History of CSR:
- Afghan awareness of responsible business conduct is nascent.
- A comprehensive mining law passed in October 2014 requires mining contract holders to consult affected communities.
- The largest Telecom operator in Afghanistan, Roshan, was recognized for its social responsibility in 2015.
- Studies have shown that companies pursue CSR despite Afghanistan being a least developed country, as it helps overcome contextual barriers for growth.
- CSR has taken hold particularly well within the telecommunications industry in Afghanistan, indicated by the relatively numerous studies of CSR in this industry.
- The main focus areas of CSR in Afghanistan as of 2014 include health, community development, education capacity building, private sector development, sport sponsorship, religious practices, disaster relief and monetary services.
- There is no official term for CSR in the Afghan languages, and terms like “corporate citizenship” and “CSR” only appear in business language in Afghanistan around 2005–
Legal framework and Initiatives:
- Labour Law
The Afghan state has little capacity to develop and enforce specific policies and regulations for CSR engagement. Instead, regulatory frameworks such as those in the telecommunications industry were developed in partnership with the relevant corporations themselves facilitated by the international donor agencies. - Corruption
A major issue in Afghanistan, corruption comes at the cost to great development in CSR. - Environment
Large mining contracts include stipulations for environmental protection, environmental impact assessments. Otherwise, a number of mobile network operators have well-developed CSR outreach programs that include health, education, job creation, environmental protection and outreach to refugees. - CSR law
There does not appear to be any formal CSR legislation in Afghanistan. Some CSR development has been facilitated by third party organizations such as USAID, but CSR debates are still not a part of the business curriculum.
Good practice:
Some Afghan entrepreneurs, such as Ihsanullah Bayat, the Barakat Group, the Ghazanfar Group, Hotak Azizi, and the Alokozay Group, have foundations that provide assistance in the fields of health, education, and the eradication of poverty.
Latest news on CSR:
References
- https://www.export.gov/article%3Fid%3DAfghanistan-corporate-social-responsibility&ved=0ahUKEwjj3JHf4fjXAhXMPhQKHbdCDn4QFggqMAA&usg=AOvVaw0GT98U1Q7sGKFjnYx3EQUn
- Azizi, S. A. Strategic CSR in Afghanistan.
- Azizi, S., & Jamali, D. Paper 2: CSR in Afghanistan: a global CSR agenda in areas of limited statehood.
