Forum: Telco exec speaks of corporate social responsibility

“ALIGN your CSR with your business—that’s the driving principle for sustainable and effective CSR programs.”

This was the key message of Ramon Isberto, Public Affairs Group head of Smart Communications Inc. when he was asked to share the telecommunication company’s best practices on corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the 1st National Public Relations Conversity.

Conversity refers to an innovative approach to diversity development focusing on human connections, thus, the theme, “Power through Human Connections.” It was held last Jan. 12 at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) in Intramuros, Manila.

“In developing our CSR programs, we’ve adopted the principle that our activities must be aligned with our business. As a utility firm, our core business is imbued with public interest and it would be easier to sustain programs that make use of our resources and skills,” said Isberto.

“We have the country’s most advanced, extensive and robust communications infrastructure for mobile and data. It isn’t hard to think of how such resources can be put to the service of CSR programs,” added Isberto.

Following the principle of learning by doing, Smart has been promoting programs that require schools to create websites and online material. It also supports an online journalism program. These are aligned with the general business direction of the group—to promote the growth of internet usage in the country.

Close to 500 students from various universities in  Luzon, including those from University of San Agustin in Iloilo, attended the whole-day event.

The forum aimed to create an avenue where communication and PR students will have a common understanding of the concepts and trends that are being observed and practiced in the industry today by public relations professionals nationwide.