Comment by Deepa Mirchandani for August / September CCB 113
When is one disaster more important than another?
It is an understatement to say that Pakistan’s been having a tough time of late. The recent floods have caused devastation for millions of people and the challenges of emergency relief and reconstruction will invariably follow.
The call to alms for what is clearly a catastrophic event has not been met with a flurry of people putting their hands in their pockets and there’s been a fair amount of commentary on why this might be the case. Firstly, the implications of “donation fatigue” post the Haiti earthquake is a real one and, coupled with the economic crisis, this has meant that individuals and businesses have found it hard to respond as generously as they might have done. Others have supposed that rich Islamic nations would rally together to support their brethren in hard times and so there is less of a need for others to follow suit. Furthermore, there is a perception that, as a major nuclear power, Pakistan is not poor – if huge sums of money can be spent on weaponry, why not in the humanitarian need of their own people?
The timing of the floods has also been bad. The reputational damage caused by David Cameron’s recent assertion of Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism and the corruption scandal that hit the Pakistani cricket team has meant that there has been increased discourse on the endemic problems of corruption, lack of accountability and transparency in the country. Pakistanis themselves have avoided donating funds to local non governmental organisations active in humanitarian efforts, as there’s been little faith that funds would reach those most in need. None of this helps evoke the sympathy that gets collection buckets ringing, nor presents a case for a nation in need of international assistance.
Finally, the nature of the floods, which happened over the space of three weeks rather than because of an instant event such as a tsunami or an earthquake, means that there’s an element of desensitisation to the destruction caused to innocent people’s lives. The role of the media in moving on and losing interest in the “story” is a real one. As climate change and devastating environmental events lead to more catastrophic consequences for people around the world, it will be interesting to see where affiliations will lie and where and how the cash to respond will flow.
Deepa is a consultant at Corporate Citizenship. Email her at deepa.mirchandani@corporate-citizenship.com to discuss community investment, the Millennium Development Goals, impacts measurement and the LBG.
Sony partners to combat the spread of AIDS
During the 2010 World Cup, the ‘Public Viewing in Africa’ partnership between Sony Corporation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) used large screen visual equipment to bring 26 matches to 24,000 people living in Cameroon and Ghana. While Sony aired the matches for free at locations with limited access to television, UNDP, JICA and local partners offered the viewers HIV and AIDS counselling and advocacy materials. In both countries, more than double the number of people expected participated, and during the matches 4,800 people were tested for HIV. The viewings launched an AIDS-awareness campaign aiming to bring health information to vulnerable communities in these countries, and contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals .
Cisco expands Networking Academy Program in Cambodia
On 16 August, Cisco announced the launch of a Cisco Networking Academy at the University of Management and Economics (UME), Cambodia. UME will integrate the IT Essentials course into the core curriculum for students at the provincial campus in Battambang, emphasising practical experience to help students develop fundamental computer skills along with essential career skills, preparing them for entry-level ICT career opportunities. The growing importance of ICT has been paralleled by a shortage of skilled professionals, and Cisco aims to help fill this gap by supporting the development of an educated ICT workforce among the next generation. The course is expected to be launched in October 2010 with the next intake of approximately 1,500 students, and UME plans to offer it to all undergraduate students in ICT degree programmes.
In mid-August, BP announced the provision of $52 million to federal and state health organizations to fund behavioural health support and outreach programmes across the US Gulf Coast region. About 30% of Gulf Coast residents are suffering with mental-health issues in the aftermath of the BP oil spill, according to a recent study by the nonprofit Ochsner Health System in Louisiana. The funding will help residents link up with support that is available through providers in their communities, through a variety of local outreach programmes and a special toll free phone line where people can turn for information on available services. Specifically, BP will provide funding to five agencies, one at the federal level and one in each of the states affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill.
On 2 August, Cadbury’s unveiled its Spots v Stripes programme, which aims to get millions of people across the UK and Ireland playing games by 2012, by inviting the entire country to divide into two teams, Spots and Stripes. Inspired by London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cadbury is putting in place a national network of over 30 Spots v Stripes Games Ambassadors and 2,000 volunteers, and will host four big events across the UK during 2010. The company hopes to use playing games as a catalyst to help build stronger communities. Working in association with the charity Groundwork, Cadbury aims to activate local voluntary organisations, community groups, tenant associations, youth and staff clubs to organise imaginative games events in their areas.
