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The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been widely recognised and used  by  senior executives in the United States and Europe during  the past few years.

In a recent survey of chief executives,  a majority  said  CSR initiatives had made a difference  to their companies, in recruiting and retaining employees,  in getting favourable media coverage, and in promoting partnerships and transactions.

Now the concept is about to have an impact on Hong Kong and the region.

Manpower Services (Hong Kong) claims to be the first recruitment company in Asia to adopt  a CSR approach,  and it  has appointed a full-time manager to  formulate  initiatives and  objectives  for Hong Kong and  the region.

'Manpower started  in 1948 in the United States,' says Paul Angwin, manager of corporate services responsibility for the company.

'Our primary business has always been finding the right candidates for the right companies.

'We have found a lot of joy in the process - helping people  to find  better opportunities to use their talent and upgrade their living standards.  These are the nice things  we do for the community.'

The CSR concept was widely embraced in the US in the 1970s. Companies that adopt the concept  aim to project a caring image in their quest to attract and retain high-quality candidates;   know that like-minded (caring) organisations  tend to attract each other and work well together, and that all this eventually benefits both the companies involved and the community.

'It is a fairly new concept to Hong Kong,' Mr Angwin says.

'We have to educate people and tell them it is something that cannot be ignored. CSR  is an  important programme  every organisation should have.'

The company has focused on two areas where it believes it can make a direct contribution to the community.

'We are in the hiring business, and we are  focused on using our  resources to help certain sectors that face a high unemployment problem,' Mr Angwin says.

Take  young university graduates, for example.

'Our recruitment consultants volunteer to go to universities and speak to the students,' he says.

'We give them a snapshot of the job market,  we show them career paths, and we conduct mock interviews to make them familiar with the job interview process.'

The students benefit from the information  and get a chance to improve their  presentation skills.

The firm's initiative has been well received by both students and universities.

Another area  the firm focuses on is the environment. Manpower Services  has a half-day environmental programme  which all staff and their family members, and even clients, are invited to participate in. Activities include cleaning up beaches and country parks, and planting trees.

'The outings also serve as a good networking opportunity for those staff members  who do not normally  work together.

'The result is that   our firm becomes a much happier place to work in.'

'My position is not a profit-driven one,' Mr Angwin says.

'It comes mainly from the marketing and public relations budget ...  It also relates to the human resources budget.'

In  mature markets  such as the US  and Europe,  CSR positions are found in the most progressive organisations.

'These functions usually lie within the areas of marketing and public relations,'  Mr Angwin says.  Manpower hopes to achieve several objectives in its initiative of fostering CSR.

'We want to set up policies and procedures to further enhance our service quality. As a key player in recruitment, we want to adopt the best practices, especially with equal employment opportunities.'

Two niche areas the company is  keen to explore  are under-privileged non-Chinese employees and the disabled.

It  provides  office space and opportunities for such people  to gain some work experience and attain   useful skills.

'My position is meant to be long-term. We have full support from the top management. We understand that this is a very powerful tool for long-term sustainability, which we are determined  to grow across the region.'

Mr Angwin has plans to  expand applications of the CSR initiative.

'We will roll out in other mature markets in Asia, such as  Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, and then to  emerging markets like  China, Taiwan and South Korea.'



Fostering corporate social responsibility in HK