addressed. With big multinationals seeking to fuse themselves into their new communities throughout the Levant, small local companies hoping to widen their operations, and civil society crying out for funds, CSR is the ideal tool to bring all players together to work towards a common goal. By partnering up via CSR, both the corporate world and civil sector can secure innumerable benefits.
Most importantly, there is a dire need for regional awareness. It is quite rare — in this region — to find a general consensus of what CSR really means, as most players do not seem to have a concrete understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility. Also, the region lacks in-depth research and statistics on the presence and progress of CSR in the Middle East. Although findings indicate that CSR still has a long way to go, it is starting to gain momentum in the Levant, and Executive is making its point loud and clear. As history has proven, the squeaky wheel gets the grease; hopefully all this CSR noise will force the region to stop observing and start acting, responsibly.
