‘Removing ten barriers to implementing CSR in Bangladesh’
Barrier A – CSR is thought to be American protectionism – the USA labour unions are alleged to be using CSR as an excuse and are trying to force up our production costs and so get jobs back into the USA. Social Responsibility is not a new idea; it has a long history in Asia and in Europe. If CSR is part of a conspiracy to protect jobs in North America (or in Europe) why is it accepted so well and practiced so widely in the West and in so many trade sectors there?

Barrier B – Some company proprietors are convinced that the “business of business is business” and so they want NGOs do their community development work and the government to fund schools, colleges, clinics and hospitals - after all that’s why they pay their company taxes and VAT! Companies need a stable society in which to trade, we need healthy, well educated and compliant workers. It’s in the long term interests of the business sector in Bangladesh to improve our corporate futures by investing in the community – in our workers and their communities - if we are to be able to manufacture and sell increasing volumes of our products in Bangladesh.

Barrier C – Business owners holding the opinion that spending on CSR is an improper use the company’s hard earned profits (especially in a period of worldwide recession). These proprietors are also of the view that their companies should concentrate on making money for their shareholders and focus on giving the investors a good return on their money. Our ‘privilege’ of being granted ‘tax holidays’ and ‘tax breaks’ removes revenue from the Government so there is a moral obligation on the business sector in Bangladesh to make up some of the shortfall in the services that can be funded or provided by our Government. Investing in the community in Bangladesh is also investing in our market place. The