CSR and SMEs
To reduce business travel and offset carbon emissions
Promote the use of available technologies for remote meetings with clients. Options include:
Telephone discussions/meetings
Requires a telephone service which includes an option for three way communication. The system using Skype® softwear can be used for up to five persons.
Teleseminars
This can be done quite easily through a conference bridge, in the UK or USA, and providing all participants with the telephone number and access code to meet in a virtual conference room at a scheduled time.
Webinars
This involves the use of webcams and internet access to hold online meetings, thus allowing for face-to-face meeting across offices, regions and countries.
When travel to clients is necessary, here’s how you can reduce your carbon emissions:
- Detailed pre-planning to facilitate visits to several clients in a similar area to be visited on the same day or over a few days.
- Use public transportation for travel to clients. For short journeys, when a taxi can be used, green taxis should be the preferred choice.
- Walking to the client’s office may be a realistic option.
- Use of vehicles powered fueled by electricty, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and hydrogen fuel cells.
- Consider implementing flexible work options for staff.
- Staff may opt to work from home, thus reducing travel to the office to three or four days weekly.
January 2007
Corporate Social Responsibility
-Implications for Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries
http://www.brass.cf.ac.uk/uploads/CSRandSMEs.pdf
Click here to read UNIDO's report about CSR and developing countries SMEs.
Corporate Social Responsibility and the Development Agenda: Should SMEs Care?
This UNIDO article discusses trends in CSR theory and practice. Special emphasis is place on the relevance CSR for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and and economic development in developing countries. Read more ......