Business in the Community’s International Team has launched a new awards programme aiming to increase the level of Employee Volunteering across Europe and improve the measurement of its impact. The European Employee Volunteering Awards is co-funded by the European Commission and the programme of activities will be closely aligned to the European Year of Volunteering 2011. The Awards will reward companies of all sizes across Europe that have developed employee volunteering schemes, which are helping people facing barriers to work increase their employability skills; there will also be a fifth category for public authorities that foster business employee volunteering. Corporate Citizenship has provided a toolkit to assist applicants to measure their outputs and impacts.
Coca Cola and the World Wildlife Fund are working together to improve the water quality of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which is currently at the top of the list of the 10 most-threatened rivers in the world. Among other projects, Coca-Cola will work on projects with rural farmers to reduce the runoff of animal waste into the river by turning pig waste into biogas, a type of fuel that can be used for cooking and heating. The multinational, which operates 39 bottling plants in China, will also search for ways for to be more efficient in its own use of water. The WWF-Coca-Cola partnership has evolved into a $24 million, seven year commitment to support fresh water programmes globally, and also includes work to help clean six other rivers on the 10-worst list.
Google is partnering with US Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC), a division of US Bank, to create an $86 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) fund. The funding will be used towards the construction and operation of 480 affordable rental housing units for low income families and senior citizens in seven communities throughout the US West and Midwest. Google’s commitment to affordable housing marks a continuing expansion of the affordable housing investor base beyond traditional investors such as banks and insurance companies.
Forklift truck supplier Carrylift has become the first and only forklift truck company in the UK to provide Carbon Free Trucks. The company announced their new partnership with woodland conservation charity the Woodland Trust on 11 August. As part of the Woodland Carbon scheme, Carrylift will lock up and store the lifetime of CO2 emissions from all new Nissan forklift trucks, by planting thousands of trees which will capture and absorb C02 and enhance the natural environment. A minimum of 105 acres will be planted in some of the Woodland Trust’s 1,000 UK woods; in total these trees will lock up and store more than 3,400 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Companies collaborate to improve the Indonesian cocoa sector
The Indonesian government has launched a programme to increase and improve revenue, productivity, and quality standards of the Aceh cocoa sector. A consortium of international NGOs and companies, led by Swisscontact, the Swiss Foundation for Technical Cooperation, will implement the PEKA program and provide their expertise. Participants include the World Cocoa Foundation, Armajaro Trading Ltd (UK), and Mars Incorporated (US). A 21-month US$6.8 million pilot program will train 12,500 farmers directly, with the goal of increasing the proportion of cocoa beans meeting the Indonesian national standard. The Aceh cocoa sector provides income for around 90,000 smallholder farmers, more than 10% of the farmer population.
Merck Provides New Funding to Fight HIV/AIDS in Botswana
The Merck Company Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced the commitment of an additional $60 million to support Botswana’s African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP). Between 2001 and 2007, the partnership has already supported the Government of Botswana in preventing the estimated deaths of more than 53,000 Botswana living with HIV. Today about 90 percent of Botswana living with HIV receive treatment, compared to less than 5 percent when the program began in 2001. Building on the successes created by its initial investment of $56.5 million nine years ago, Merck will contribute an additional $30 million over the next five years.
General Mills Foundation donates $250,000 for relief in Pakistan
On 24 August, the General Mills Foundation announced a contribution of $250,000 to CARE International’s Livelihood Rehabilitation efforts in Pakistan, in response to widespread flood-related displacement and destruction in the region. General Mills’ support aims to help affected individuals and families in Pakistan rebuild and better prepare against future flooding. CARE International will also help farmers rehabilitate crops and protect their farms from further damage. General Mills does not operate in Pakistan, but the contribution by the General Mills Foundation represents continued support and involvement in disaster relief both in Pakistan and around the world.
Procter & Gamble and its partners have announced the provision of over 50 million litres of clean drinking water and product donations to help victims of the floods in Pakistan. P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Programme is partnering with World Vision, Save the Children, Read Foundation, HOPE and others to provide more than five million PUR packets – P&G’s technology to purify contaminated water. Additional product donations will include Safeguard bar soap, Ariel laundry detergent, Pampers baby diapers and Always feminine hygiene products; in total P&G will provide more than $400,000 in support to people impacted by the floods.
Elsevier and Royal Tropical Institute sign memorandum of understanding
Elsevier has partnered with the Royal Tropical Institute to provide 150 researchers working in least-developed and low-income countries with access to its online research platform. The agreement will run for five years, giving members in African, Caribbean, Asian and Pacific countries access full-text articles and an abstract and citation database, with a view to contributing to areas relevant to the UN Millennium Development Goals.
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