Save Lake Chad: CSR Initiative
on 23 August 2010
The English may well turn their reputation for charming dullness with their preoccupation about the weather into a force for good. Ever since I was a BBC news editor, I have long thought that the weather slot that follows news bulletins is a vehicle for social change. I make a simple appeal to weather slots across all channels: carry a barometer or a clock to mark how planet Earth is coming every day closer to its own extinction if we do not address climate change and mitigation.
Ideological? Yes- but it is necessary to keep up awareness, and change behaviours. Find a consensus, or something that at least has broad, majority scientific and political support, but find something that pricks our conscience every time we watch the weather report. Cynics will say that it might have as much effect as the health warnings on cigarette packets, but we carry those warnings in the hope that the message eventually gets through. Climate change is no different.
A concrete and visual example is Lake Chad- at the very heart of Africa, and of the debate of what it is to be done about climate change and the environment. Lake Chad was in prehistoric times the biggest lake in the world. Only sixty years ago, it was one of Africa’s biggest lakes. It now faces extinction, because of overgrazing, global warming and an increase in population growth. Groups of international scientists are trying to find ways for the local population to use remaining resources more efficiently. I also know of a scientific study that has been commissioned to evaluate the possibility of rerouting the Congo River into Lake Chad area.
Policy-makers identify global, regional, national and local issues- but to communicate policy better- and develop better policy- we should also be routinely identifying “glocal” issues- issues which are both global and local. Cornerstone Global Associates has identified Lake Chad as a neglected but highly vital “glocal” issue, one that should resonate with business and civil society, and not just governments, and encourage ground-up, and not just top-down, collaboration.
It
demonstrates our team’s commitment to proactive global corporate social
responsibility, drawing attention to such serious ecological problems that not
only damage the environment but the wellbeing of local people. The challenge is
to take this forward to help Chadians to realise the potential Lake Chad has in
terms of development, tourism and other business, and mitigate against the
risks of not doing anything.
We can work with clients who are committed to this proactive approach to CSR –
going out there, highlighting the problem and then putting solutions to address
it. This is not only important to Chad, but the rest of this part of Africa.
Constantin Schreiber, one of my German colleagues went there, and has direct
experience of living and working with the communities directly affected. He and
another colleague have just launched their savelakechad.com campaign to raise
awareness. The campaign was reported in the mainstream German press and
millions of viewers have read about it.
Our holistic approach combines CSR not for CSR's sake but to jump start the Chadian economy and avoid environmental disaster. We need to combine high end strategy with on the ground experience. Companies working in Africa can up their game when it comes to CSR through meaningful stakeholder engagement.
The Save Lake Chad Website is on www.savelakechad.com
For comments or queries, please email contact@cstoneglobal.com