BY EMEKA AGINAM
One of the fastest  growing and most innovative telecommunications services provider in Nigeria, Etisalat has emphasized the importance of sustainability and integration of Corporate Responsibility in business practices by all organizations, at the just concluded Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Masterclass organized by the mobile service provider  CSR Centre of the Lagos Business School, Pan-African University.

The Master class  was designed to address emerging trends in sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and the concept of shared value, the future direction of CSR in Nigeria, confronting risks and creating opportunities through responsible management of the supply chain, amongst other pivotal issues.

For the  Director, Brands and Communications, Etisalat, Enitan Denloye, “At Etisalat, Corporate Social Responsibility means creating value through sustainable products and services, minimizing its environmental impact and striking a balance between contributing to the well-being of the society and meeting the expectations of our stakeholders”.

He explained that Etisalat’s external CSR strategy is a two-pronged integrated approach, which he described as top-down and bottom-up.

“This approach empowers various socio-economic levels, and ensures development and sustainability.

“At the top, business leaders, policy and decision makers are trained on the significance of CSR best practices to enable them become genuine influencers and positively impact on those at the lower socio-economic levels.”,he said.

Citing the creation of the Etisalat CSR Centre at the Lagos Business School as a major component of the company’s top-down approach, he said: “Many organizations tend to neglect the top-down approach to CSR practice. However, there’s a lot of research and knowledge on CSR to be harnessed, which is why we are partnering with the Lagos Business School to research more into CSR, hold seminars, courses, and international conferences and ensure that CSR modules are integrated into the MBA curriculum. The Etisalat CSR Centre focuses on the creation, dissemination and application of CSR knowledge.”

According to him, “at Etisalat Nigeria, we firmly believe that we have a responsibility to stakeholders whom we depend on for the survival and growth of our business. We are committed to being sustainable and thriving in the future; while facilitating the sustainable development of our host communities. And so we pledge to continue providing socially responsible products and services”.

Denloye affirmed that that the telco is determined to maintain sustainable growth through its projects in the areas of Education, Health and the Environment, and continually engage all stakeholders in meaningful dialogue; with a view to making sustained economic, environmental and social impact on Nigeria.