‘Back to Work’: An Opening note on Internal CSR in the COVID19 vaccination era
‘CSR’ is a broad field that is constantly developing in this rapidly changing global business environment. While CSR is commonly associated with a business’s obligations to its external stakeholders, its application should not be mistakenly limited to external stakeholders alone. CSR has an internal application where it is associated with a business’s obligations to its internal stakeholders, namely its employees. A good internal CSR strategy is critical to a business’s performance and overall organisational health. Internal CSR looks at areas such as work diversity, human rights, training and development, and work–life balance. To simplify, we can say that the focus of internal CSR is on employees by ensuring that employees have a good working environment and have access to opportunities that can assist them with their personal and professional development.
By Alexandra Mliswa (MSc, LLB, BA)
Business owners reading this are likely thinking, ‘this sounds expensive’. It is, but the expense is a necessary one and poor internal CSR practices carry an expense of their own. Studies have shown that employees who work for a company with good internal CSR practices are more likely to display a positive contribution to their organization’s development. This is likely because it seems to be a natural reaction of employees when they have feelings of want, love, and commitment to company goals to work harder and better, what we are talking about here is an increase in productivity.
Internal CSR in the vaccination era
During the pre-vaccination era, workplaces were riddled with panic and confusion on how to manage employees’ Occupational Health and Safety. Mining was declared an essential service placing mineworkers at an elevated risk given the inherent occupational health dangers that mineworkers are exposed to. Some mines where proactive and where quick to implement good internal CSR practices such as such as office decongestion, WfH policies, periodic testing and screening, or COVID19 treatment at the company’s expense. Other Mines adopted a reactionary approach acting only in response to legislative regulations such as SI 17/2020 and other subsequent SIs which provided specific conditions for operation during the lockdown.
Now, in the vaccination era its almost business as usual across all Zimbabwean industries with employees having been encouraged and in some instances, coerced into vaccination. Whatever the situation, a return to the workplace is directly correlated with high vaccination rates and low infection rates that have been experienced country wide, but what does this mean for internal CSR in the mining industry? Mining companies such as Mimosa and Zimplats that instinctively implemented internal CSR practises to safeguard the wellbeing of their employees are commended. However, all mining companies should develop longstanding internal CSR strategies that are woven into the company’s overall strategy that will guide the company through pandemics and good health alike.
This article first appeared in Mining Zimbabwe Magazine of January 2022.