Business' role in society

I met Robert Davies, CEO of the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF), towards the end of July this year. Visibly tired from what must have been a long day, his face gleamed with enthusiasm when I asked him to tell me about the Tsunami Taskforce he is sending to India, Sri Lanka and Thailand in end August 2005. IBLF is an international educational charity founded by HRH The Prince of Wales. Originally established in 1990, its aim is to encourage businesses to become socially responsible particularly in new and emerging market economies. As an active network of businesses, its list of members and supporters is impressive. Among its members are global industry leaders like Accenture, the management and technology consulting firm; GlaxoSmithKline, the world leader in pharmaceutical industry; Vodafone, the world largest mobile telecommunication company; and Toyota Motor Corporation, the third largest auto-manufacturer in the world. As members of IBLF, all these companies made a commitment to continuously improve their business practice by enhancing dialogue with stakeholders and by making corporate social responsibility a strategic part of their worldwide operations. IBLF works by directing the attention of companies to what they can do to build social progress, and by facilitating cross-sector partnerships between businesses, the public and NGOs. In response to the disaster of the tsunami, IBLF immediately engaged with its corporate members to assess and identify how to react. IBLF's members initially committed over USD$40 million in aid for the region, as well as provided support for various relief efforts including provision of clean water, food distribution and medical assistance. Later, the IBLF published a management action brief outlining what businesses and their managers can do in the longer-term. The brief describes a three-phase framework of rescue, relief and recovery for responding to disasters. The brief argues that in the recovery phase, the question of sustaining long-term livelihoods will overtake many other needs and businesses have an important role to play. The local coastal economies will not be revived if business leaders do not take proactive actions, engage with relevant parties and work together to augment the recovery and rehabilitation of local communities. This is where the IBLF Tsunami Taskforce comes into action. Consisting of managers from various business interests, the taskforce will visit some of the areas struck by the tsunami. The good thing about this taskforce is, it will consist of business executives with different expertise, thus enabling them to look at the situation from a variety of perspectives. Their aim is to produce a report targeted at board-level audience to explain what roles businesses can play to ensure sustainable social and economic redevelopment of the region. India, Sri Lanka and Thailand are fortunate because they are receiving the attention of such an international coalition of businesses. But I wonder what is happening to the victims of the tsunami in Malaysia. Yes, they may now have accommodation. Their children may be able to go to school. Some may have even gone back to the sea as fishermen. Perhaps life is returning back to normal. But is it really possible for their lives to be normal again after such disaster? Has any of the Malaysian businesses stepped in to exercise their corporate social responsibility?