Recommended actions to foster the adoption of Corporate Social ...

a. Mandating, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Promote business registration andcompliance through simplification ofadministrative and bureaucratic procedures.b. Facilitating, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Design, together with district municipalities,an awareness campaign on waste and energymanagement in specific territories.– Enhance awareness about the different typesof waste management and help SMEs choosethe most suitable system for them.– Facilitate the development of an approach forworkplace compliance, leveraging social helpand solidarity, which are already part of theday-to-day activities.– Sponsor a human rights campaign that raisesawareness about child labor in SMEs by usingthe media to present international andnational figures addressing the negativeconsequences of the worst forms of child labor.c. Endorsing, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Recognize efforts of specific enterprises andreward schemes for the participation inspecific CSR activities by companies.4.3 Business AssociationsAccording to CONINDUSTRIA 116 (2004), Venezuelahas more than 50 business associations.CONINDUSTRIA supports companies and SMEsdeveloping quality management systems, adoptingthe Best Available Technology, promotinginnovation, facilitating the articulation of networksof suppliers, developing exports, and enhancingrelationships and partnerships with otherstakeholders. Since 2004, CONINDUSTRIA hassupported 375 enterprises, formed 498 consultantsand created an Export Consortia. Anotherimportant association is the National CooperativeSuperintendence (Superintendencia Nacional deCooperativas - SUNACOOP), which groups andsupervises the 153,000 cooperatives active inthe country.a. Facilitating, recommended actions forbusiness associations include:– Build capacity, raise awareness, engagebusinesses in CSR related activities, providefunding and create incentives for CSR efforts.– Pilot a project on the implementation ofquality management systems in the supplychain using a chosen territory or sector.Provide assistance to participants according tothe specific role they play in the supply chain.– Facilitate the development of agritourism andresponsible tourism micro enterprises inspecific rural areas.– Finance training programs on CSR inmanagement and planning for SMEs.b. Improving Promotion and Advocacy,recommended actions for businessassociations include:– Create training programs on competitivenessand CSR benchmarking for SME managers inrural areas.– Enhance compliance by showing thebeneficial results of training activities ofhealth and safety programs to SME managersand employees.c. Partnering, recommended actions forbusiness associations include:– Support partnerships between large and smallenterprises on CSR.d. Endorsing, recommended actions for businessassociations include:– Contribute to the application ofenvironmental monitoring systems.116 CONINDUSTRIA is the Venezuelan Confederation of Industries (Confederación Venezolana de Industrias)Venezuela 145