Stories by Princewill Ekwujuru

Everyday, Corporate  Social Responsibility, (CSR) drive is taking centre stage in the Nigerian business discourse.

Recently, Nigerian brands woke up to the reality of the necessity to give back to their operating environment, which has indeed propelled the average Nigerian consumer to become more enlightened about the markets in which brands operate.

Today, brands are becoming increasingly transparent and fast-moving with greater public visibility to corporate practices. That is why brands like Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL), GTBank, First Bank, Coca cola, MTN and others, key into the CSR platform to register their presence in the heart of consumers, as well as in communities where they engage in different activities that impact the society.

Meanwhile, as brands try to engrave their names in consumers’ hearts by providing great products and services, consumers want to reciprocate.

This is why CSR has taken the centrestage in their operations as never before. In the Wines and Spirits segment of the market, IDL through its numerous efforts reiterated its commitment to improving lives in its operational environment while embarking on a tour of palces, a customary kind of CSR.

Speaking during one of the tours in which the management of IDL  visited several palaces including that of the Oni of Ilogbo and the Olota of Ota, the Managing Director, Engr. Patrick Anegbe, noted that IDL is  committed to ethical behaviour and contributing to the nation’s economic development. The company is also committed to improving the quality of life of its workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.

His words: “Our mission is to imbibe a culture of excellence and develop a passion for world class standards that will enable us provide total customer satisfaction and deliver excellent returns to all stakeholders.”

Indeed, IDL, makers of Veleta Fruit Wine, Action Bitters, Chelsea, amongst others, has proven to be socially responsible in the Wines and Spirits market. It has executed  projects which people have applauded as not being just visionary, but exceedingly beneficial, deeply impacting different facets of the lives of its consumers.

A few of such projects include the building of three blocks of classrooms for St. Peters Primary School, Ota, which has invariably improved the quality of learning of the pupils. It has also sunk boreholes which have provided potable water to the residents of the area. IDL sponsored the relocation of Civil Defence Corps to its permanent site which has produced the domino effect of improved security in the area.

The effort, by IDL, has been lauded by individuals and corporate organisations alike. The company has done well in terms of its products and in terms of its impact on its environment and local communities.

A Nigerian lawyer, Lola Opeyemi, while speaking on what a company’s CSR policy should be, said: “I believe in businesses operating in a manner that meets and exceeds the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has set, companies should always put in extra efforts at impacting the lives of the Nigerian society positively.”