Inside WWF Philippines

I was at the recent workshop on 'Sustainabiliy: Process, Product and Profitability' hosted by WWF Philippines in partnership with Terra Consult and ESD Consulting Ltd. of the UK. Participants included representatives from was an impressive list of companies operating in the Philippines - HSBC, Standard Chartered, Bank of the Philippine Islands, Ayala Land Inc., Philip Morris, First Philippine Holdings Corporation etc.

Walter Manning the CEO HSBC-Philippines kicked off the day with an insightful welcome that set the tone for dragging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) out of external affairs or commuications departments (CSR is more than writing a cheque and handing it over) and placing it firmly in the context of long-term survival of the business (need to think sustainable to remain profitable in the long term).

Over the course of the day Jimmy Brannigan and Joss Tantram introduced the principles of CSR, put forward the
business case for CSR and provided participants with tools and techniques to engage in CSR within their companies. At the end they asked the participants to develop an action plan and inspired them with Margaret Mead's famous quote; 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.'

I believe that the workshop opened the eyes of many of the participants, however, for them to move the CSR/sustainability agenda up the decision making tree within their companies - to get their senior management teams to think about how to mainstream the concept will take much effort and time. WWF Philippines will need provide effective long term support to the efforts of the CSR executives.