In these troubled times, it is heartwarming to note that a number of corporations have embarked on undertakings that proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public realm. This recent development in the business world is known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), defined as “a growing trend among the world’s private sector to focus not only on profit but also on their contribution to society and environment.”

CSR in the Philippines is still experimental, as shown by a 2007 survey conducted by Newsbreak Magazine, and there are companies who do not know the difference between CSR and advertising. Sometimes, they consider CSR as a vehicle to advertise their products, and expect a return-of-investment in the amount they spend for activities they label as such. And that’s the glaring difference between CSR and advertising – the former is conscientious, the latter is incautious.

One main reason for the confusion is that most of the supposedly CSR programs were crafted by internal or external public relations team and advertising agencies, and these are eventually fueled by companies’ PR or advertising budget when a separate allocation should have been earmarked for such. And most often, their supposedly CSR programs are cheap marketing gimmicks cloaked in so-called outreach programs.

One such activity happened lately here in Iloilo City when a telecommunications company partnered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to conduct a two-day job fair and offered Iloilo jobseekers the chance of finding employment befitting their chosen career. It was a national project, according to Tesda insiders, and the Iloilo leg was already the second in the supposed series of job fairs that are to be conducted from one city to another.

The telecommunications company contracted the venue for the job fair in behalf of Tesda, which was tasked under the terms of the partnership to invite companies with job vacancies to join the activity. Tesda provided the computers for the data-banking of applicants, and took charge of the publicity so that every jobseeker could avail of the chance to get employed. Tesda has years of experience in conducting job fairs and has been successful at that. The telecommunications company provided the prizes for a raffle conducted for among the applicants.

And the trouble started. When Tesda showed to the telecommunications company the list of companies invited to the job fair, its representative said it would not allow a mall, the owner of which owns another telecommunications company, to join and offer its vacancies. Then the staff of this telecommunications company took away from the venue streamers bearing Tesda logos because it is against their company policy to have a logo of another agency displayed next to its logo. And worse, jobseekers were then required to buy a SIM card of this telecommunications company in order for them to get a priority number.

It turned out this telecommunications company simply used Tesda’s network and expertise to market its product. It hoodwinked Tesda into partnering with them and made a fool out of the agency. Tesda was naturally placed in a bad light because it was the first time jobseekers were required to buy something before they can submit their biodata for job matching. So, those who did not have an extra 30 pesos to buy a SIM card were not given a priority number even if they came early. Most job fairs adopt a first-come, first-served policy.

But no, this telecommunications company did not only dupe Tesda but also the hundreds of poor job seekers whose only reason for being there was to find a job so they can survive in these troubled times. What it did was a heartless and an unethical marketing gimmick to sell its product at the expense of government resources and of the quest of the unemployed to make their lives useful to their family and to society. And, as insiders revealed, Tesda Iloilo was right in recommending that such a partnership be discontinued. As the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.” It was a lesson learned for Tesda.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs represent the soul and the conscience of companies. It is indeed gratifying to see big brands engaging in community outreach activities like painting classrooms and rebuilding communities shattered by natural calamities. But the soul and the conscience turn dark every time there is selling or even just an attempt to sell. The rule here should be: If you want to help, help without expecting something in return. And don’t expect publicity.

Alexander Pope described people with character like this telecommunications company as narrow-souled, and likened them to narrow-necked bottles because the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out. They were more concerned on the number of streamers they displayed and the number of SIM cards they sold rather than the number of job seekers they attended and the number of families they assisted.

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