Colloquium report on domestic violence and CSR
COLLOQUIUM REPORT ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR)
Domestic violence has been described as any violent or aggressive behavior within one’s home, which involves violent abuse of one’s partner (or anyone in the family). Domestic violence may involve action or words. We have seen a rising trend in such violence, but it is also one of the most underreported crimes. So, what can companies do to ensure that people don’t keep mum about such violence? Is it at all beneficial for companies to include the issue of domestic violence in their CSR strategies? The answer is ‘yes’. Today, media and activist groups are keeping close watch on the activities of the companies, and they hold companies responsible and accountable for their social actions. Therefore, it is important for companies to view CSR as an opportunity to make the world a better place to live in and at the same time, to enhance business. Companies should certainly participate actively in issues such as domestic violence and use it as a part of their CSR strategy. This makes sense for most companies (if not all) to take it as an obligation to consider the interests of their customers, employees and communities in order to benefit the society and strengthen their competitive advantage. For example, AVON’s (female beauty company) CSR strategy includes supporting breast cancer and anti-domestic violence programs. Another company, The Body Shop, runs its “stop Violence in the Home” campaign in Asia-Pacific and Australia. These efforts stress on the need to raise public awareness on domestic violence, and at the same time, extending helping hands to support the victims (and sometimes children of these victims) of domestic violence.
As such, the victims of domestic violence often fall prey to the irrational societal norms. Even today many societies are male-dominated, where women are looked down on, hence falling prey to domestic violence, abuses, society pressures, stress, etc.
Domestic violence has been described as any violent or aggressive behavior within one’s home, which involves violent abuse of one’s partner (or anyone in the family). Domestic violence may involve action or words. We have seen a rising trend in such violence, but it is also one of the most underreported crimes. So, what can companies do to ensure that people don’t keep mum about such violence? Is it at all beneficial for companies to include the issue of domestic violence in their CSR strategies? The answer is ‘yes’. Today, media and activist groups are keeping close watch on the activities of the companies, and they hold companies responsible and accountable for their social actions. Therefore, it is important for companies to view CSR as an opportunity to make the world a better place to live in and at the same time, to enhance business. Companies should certainly participate actively in issues such as domestic violence and use it as a part of their CSR strategy. This makes sense for most companies (if not all) to take it as an obligation to consider the interests of their customers, employees and communities in order to benefit the society and strengthen their competitive advantage. For example, AVON’s (female beauty company) CSR strategy includes supporting breast cancer and anti-domestic violence programs. Another company, The Body Shop, runs its “stop Violence in the Home” campaign in Asia-Pacific and Australia. These efforts stress on the need to raise public awareness on domestic violence, and at the same time, extending helping hands to support the victims (and sometimes children of these victims) of domestic violence.
As such, the victims of domestic violence often fall prey to the irrational societal norms. Even today many societies are male-dominated, where women are looked down on, hence falling prey to domestic violence, abuses, society pressures, stress, etc.