Ouagadougou: The President of the National Council of Burkinabè Employers, Idrissa Nassa, declared Wednesday that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should not be seen as a constraint or a fashionable concept but rather an opportunity to create a lasting positive impact.
‘I have the firm conviction that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should not be seen as a constraint nor as a fashionable business concept but rather an opportunity to create a lasting positive impact,’ declared the president of the National Council of Burkinabè Employers (CNPB), Idrissa Nassa.
According to him, Africa is full of natural wealth, talents and diverse cultures despite complex socio-economic challenges and CSR is of paramount importance.
‘As a player in the African economic fabric, we have a responsibility not only to our shareholders and our employees but also to our communities and especially our environment,’ he said.
Idrissa Nassa spoke on Wednesday in Ouagadougou, during the Day dedicated to Social Responsibility
and the sustainability of African companies.
The first of its kind in the Burkinabe capital, the event is under the theme ‘Towards a responsible and sustainable business: Challenges and opportunities for economic development in Africa’.
‘I know the importance of this structural (CSR) transformation in my life as an entrepreneur. Indeed, this requires a paradigm shift and a profound transformation of our business models. We must adopt a holistic approach integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions in all our strategic decisions,’ he added.
The president of Burkinabè employers explained that his structure understood this issue and is delighted with the choice of Burkina Faso for the institutionalization of this day.
Idrissa Nassa is committed to supporting and encouraging the promotion of CSR in business activities in Burkina Faso.
‘Together, we can build a better future for Africa where businesses thrive while contributing to the well-being of employees, their communities and their environme
nt, where economic growth goes hand in hand with social justice and the preservation of our heritage national,’ he argued.
The General Director of the French Institute of Executive Management Education Africa (IFG EE Africa), a subsidiary of the OMNES Education Group, Souhila Mager, expressed her recognition for the opportunity to exchange, share experiences and strengthen commitments in matters of CSR and sustainability.
‘This event is of particular importance because it marks the start of a tradition. We aspire to make this day an essential annual event for sharing knowledge, awareness and inspiration,’ noted Ms. Mager.
For her, the objective of the meeting is to create an international forum for sharing experiences, good practices in CSR and sustainability to build a better future for all.
According to the Managing Director of IFG Africa, its structure is fully committed to promoting CSR and sustainability.
‘We believe in the power of collaboration and solidarity to voluntarily address social and envi
ronmental concerns,’ she said.
Because she continued, ‘in our commercial activities and our relationships with stakeholders, together we work for a fairer, more sustainable and more humane world’.
Dominique Kadja in a video conference from Abidjan spoke on the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Global Compact.
Testimonials from companies in the private or public sector integrating the CSR approach into their development strategy were given by the Managing Director of Jool International, Joseph Biley. Mr. Biley has spent over 7 years in the drone and agri-tech field.
Same story for the Partnerships and CSR Manager of IAM Gold Essakane SA, Kalid Kéré and the CSR Manager of the Coris Bank Group, Boris Sonny who appreciate this initiative.
The meeting brought together more than 200 participants, including business leaders, public administration officials, entrepreneurs, as well as IFG Africa alumni and partners.
Source: Burkina Information Agency