Social Responsibility in Binational Centers Michele L. Lee Executive Director Centro Venezolano Americano de Merida

Agenda  Definitions of Social Responsibility  Government and Business  Types of Social Responsibility  How BNC’s can take part  Examples of Social Responsibility

What is Social Responsibility?  Corporate responsibility  Corporate citizenship  Responsible business  Sustainable responsible business (SRB), or,  Corporate social performance

Social responsibility All organizations have:  Responsibility to society  Obligation toward the good of a larger social unit as opposed to the self alone  Imperative to improve the quality of relations with key stakeholders: putting values into action in the perspective of our relations with society at large  Responsibilities as citizens as part of a society and nation.  Need to contribute to the welfare of society and not be solely devoted to maximizing profits

Origins of Social Responsibility We have always had government or caretakers

Government & business  Government has always asked business to lend a hand in societal concerns  Obligatory: Taxes  Self determination: Philanthropy  Sustainable development: Responsibility

Government & Society  Government is stepping back:

Government & Society  Business is rising to the challenge

The Role of Business  Traditional role: management must maintain its wealth-producing resource intact by making adequate profits to offset the risk of economic activity.  SR model management must also increase the wealth-producing capacity of these resources and with them the wealth of society.

Working definition  Business has an obligation to make choices and take actions that will contribute to the welfare and interests of society as well as the organizational (Richard L.Daft, 1988).  Two principles which provide the foundation for contemporary views on social responsibity, the principle of charity and the principle of stewardship.

Two Principles  Principle of Charity  Principle of Stewardship

Two roads to take  Global Issues  Local Challenges

Hot topics in social responsibility  Culture and the arts  Sports programs, especially with children  Environment, sustainable development  Community Health and safety  Education and Scholarship

The BNC Social Responsibility Dilema Today’s world has contemporary social, economic, environmental, and political challenges. BNCs can contribute to the tasks required to meet those challenges

Pro´s and Con´s Pro´s 1.organizations benefit from society, therefore, have an obligation to improve it. 2.It is in the interests of business to improve its community 3.Improves public image Con´s 1.High cost involved 2.Resources diverted to non profitmaking activities

How to 1.List your stakeholders 2.Identify the issue(s):  that most identify you with your stakeholders within a global or local context  Where BNC can make a difference (obtainable objective) 3.Decide to which you would like to or you could most contribute?

How to 3. Identify the expected outcome 4. Identify alternative outcomes 5. Determine your action plan 6. How can you incorporate your Social responsibility plan in your binational center plan 7. Write a mission, vision, and values statement with social responsibility in mind.

Who are our stakeholders?  Those individuals or groups who have an interest in and / or are affected by the activities of the organization or the behavior of its members.  Assembly, board of directors  Directors, teachers, and staff  Clients, students, community  Country, world  Special interests

Cevam believes We can implement systemic practices that create safe, caring, and equitable environment so that all young people succeed in school and life, and help shape a safe, democratic and just world We can contribute to an education for young people which provides them with hopeful and intelligent engagement with their world

Teaching Content  Ricardo Romero: we not only teach English, we teach content  Gary Strong: It’s not just about learning the language, it’s creating social interaction with the language. Therefore, we add social responsibility content to our language classroom.

CEVAM’s Example  We do what we do best:  Teach our children  Collaborate with our adults  To raise their conscious about issues important to us  Environment  Civic education  Citizen participation

Cevam’s examples

The World Cup  Appreciation for other cultures, cultural differences

Repower America’s Wall We added our Voice

Bob Marley’s Earth Day Remix

Thank you Michele L. Lee de León Executive Director CEVAM

References   -children-social-responsibility.html -children-social-responsibility.html  Pages/ourinitiatives.aspx Pages/ourinitiatives.aspx   ocs/gbus-8306-spring-06-syllabus.pdf ocs/gbus-8306-spring-06-syllabus.pdf