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

– Sponsor a human rights campaign that raisesawareness about child labor in SMEs by usingmultimedia sources to present internationaland national figures addressing child laborissues.– Facilitate employee participation in decisionmakingprocesses and promote awareness onaccountability and reporting standards suchas the Global Reporting Initiative, as well asinternational guidelines and principles suchas those of the UN Global Compact and theInternational Labor Organization.c. Partnering, recommended actions for MDIsinclude:– Facilitate the development of partnershipsbetween large and small sustainableenterprises and at the same time increasecapacity building for SMEs.– Form networks among SMEs to develop CSRmarketing strategies, including brands andlabels, to widen markets and increase exports.– Fund programs addressed to different ethnicgroups, which can enhance their interactions,and grouping capacity, developing a commoncorporate ethical behavior.4.2 Government and Local AuthoritiesColombian Government and local authorities have afundamental role in most of the actions proposed,since the majority perceives them as the mostreliable stakeholder.a. Mandating, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Define standards, establish targets, enforcecompliance and monitor activities forbusiness performance embedded within thelegal framework.– Promote business registration throughsimplification of administrative andbureaucratic procedures.– Provide gender rights counseling by supportingwomen at work through direct experiencesharing. Arrange guest speakers such as leadingfemale managers, politicians and entrepreneurs.– Promote information campaigns and trainingactivities on CSR and supervise pilot projectsin the field and endorse compliance programs.– Facilitate, monitor and legitimize corporateaccounting, governance and transparencystandards.b. Ensuring transparency, recommended actionsfor government and local authorities include:– Promote awareness of accountability andreporting standards such as the GlobalReporting Initiative and internationalguidelines and principles such as those of theUN Global Compact and the InternationalLabor Organization, through campaigns,conferences, workshops and publications.c. Facilitating, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Improve energy efficiency in SMEs by workingwith district municipalities to design anawareness campaign on waste and energymanagement.– Develop team-building initiatives acrossethnic groups through municipalities orprovinces that aim to develop a commoncultural ground among different ethnic groupsworking for SMEs in certain territories.d. Endorsing, recommended actions forgovernment and local authorities include:– Recognize the efforts of enterprises and rewardcompanies’ participation in CSR activities.– Promote voluntary agreements on health andsafety procedures in industrial sectors.– Promote environmental monitoring,management and communication amongSMEs through voluntary agreements betweenSMEs and local public authorities.Colombia 73