Rafael Nunez Aponte: Has CSR Evolved through the History?

History of CSR

All participants of the society expect business to be carried out in an ethical and socially responsible way. Today, many companies are recognizing the need to balance environmental, social, and governmental issues. And, even most of them have begun to implement practices in their day to day operations, demonstrating how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be a fundamental value. Stay here and know more about this important topic through a brief journey into the history of CSR for you to see how it has evolved and changed according to the societies’ needs.

Everything started in 1960, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development convention was created to promote policies with the intention to achieve sustainable economic growth and employment. Fifteen years later the "Impact and Benefit Agreements" between Canadian Aboriginal groups and extractive sector companies started. The aim was to create commitments by the company for employment, and training about projects constructed near Aboriginal communities.

The years continue to pass, and humanity started to need more, of course; five years later, in 1980, the International Union for Conservation of Nature created The World Conservation Strategy, which was and important move that had the aim of identifying the main responsible actors of

habitat destruction such as:  

• poverty,
• population pressure,
• social inequity, and
• the terms of trade.

After that, the UN Earth Summit was held in Brazil, where a new business model, as well as the idea of using sustainable development to a company's competitive advantage was applied.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

In 1993, the launch of the Whitehorse Mining Initiative took these initiatives to the signing of the WMI Leadership Council Accord in 1994 in order to achieve a sustainable mining industry within the framework of an evolving and sustainable Canadian society. Five years later, Canada, along with Natural Resources Canada, IDRC, and the leadership of IISD, organized a workshop in Peru. The event brought together 11 countries from Latin America and Canada in order to work towards a sustainable future in the region.

Three Celebrities with Social Commitment

Not only companies or brands have the possibility of doing something good for the communities, animals, the Planet, etc. Charity campaigns are also in the hands of some of the most known celebrities. Here are 3 charities or foundations created or cofounded by celebrities, both big-name superstars and young entertainers paving their own way. You can also feel free to share any nonprofit organizations you personally like supporting!

Leonardo Dicaprio

Leonardo Dicaprio Foundation – Leonardo Dicaprio

This organization is dedicated to protect Earth’s last wild places and fostering a harmonious relationship between the people and the nature. Since 1998, the Foundation has been working on pressing environmental and humanitarian issues through grant making, campaigning and media projects. They focus on wildlife and habitat preservation, healthy oceans, water access, climate change, among others.

Born This Way Foundation

Born This Way Foundation – Cofounder Lady Gaga with Cynthia Germanotta

Leaded by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta, the Foundation was founded in 2011 to encourage a more accepting society, where differences are always welcome and individuality can be celebrated. The Foundation is dedicated to create a safe community that helps connect young people with their skills. All this with the aim of giving opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.

The ONE Campaign – Cofounded by Bono

ONE is a campaigning and advocacy organization that counts with more than 3 million people taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, since the facts show extreme poverty has already been cut in half and can be virtually eliminated by 2030, but only if the society acts with urgency now.

Rafael Nunez Aponte: Causes of Child Prostitution (Part I)

Child prostitution means the use of children in sexual activities with the objective of obtaining profits or other kind of compensations. This type of activities can also be called as sexual exploitation. Abused children usually are forced to work in the streets or in establishments like brothels, discos, massage parlors, bars, hotels or restaurants. Child prostitution affects both girls and boys. 

According to experts of important institutions against child abuse such as CPIU, in some countries, such as United States, child prostitution can even be included in the distribution or dissemination of images of minors engaged in sexual activities and is considered illegal.

Avoiding Child Sexual Abuse

Causes of Child Prostitution

Poverty: this is the main cause of prostitution. Often, families feel forced to sell their children to traffickers due to their low incomes, which are not enough to meet their basic needs. Poverty can also lead to abandonment. Because of their vulnerability, children become the perfect target of manipulators who promise work and remuneration.

Money: prostitution is a very lucrative activity compared with the level of local wages in many countries. In Kenya, for example, a sexual encounter with a girl under 16 years old may cost about 20 euros. Nevertheless, prices can reach 60 euros, while a common Kenyan earns on average only four euros a day.

Orphans: wars, natural disasters and diseases such as HIV/AIDS contribute to the increasing number of orphans worldwide each year. Because of their vulnerability, these children accept any kind of jobs and prostitution becomes a mean of survival, since it is a high lucrative activity compared to other denigrating and dangerous work.