CSR - CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility is the contribution made by companies towards sustainable development, by incorporating social and ecological responsibility into their core business operations.

CSR in Tourism.

Tourism is a provision of services whose existence is only possible through the encounter of human beings. Seen this way, an accurately defined CSR business management is holding great potentials. Because only an intact environment and motivated, responsible co-workers an local hosts, which are confident of their work will be able to satisfy their customers.

Tourism is not an easy field of activity: Seasonal work, low wages, and long labour time brand many places of employment. In the sense of a socially responsible business management there are very different questions to ask: How many places of employment are established and under which circumstances? What are the contributions of tourism to the improvement of the level in education and employment? What is its share for economically weaker regions? In which way does tourism maintain and not destroy natural ecological systems? How can economic development and intercultural understanding be advanced in tourism countries? Does tourism contribute to the decline of poverty and are the rights of the people in these countries concerning their lives and work respected?

 

Tourism companies are responsible for the conditions in which their holidays or tours take place. This responsibility spans social, ecological and economic concerns. It has become evident that in practice there are a variety of voluntary activities that can be summarised under the heading of CSR. They range from environment-related activities to the sponsoring of cultural events or sports, isolated charitable activities for the youth, aid projects for street children and development aid.
CSR means primary to integrate economic, social and ecological objectives into the business strategy of a company. It is about transparency in communication and about the balancing of interests of the various stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders, neighbours, hotels, suppliers at destinations, local communities and other interest groups.

 

CSR is not a substitution for legal regulations

CSR is not a substitution for legal regulations and collectively agreed arrangements and the duty to the enforcement of international norms such as Human Rights and ILO.- core labour standards. In fact CSR does complete legal regulations , amongst others where regulations are not resorting or possibilities to regulate are limited. Consequently CSR is a voluntary contribution of innovative and responsible management.