Our Mission

To learn about and contribute to trends in private sector social responsibility through research, events, partnerships and project work.

Our Activities

We act as a learning forum:

• Hosting events, often in partnership with other student groups
• Undertaking research, and sharing research outcomes through publications
• Project work in partnership with organizations such as the World Bank Institute, the UN Global Compact, and Social Accountability International
• Faculty Outreach

The Issue

Background
Over recent years, the private sector's role in society has been steadily increasing in both the developed and the developing world. In most countries around the world, the private sector is responsible for the majority of economic activity. Increasingly, it is also involved in running essential infrastructure such as water, energy and telecommunication.

At the same time, the world is facing the dual challenge of development and sustainability: the challenge of alleviating poverty and increasing social welfare around the world while addressing the growing threats to the natural environment.

Given its size and influence, the private sector should and inevitably will play an increasing role in this challenge of sustainable development. Fifty-one of the largest 100 economies in the world are corporations, not states. Without their assistance, and the assistance of the private sector as a whole, sustainable development will remain elusive.

Many believe that the private sector's influence over every aspect of modern life has changed the rules of the game. In the words of Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, "The business of business should not just be about money, it should be about responsibility." It is such beliefs that led to the growing movement of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
"CSR is defined as operating a business in a manner that meets or exceeds the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has of business. CSR is seen by leadership companies as more than a collection of discrete practices or occasional gestures, or initiatives motivated by marketing, public relations or other business benefits. Rather, it is viewed as a comprehensive set of policies, practices and programs that are integrated throughout business operations, and decision-making processes that are supported and rewarded by top management."
— World Bank

What are public-private partnerships?
"Public-private partnerships (PPP) refer to any form of agreement (partnership) between public and private parties. In this sense, all sectors of society are potential stakeholders, being investors, providers, operators, regulators, or users. In order to ensure full participation of stakeholders in a process, the program is to support innovative forms of partnerships in the triangle of governments, businesses and civil society."
— United Nations Development Programme

The Organization

The Columbia CSR Network
The Columbia CSR Network was founded under the name of SIPPP (students investigating public-private partnerships) in fall 2002. The network aims to look at the relationship between the private sector and sustainable development.

We hope that the private sector can become a constructive part of the solution to the many challenges of sustainable development. Accordingly, we seek to educate future leaders (ourselves!) about the ways in which business can positively engage in practical issues as diverse as poverty alleviation, climate change, HIV/AIDS, decent working conditions and rainforest preservation.

We know that solutions to these issues must and will be found. We want to learn about them where they exist, and help develop them where they are missing.