Corporate Earthquake Responsibility Trumps CSR
Wed May 14, 2008 at 5:47 pm By Matt
Ok CSR people, it’s time to stop planting shrubs in the Olympic Garden.
After months – make that years - of mucking about trying to give the liberal world a good reason why you’re investing in a Sudan ally, a Tîbet suppressor and a human rights trampler, your deus ex machina has arrived.
China’s earthquake means you can now safely be involved in China as a corporate hero.
That is, if you act now!
Below are some suggestions, but put on your own charity thinking caps too.
- Help everyone. “Donate money to the Red Cross Society of China which has formed a disaster relief working group to be dispatched to the earthquake-stricken Wenchuan County in Sichuan,” according to Shanghaiist and China Law Blog.
- Help the orphans. Fortunately, none died in the Chengdu orphanage under the auspices of Care for Children. But the quake damage poses other dangers related to lack of sanitation, clean water, and potential disease outbreaks. Major construction work also is needed to repair facilities. “A CFC report from Robert Glover in Sichuan on the status of the 13 orphanages located around the epicenter of the quake showed six of them had sustained damage to their buildings: cracked walls, weakened foundations and broken facilities,” according to Dezan Shira & Associates, which supports the charity. Money can be donated to Care For Children through account numbers here. Donations should be marked “Earthquake Appeal.”
- “Long term, companies should look at providing long term support to aid, development, poverty alleviation, and reconstruction organizations - China Poverty Alleviation Fund, Woman’s Federation, Children’s Youth Development Fund, etc. as they will certainly be in need,” according to Richard Brubaker, managing director of China Strategic Development Partners, on his CSR website China-crossroads.com.
According to Mr. Brubaker, don’t worry about whether the Red Cross and its GONGO (Government-operated Non-governmental organization) partner in China are able to effectively help the crisis.
“GONGO’s in China have had a bad rap for a wihle [sic] - partly of their own doing - however, the Red Cross and its GONGO partner China Charity Foundation have a strong reputation and are honestly the best NGO at this point,” Mr. Brubaker commented on Shanghaiist.
Further, at this point, give money rather than equipment. Mr. Brubaker, who has an extensive background in logistics, noted:
Quite simply, donations of anything other than money require logistic support to collect, move, and distribute, so in this immediate period many NGOs are simply looking for cash to purchase goods locally. It is cheaper, it is faster, and it is more manageable.
However, if firms are manufacturers/ brands specializing in outdoor equipment, medicine, or other items that can help immediately house, feed, and medicate victims, I would suggest you speak to local/ regional NGOs and government agencies directly. You may be asked to provide your own logistical support to the area, or at the minimum to a collection point.
Other excellent tips from Mr. Brubaker:
- Don’t forget your employees in affected areas. Offer to send them home and give them extended leave if necessary.
- “Make a commitment to a single organization and let them know you can support them in a holistic manner,” Mr. Brubaker said.
And who knows, you might someday get to be a PROUD sponsor of the Olympic Games.
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May 15th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Care For Children just issued an update yesterday:
“We now know many of our projects have been seriously affected by the earthquake. We know that Mianyang orphanage has been destroyed and many of the families are unaccounted for.
1000 students and teachers have been buried when the main building of the Beichuan county middle school was reduced to rubble no news of the orphanage or foster families, four schools have collapsed in Deyang City also no news of the orphanage and families.
Care for Children aim to send a small team to Sichuan with an emergency fund of RMB500,000 to support the orphanages and foster families with emergency medical aid, food, blankets and clothes.
Whatever is raised above the initial RMB500,000 we will use as a second tranche to support re-builds of orphanages, schools and helping families try to re-build their lives.”
The children under their care that survived are in danger from disease, in addition to not having sufficient sanitation, medicines and even basic supplies such as diapers. Extensive reconstruction of damaged child care facilities and orphanages need to be carried out, in addition to getting basis supplies to the wordt affected areas. Not all of the properties or children have been accounted for. Donations, large or small, are not just welcomed but also very necessary to prevent further deaths that could be avoided given the funding. Details are here:
Care For Children help: http://www.careforchildren.com.cn/help.htm
Or via China Briefing: http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2008/05/13/sichuan-earthquake-appeal.html
Even USD20 helps a lot. Your assistance is most welcome.
Many thanks
Chris Devonshire-Ellis
May 16th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Further update from Care For Children on 16th May:
Care for children will have a team in Chengdu from Monday to;
1) Distribute Emergency aid to our 11 orphanages in Sichuan
2) Manage and co-ordinate Trauma Counselling and Trauma Counselling Training for China Social Work Association
3) Two Lorries/Trucks are heading to Chengdu with aid from the international community’s of Beijing and Shanghai.
Reconstruction fund;
1) Care for Children will work with CSWA to construct a residential community centre in Wenchuan.
2) Care for Children will help with the reconstruction of orphanages, schools and communities effecting children we serve.
3) Care for Children will train local workers and future foster parents to take the orphans from the earthquake disaster.
Thank you to all those who have donated thus far.