Nigerian corporates routinely engage in the CSR that draws plaudits from government and the general public. And it’s a good thing, whatever is done to improve the lives of others that may not necessarily register on the bottom-line, at least not immediately. But there are lots of areas where corporate organisations in Nigeria need to apply themselves on behalf of the long term interest of the business as well as the community within which the business is undertaken.
The oil companies readily come to mind. Shell and its never ending battle with its host communities are well documented. The company is currently in court on many fronts with aggrieved community leaders and wives of those who were slain with Ken Saro Wiwa. The much talked about cleanup is not going to plan and the strain between the company and the Ogoni as well as other communities is quite evident. This need not be so. Despite the millions spent on education and other matters, the community feels hard done by for the way the company treats its environment and the people’s sources of livelihood. The stark reality the communities face is that one day, there may be no more oil in their ground, but by then the ground would be so despoiled that it becomes literally good for nothing.
But Shell is not the only company with such a withering reputation. There are many others polluting the environment where they do business. There are those others, (whose names are not Shell), whose products, as well, do not augur well for the long term health of their environment. Examples of these are companies involved in production of plastics or whose products require massive usage of polythene for packaging. One would expect that in this era of sustainability where progressive businesses are known to align their products with their CSR strategy, that there would be more companies working hard towards alternatives. We do not always have to wait for the research to be done abroad and for us to adapt.
There are big corporates involved in the production or massive usage of chemicals for their production processes. How safely are the chemicals disposed? What are the consequences for those whose source of water or food happen to be along its disposal path? What of batteries? Be it for cars, telephones, computers, etc. Is enough effort going in to ensure adequate disposal that does not have long term consequences for the environment?
If good research is carried out that produces alternatives e. g. paper-based or other biodegradables for packaging, etc. all the credit would go to the company for innovativeness and resourcefulness. There is a big room for those who are bold in their sustainability thinking. Paperless is good, sure, but what else. Usage of domestic gas as against firewood is good, sure, but what else. It’s a universe of possibilities that is not always hamstrung by a lack of finances, only imagination, and right thinking.
Research & Development is the big kahuna ultimately in any sustained talk about sustainability. The low hanging fruits should be harvested by all, of course. And by this, I mean behavior and lifestyle changes. However, because the world is so used to doing things a certain way, the disruption of such ingrained patterns can only come from new inventions and discoveries; which is where we believe our big corporates should today be channeling their energies, aside other commitments.
Sub Saharan Africa has its storied peculiarities that we need transform into modern realities. How we achieve that as a people is up, to a large extent, to our big organisations which must consciously strive for more collective wealth because only when the community is healthy and wealthy, only then can we really begin to play bigger on the international stage. Otherwise, we will remain easy pickings for outsiders who with enough capital can buy us out and have us working for their interests rather than ours. This has been the unfortunate situation in many an African country. But it must change.
The need for community enhancement must be at the forethought of corporate honchos especially the communications and CSR strategists who more than others can relate with the reputation deficit that we have and which we need reversed.
It is for reasons of sustainability that corporates should engage more, for example, in school rehabilitation and infrastructure overhaul. We expect a Dangote, BUA and others in the cement business, for instance to, in concert with others, donate cement on a regular basis, to schools, hospitals, those places that are falling apart, and to put its people to work to ensure that derelict buildings are rehabilitated. Where they can’t be salvaged, they can be pulled down and others stand in their place.
It won’t be easy work, and it may not get the mileage a hefty donation to some ‘national emergency’ gets. However, real lives would be impacted and grateful. That is the foundation for brand loyalty and a do-good culture that carries on from one generation to another.
The call is to companies with the resources to engage the brains at their disposal to bring solutions about. Fortunately, Africa has no shortage of brilliant minds. What we have a glut of, is governments and organisation that do not have what it takes to galvanise the brains at their disposal towards solving Africa’s many problems.
Let it be that we begin to look beyond the contrived fineries of today to build something for posterity. Business, as indeed life, should be about posterity and nothing else. It is what we bequeath that makes our names indelible.
I am hoping that more organisations will take up the challenge of R&D to solve our long term sustainability issues. Air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, the answers are not abroad. They are here. Let’s get to work.
