Doing business with Europe remains a major objective for many businesses worldwide. Keeping up with European requirements plays an important role in achieving this goal. In that light, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming more essential than ever. Commissioned by the Import Promotion Desk (IPD), Globally Cool developed a CSR course and “Training of trainers” programme for a group of Business Support Organisations (BSOs).

Supplier due diligence

Upcoming European legislation (the EU Due Diligence Act) makes it obligatory for businesses to ensure health, safety and environmental protection are properly arranged by their suppliers. The days of noncommittal CSR practices are gone. A forerunner is the German law, which requires companies to develop a due diligence system to prove they scan and audit suppliers from developing countries. CSR policy is no longer a voluntary demand of the corporate sector. Instead, the legislator makes it compulsory for all.

Impact for small- and medium-sized companies

It’s just a matter of time before the legislation becomes functional – an impact which SMEs will undeniably come to feel. Therefore, the IPD commissioned Globally Cool to develop a CSR training programme for their partner organisations from Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Managing partner Alfons and fellow CSR-expert Tove Antonissen worked on an extensive training covering subjects such as understanding CSR, supporting SMEs in developing their CSR strategy and soft training skills.

Train the trainer

An essential part of the programme aims at helping BSOs develop the skill set needed to conduct CSR training by themselves. In seven sessions of three hours, Alfons and Tove prepared the future trainers. These sessions were filled with good practices, online CSR tools (to compare standards, determine risks), buyers’ codes of conduct and experience sharing between participants. Learning from each other and with each other is the primary learning strategy of all our courses, and this showed in this programme as well. One of the participants of the Indonesian BSO shared: “This is the best and most active training I’ve experienced during the pandemic.”

Next to that, we combined the virtual training with quizzes, checklists and self-assessments in the Globally Cool Academy. All for the ultimate blended-learning experience. In the end, hard work pays off, as all participants successfully completed the programme and earned their CSR training certificate.

Putting learnings to practice

In the first half of 2022, the participants will further develop CSR services within their organisation. Globally Cool will coach them along the way, as there is more than the course alone. Besides that, we will explore options with the BSOs to establish strategic partnerships and to add a blog series on CSR as part of their information service.