Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined as the way companies integrate social, environmental, and economic concerns into their values and operations in a transparent and accountable manner.
It is integral to long-term business growth and success. In Ghana, the High Commission of Canada works with the Canadian business community, civil society groups, with foreign governments and communities as well as other stakeholders to foster and promote CSR.
The theme for the 2010 CSR Panel was “The Role of Sustainable Development in CSR Practice and it included presentations by experienced panelists from Golden Star Resources, MTN, Tullow Oil Ghana, Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd, Magellan Aerospace Corporation, the Volta River Authority, and Mercator Ghana Ltd.
Following their presentations, the panel answered questions and gave participants the opportunity to share, converse and set a course on the way forward for CSR in Ghana.
Trudy Kernighan, Canadian High Commissioner noted: “Canada and Ghana, our two great democratic nations, have enjoyed a longstanding relationship that goes from strength to strength in terms of people to people relations, economic development and considerations for health and the environment.
Sustainable business development is therefore reflected in society at large.”
Canada and Ghana have been active trading partners for more than fifty years and Ghana has had a long tradition of effectively attracting Canadian investment to the extractive sector.
Canadian businesses have invested over $1 billion in Ghana and Ghana is now Canada’s third largest market in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Forum was facilitated by Dr. J. Cobbah of GIMPA, Canada’s partner in the event. Abla Fiadjoe, Director, General Services, Volta River Authority (VRA), advised that it is essential to increase the dialogue by creating platforms for fostering exchanges; building partnerships; integrating Corporate Social Responsibility into departmental and corporate objectives and establishing benchmarks to provide measurable indicators of improvement that point to sustainability in CSR practice
