This is a repost of “Why Talk About Education and CSR?” an article written by Mr. J. Anton Yap, the Executive Vice-President of the Benita & Catalino Yap Foundation. Hyperlink is mine.

Education has always been central in the spread of an idea to go from a small group of individuals to the general population. In a world where you have TED talks, MOOCs and social media, the role of educators and educational institutions in filtering and spreading (b)right ideas still remain. It is through their research and discourse that they curate ideas. It is worth a closer look then when mainstream educational institutions participate in the field of CSR.

According to a publication in July 2012 by the UN-backed Principles on Responsible Management Education (UN-PRME) and the UN Global Compact, the integration of CSR into the curriculum of business schools, even those in the top tier, is quite prolific in spite of the study of CSR being fairly recent. Institutions such as Nottingham University, Stanford University and NYU’s Stern School of Business are promoting both research and study in CSR by offering courses up to the graduate level on sustainable business practices, developing business models integrating CSR, among others.

In the Philippines, CSR is also being promoted through Education, though to a fairly limited audience. The Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Memorandum No. 39 requires all college students taking Business Administration to take at least one three (3) unit course on Social Responsibility and Governance. It even directly states that Social Responsibility is seen as an integral part of doing business. However, is it enough if the end goal is true social change?

Although effective as a starting point, there is a growing sense that relegating the study of Social Responsibility and CSR to elective courses or an optional track might not be sufficient in generating a lasting impact on the next generation. For our Chairman, Mr. Antonio Yap, and the rest of us at the Benita & Catalino Yap Foundation, the belief is that Social Responsibility can be practiced by anyone, in any field and profession. It is therefore important that CSR is seen as being applicable to every course and subject matter. Just as it can be integrated into Accounting, Finance, Marketing, so too can it be integrated in Science, Technology, Entrepreneurship, Philosophy, Law and Medicine.

The concept of CSR has come a long way from being limited to discussions in board rooms and marketing departments of companies, and has itself already become a part of our day to day lives. We regularly hear about CSR Fora, CSR Expos, CSR projects and CSR activities. Expanding beyond a purely corporate domain, the study of Social Responsibility has produced initiatives from different sectors such as the Good Governance, Fair Trade or Green Movements, to name a few. When the goal is shaping the values of a generation, every field of study is open to enrichment, especially by educators.

We invite everyone then, especially members of the Academe, to further participate in our discussions on CSR and CSR Research.  Join us in attending and actively participating in our upcoming 4th Philippine Conference on Research in CSR on September 29, 2014 to be held at the Asian Development Bank Auditorium, Asian Development Bank, Mandaluyong City, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with the theme: “CSR Enhances Human Dignity”.

References

Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. CHED Memorandum No. 39. Series 2006. Commission on Higher Education. Philippines.

Rong, Gao. Education and Corporate Social Responsibility. HEC Paris 2010 Social Business & Poverty Certificate Project. HEC Paris, 2010.

Hasrouni, Layal. Cultivating Values: How business schools can plant the seeds of change. CSR in Education. PRME & UN Global Compact Publication. July – September 2012.

Yap, A. Introduction to CSR. BCYF Publications Series 2014. Manila, Philippines, 2014

To find out more about the 4th Philippine Conference or sign up for it, visit http://csr.bcyfoundation.org.