The Chinese government has developed a new economic model for sustainable growth for businesses facing China's "New Normal" rapidly changing landscape. This year's Corporate Social Responsibility Conference and Fair, held by The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, was an opportunity for local and Chinese business leaders and experts to share their thoughts on CSR and sustainability strategies.

The conference brought more than 150 speakers to Shanghai to participate in panels on The Role of Business in China's Sustainability Priorities, Opportunities for Business Driven Sustainability, Less for More: New Models for Inclusive Growth and The Way Forward: CSR Strategies to Achieve Sustainability. There was also a keynote address from Yin Gefei, Vice President of the China WTO Tribune.

A design fair showcasing "Better Design, Better Life" humanized designs on sustainable products, technologies and services that address social issues in terms of urban renewal, energy sustainability and community inclusion for a quality human life in China.

Topics for discussion included how companies should supervise their supply chains, how companies should incorporate human rights into management and debates on if companies see CSR as an investment or an expenditure.

"We started an initiative called Closing the Loop in our stores in 2013 to provide garment collecting points," Irmgard Fischer, manager of production for H&M China, said. "Customer can bring their old clothes to our stores. We want them and we need them for raw material that we can use for recycling materials."

Fischer explained that every garment collected will go through a screening process to determine if it's possible to resell it or make something new out of it before it goes through the cleaning process.

Complicated supply chains

Panelists also discussed how they engage their suppliers along the supply chain with frequent audits to ensure that their standards are met, as well as hiring third-party evaluators.

"Mattel has very complicated supply chains. We design our materials with the environment in mind," Sean Murphy, Vice President of Global Procurement from Mattel, said, adding that Mattel treats their suppliers the same as they treat their employees as a way of getting consistence, good quality. Their suppliers and partners are also encouraged to bring forth their talent, skills and innovation.

The growing role of China's State-owned enterprises in CSR was also debated at the conference. Some companies realized that their CSR capacity had grown significantly over the past few years, meeting or even exceeding their expectations. Others noted that CSR programs can help facilitate and grow their businesses.

Gianluca Pettiti, President of Thermo Fisher Scientific China, said that given their focus on pollution reduction, sustainability and CSR fit naturally into their business portfolios.

A panel discussion at this year's Corporate Social Responsibility Conference and Fair, held by The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai

 

Kenneth Jarrett, President of The American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai

Photos: Qi Xijia/GT and courtesy of the chamber

 
Newspaper headline: Social responsibility