Final Report

Workshop: Awareness to Action: How to Implement CSR in SMEs

Mexico City, Mexico
2-3 July 2013
I. Workshop Oeriew
O!"ecties:
Understand the opportunities that CSR can generate for SMs, especially !y i"pro#ing
co"petiti#eness and pro#iding access to ne$ "ar%ets&
'ro#ide current state of CSR, including an o#er#ie$ of CSR principles&
(e#elop a tailored CSR action plan for each SM that can !e i"ple"ented o#er a period of six
"onths&
#e$ materials coere%:
)#er#ie$ of CSR principles and ad#antages&
*o$ to de#elop and i"ple"ent a CSR action plan for an SM+ this includes, "apping
sta%eholders, diagnosis, !ench"ar%ing, strategic planning, i"ple"entation strategy, e#aluation
and co""unication&
*o$ to ta%e initiati#e once a CSR action plan is de#eloped&
Workshop str&ct&re:
-ntroduction, o!.ecti#es, expectations, introducing participants&
CSR a$areness, current state of CSR, !enefits and o!stacles of i"ple"enting CSR in SMs,
CSR and !eco"ing "ore co"petiti#e+ interactive sessions: CSR in a SME, benefits of CSR.
)#er#ie$ of CSR principles, internal pu!lic, external pu!lic, suppliers, en#iron"ent, responsi!le
"ar%eting and co""unity relations+ gender and hu"an rights; interactive session: responsible
practices in my SME.
-"ple"enting CSR in a SMs !usiness strategy, de#eloping a "ission, #ision and #alues+
"apping sta%eholders+ CSR diagnosis, incenti#es, opportunities and challenges+ strategic
analysis+ creating an action plan+ e#aluation+ co""unication+ interactive sessions: mapping
stakeholders, diagnosis and benchmarking; business case for key CSR principles; and
presenting action plans.
/ollo$ up and conclusion, next steps for de#eloping a tailored action plan, )0S role and support+
present diplo"as&
Workshop participants:
10 participants, "ost of $hich $ere SMs fro" #arious sectors including, energy,
touris"2hospitality, "anufacturing, trade, ser#ices, and others& /ro" the 10 participants, 23 $ere
$o"en and 21 $ere "en&
1
SMEs !$ Sector
334
504
34
124
64
64
nergy
7ouri s"2 *ospi tal i ty
Manufacturi ng
7rade
Ser#ices
)thers
II. Workshop Res&lts
Emer'in' themes:
7he Mexican SMs $ere #ery enthusiastic a!out learning ho$ to i"ple"ent CSR in their !usiness
strategies& 0s a result, the participants $ere #ery engaged and co""itted throughout the process&
'rior to the $or%shop, "any of the participants $ere already ad"inistering so"e CSR initiati#es !ut
"ost had not de#eloped a strategic plan that $ould assist the" $ith strea"lining CSR in their
!usinesses&
(uring a !ench"ar%ing exercise, SMs de"onstrated strong existing practices in the areas of,
responsi!le "ar%eting 8904:, go#ernance 8;14:, en#iron"ent 8;14: and internal audience 8;14:&
7hese nu"!ers confir"ed that the participating SMs already possessed a high le#el of %no$ledge
a!out CSR& 7he SMs also expressed a lot of interest in learning a!out ho$ to "easure the success
of their CSR progra"s and the added #alue of CSR fro" a financial perspecti#e&
Sponsors and o!ser#ers $ere #ery interested in replicating the $or%shop in their respecti#e
.urisdictions& 7his $ould indicate that there is a strong de"and in Mexico for CSR %no$ledge,
especially in the area of i"ple"entation in SMs& <oth the pri#ate and pu!lic sectors recogni=e the
i"portance of CSR in assisting SMs to !eco"e "ore co"petiti#e and facilitate their transition into
an econo"y that re>uires greater corporate accounta!ility&
Res&lts an% participant (ee%!ack:
'articipants %no$ledge of CSR increased !y 364 o#er the course of the $or%shop, according to
the sur#ey that $as ad"inistered prior to and follo$ing the $or%shop&
'rior to the $or%shop, "any of the participants !elie#ed that CSR $as a concept
exclusi#ely for large corporations+ ho$e#er, upon its co"pletion, "any of the SMs considered
that CSR is applica!le to their o$n !usinesses&
2
/ollo$ing the $or%shop, the SMs ac%no$ledged that in i"ple"enting CSR, they should
include gender sensiti#e practices& 0ccording to the sur#ey, this perception increased !y 1;4
o#er the course of the $or%shop&
0ll of SMs indicated their co""it"ent to the follo$ up process !y signing a letter of
co""it"ent at the outset of the process, $hich guarantees that they $ill i"ple"ent CSR
practices in their !usinesses $ithin a six "onth period&
'articipants indicated that they $ere extre"ely pleased $ith the instructor and her extensi#e
%no$ledge of CSR& *er experience and conduct facilitated intensi#e participation and generated
rich discussion&

'articipants #alued the practical and interacti#e nature of the $or%shop !ecause it facilitated
learning and strengthened their existing %no$ledge a!out CSR& 7he for"at $as effecti#e
!ecause they could learn fro" others and, in turn, this $ill facilitate applying future CSR
initiati#es& 7he SMs $ere grateful that the )0S $ill !e pro#iding a follo$ up to ensure that the
"o"entu" of the $or%shop is not lost&
)e*t steps:
7he )0S $ill !e follo$ing up $ith the Mexican SMs& 7he SMs $ill ha#e to su!"it the action plans that
they de#eloped during the $or%shop for )0S re#ie$ and inputs& 7hereafter, the SMs $ill select a fe$
%ey aspects of the action plans that they $ill i"ple"ent o#er the next six "onths $ith the support fro"
)0S& 7he training, as $ell as the six "onth follo$ up, should pro#ide the SMs $ith a solid idea of ho$ to
i"ple"ent the re"ainder of their CSR action plans&
7he )0S CSR 'rogra" $ill also !e holding $or%shops for SMs in the follo$ing countries,
1& Costa Rica 812-13 0ugust 2013:,
o Status, there is considera!le interest to hold a $or%shop in Costa Rica& (ate, place, and
local partners are confir"ed&
2& 'ana"a 8)cto!er 2013:,
o Status, in con#ersation $ith the local partners& )0S is finali=ing the dates and $ill !egin
recruiting participants shortly&
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III. Workshop +ict&res
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