Regional CSR strategy launched

The Business for Peace Alliance (BPA), a network of regional business chambers throughout Sri Lanka fostering peace and reconciliation through business, has launched a CSR strategy for the regions in collaboration with International Alert (IA) and supported by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The programme is intended to promote awareness, foster dialogue and skills development on CSR among the private sector in the regions. The regional CSR strategy focuses on three areas:

• Conducting One-day seminars on CSR and peace building in all BPA member regions.

• Planning and implementing CSR and peace-building pilot projects on a pilot basis for a period of one-year in selected districts.

• Appreciating and motivating the chambers that have shown commitment, interest and performance in CSR and peace building though a regional CSR and peace building award ceremony.

The regional CSR strategy was launched on March 28 in Colombo with a workshop for representatives from BPA member chambers.
The keynote address was delivered by Mahen Dayananda, Chairman, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) where he outlined what CSR is, and explained about the CCC’s initiative to promote CSR. He maintained that the CCC is now reaching out to promote CSR in the regions and is focusing on the millennium development goals.

D. Wijenandana, Chairman, BPA, Manique Mendis, Secretary General BPA and Mohamed Nawaz, Senior Programme Manger, IA also addressed the gathering.