“From Awareness to Action: How to Implement CSR in SMEs” Series of Workshops Taught in Latin America from March 2013 to December 2014 in Partnership with OAS

It is a challenge to help SMEs integrate the CSR concepts into their management practices. In Latin America, many SMEs have a basic knowledge of CSR, but they don’t know how to implement it in the organization. In addition, a fairly large number of SME owners don’t understand the value CSR brings to the business.

Another key challenge is the lack of simple processes to help SMEs develop a CSR strategic plan. The type of tools and guides available are complicated and take a long time to implement.

OAS (Organization of America States) asked Normisur International to develop a two-day workshop on how to implement a CSR strategic plan and integrate it into the SMEs’ management system. The SMEs targeted are companies that have a basic knowledge of CSR.  OAS was also interested in a process to educate SMEs owners on the business case for CSR.

The focus of the workshop is the implementation of CSR in the management system of SMEs and it covers:

a) The creation of a CSR strategic plan for SMEs (revision of mission, vision, values and strategic objectives, CSR committee, stakeholder mapping, internal and external diagnosis, identification of strategic lines, business case and examples of  CSR in SMEs)

b) The creation of an action plan for SMEs (key stages of the plan, implementation, measurement indicators, quick hits, communication and continuous improvement) 

This workshop has been very successful. It was implemented in five cities belonging to four Latin-American countries, which are Quito in Ecuador, Mexico City in Mexico, San José de Costa Rica in Costa Rica, Tegucigalpa in Honduras and Guadalajara in Mexico.

Over 250 SMEs have attended the workshop. The SMEs represent various sectors such as agriculture, services, information technology, tourism, manufacturing, etc.

For more information on the work OAS is doing with SMEs, go to:  http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/desd/sr/sme.asp

For more information on the workshop for SMEs developed Normisur International and OAS go to the following websites:

Workshop in Guadalajara, Mexico, March 2014: http://comunidarse.org/awareness-to-action-how-to-implement-csr-in-smes/ct_44/en/

Workshop in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, February 2014: http://comunidarse.org/honduras-workshop-awareness-to-action-how-to-implement-csr-in-smes/ct_37/en/

Workshop in San Jose de Costa Rica, Costa Rica, August 2013: http://comunidarse.org/costa-rica-workshop-awareness-to-action-implementing-csr-in-smes/ct_20/en/

Workshop in Mexico City, Mexico, July 2013: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/desd/csr/tallerMX.asp

Workshop in Quito, Ecuador, March 2013: http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/desd/csr/taller.asp

OAS has created a community of practices for participant SMEs, to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, CSR solution and tools, and to promote the creation of alliances among the public and private sectors, academia and other key players.

For more information on the CSR community of practice, go to:

http://comunidarse.org/home/en/

Program for Parliamentarians

Normisur International participated in a Program for Parliamentarians in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México, on March 24, 2014. The program was entitled: “Seminar on Corporate Social Responsibility Among the National Strategies”.

The purpose of this program was to identify key directions to further CSR in the state of Jalisco in order to support businesses and sustainability of the area. The key directions identified were the result of the contributions made by the public and private sectors, civil society, academia and other stakeholders, and they reflected the commitment made by all parties involved to the responsible development of Jalisco.

Normisur facilitated a session to identify CSR best practices implemented successfully in the state of Jalisco. There were detailed presentations from representatives of the private and public sectors, SMEs, multinationals, government, academia at the regional level.

http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/desd/sr/parliamentarians.asp