Corporate Social Responsibility: a tool to achieve peace
Representatives of more than 700 companies from Mexico and Latin America gathered at the X Latin American Meeting of Socially Responsible Companies that took place at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Mexico City, from May 2 to 4, organized by the Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI).
During the meeting, the Global Embassy of Activists for Peace (GEAP) announced to businessmen the International Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development for the Strengthening of Peace (ARSEPAZ).
This issue is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainable Development program that will be developed at the Peace Integration Summit (CUMIPAZ) 2017, which will be held in Panama in October.
Committed companies
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Present at the meeting were Latin American organizations that associate companies and professionals in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, including:
- The Alliance for Corporate Social Responsibility for Mexico (AliaRSE)
- The Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI)
- RedEAmérica
- Forética in Spain and
- DERES in Uruguay
These associations consider CSR as a tool to achieve peace in human beings through principles, universal values and the care of Mother Earth, with the intention of generating actions that preserve natural resources.
Impacts on society and the environment
Jorge Familiar Haro, president of the CEMEFI Council, mentioned:
"I believe that without social responsibility there can be no peace, peace is given because there is social responsibility. To the extent that all people and all companies have responsibility, it is to the extent that things move".
Also, Familiar Haro said that when there are principles, ethical and moral values in every negotiating table and citizen actions, there will be peace.
For her part, Martha Herrera, Corporate Director of CSR of CEMEX and president of the board of directors of RedEAmérica in Latin America, said:
«Social Responsibility is a way of being and is a way of doing business, and that is the implicit end of peace; companies have to be responsible for our impacts on society and the environment».
Also, Herrera said that it is important to manage businesses by asking how they can collaborate with social development, with the harmonious development of society, with the environmental, economic, and urban development of the societies where there are participations.
The event culminated with a tour of the modules presented by the participating companies under the theme of CSR. Likewise, the GEAP informed the entrepreneurs of the mission of this institution and of CUMIPAZ 2017.
