Education
CSR is at a crossroads in China. While the government and business community openly extol its virtues, an incomplete understanding of its principles and a tendency to misuse CSR to whitewash unsavory business practices could fuel public skepticism, resulting in the evaporation of public trust. Professor Bettignies discusses these and other potential pitfalls, as well as factors that could accelerate the adoption of CSR in China, including support from the government, civil society, activist entrepreneurs and the globalization of China's formerly insular business sectors.
China’s economic boom has raised hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. In rural areas, widespread poverty remains a challenge. Fuping Development Institute began operations in 1993 with a RMB 500 budget, and since then, has become a major vehicle for poverty eradication in China. Today, Fuping manages a micro-loan portfolio worth tens of millions of RMB, with an impressive 97% repayment rate.
Golden Bridges is dedicated to building sustainable capacity of China’s NGO sector. The society’s needs are not always fully addressed by the government nor the private sector so the “civil society” requires people and community based efforts to focus on a broad range of human needs. Holly talks about challenges faced by front line NGOs in China, including competition from the government and an unclear and undeveloped legal system.
Mihela and Chris discuss current and future social entrepreneurship trends in China. Much like the development of internet usage in China, concepts like sustainable development and social entrepreneurship were relatively unknown 5 years ago, but thanks to efforts by major celebrities and grassroots NGOs, awareness is growing steadily and quickly. Mihela and Chris argue that social entrepreneurship is a method to contribute to positive social change in China.
The Environmental Education Media Project (EEMP) documented a decade long World Bank project located in the north central China Loess Plateau, which dramatically and successfully transformed an area larger than Belgium from a totally devastated wasteland into a fully functional eco-system. This experience is now being transferred from China to successful national and local efforts in Africa in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The UNEP and other organizations are cooperating to share this knowledge globally.
Hong Kong has experienced less than 20 years of popular suffrage. After inheriting few democratic institutions from the British, Hong Kong residents have struggled to assert themselves in the governance of their territory. With vague promises of greater autonomy from Beijing, the final shape of Hong Kong’s democracy has yet to fully solidify.
In this interview, Frank Ching recaps the long road that Hong Kong has traveled to find its democratic identity, while negotiating the demands of interested parties, both local and afar.
Professor Bettignies talks in this video about how different concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility coexist in China today. He contrasts the Western tradition, embraced by multinationals, and the more cost effective, humanistic approach based on Confucianism that is found even in small family own businesses. Professor Bettignies discusses how the blending of both of these concepts is producing an entirely new approach for CSR made in and for China.
Professor Bettignies talks about the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, its importance in the philosophy of business and the way that it is addressed in China.
The concept of CSR was once viewed as an invention alien to the Chinese business world. However, it is gaining popularity as one practical way to achieve the goal of Social Harmony set out by the Chinese leadership.
Professor Bettignies talks about his AVIRA training program for Chief Executives.
INSEAD started AVIRA as a pilot program which offered one convenient alternative for busy executives to develop their Corporate Social Responsibility awareness. Indeed, AVIRA stands for "Awareness" of the surrounding environment, "Vision", "Imagination", their "Responsibility" as individuals, corporate and family leaders and their ability to take quick and effective "Action".
