Officials of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) expressed confidence that the private sector’s initiative to address the Covid-19 pandemic will continue despite the closure of some companies due to the lockdowns and quarantine restrictions.
“While the situation has undoubtedly presented many challenges, it also influences the changes and developments in the prioritization and implementation of CSR [corporate social responsibility] initiatives.
It has highlighted the need for collective effort of different sectors to manage and mitigate its impact, especially for the marginalized and underserved communities,” LCF CSR Expo Chair, Board Secretary and Manila Water Executive Director Reginald Andal told reporters during the media launch for the 19th CSR Expo and Conference held virtually on Thursday.
At the onset of the pandemic, the private sector played a big role in responding to the various needs, starting with the protection of the frontliners, provision of food and other kinds of assistance to the families that were affected by the lockdowns, and helping the government in improving its testing capacities and in the procurement of vaccines.
The economic downturn, however, caused many companies to incur huge losses, according to LCF Past Immediate Chair and Current Trustee Mario Deriquito.
“But I am sure that companies, because their viability is also at stake here, will have to address this pandemic and will have to put an end to it,” he said. “They will dig deeper into their pockets to continue helping. Some companies may rest for a while and take a break, but others will fill in the vacuum and rise to the occasion.”
This prospect plus the value of corporate citizenship and its role in spurring long-term integrated social initiatives will be highlighted in this year’s expo slated on July 6 to 8 as part of the National CSR Week and LCF’s 25th anniversary celebration.
“The upcoming LCF CSR Expo aims to elevate the conversation on CSR to a higher level. More so now as the world has become more and more vulnerable to the crippling effects of the global pandemic. At this year’s expo, we want to put focus on how CSR is making a difference and helping the world get back on its feet, one advocacy at a time,” said Maribeth Marasigan, LCF chair and president and chief operating officer of Aboitiz Foundation.
The theme of this year’s three-day online event is “Rebuilding Together With The Changing Landscape of CSR.” It is set to feature panel discussions and talks focusing on the optimization of CSR initiatives and their significance in the country’s current situation.
Invited speakers include John Elkington, a world authority on CSR and sustainability; Carlito Galvez, Jr. and Vince Dizon of the National Task Force Against Covid-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases; National Economic and Development Authority Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, Guillermo Luz of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, and Margot Torres of McDonald’s Philippines.
Apart from providing an interactive platform to share insights and “best-fit” practices, the expo also seeks to bring people together for a common purpose and to collaborate for greater impact through plenary stages, virtual booths and networking lounges.
“Over the past years, we saw 600 to 1,000 people attending the CSR Expo, representing perhaps 200 to 300 organizations. We hope to see at least the same number, if not more, in this year’s CSR Expo,” said Deriquito, who is also the president of BDO Foundation.