Social Responsibility in pandemic times

By Sara Brandão, Senior Technical Specialist

Social Responsibility in an organisation is a voluntary act, through which companies put into practice attitudes, behaviours and actions that promote the well-being of their employees, while contributing to a fairer society, and a cleaner and healthier environment.

According to its statutes, INESC TEC “aims to enhance the intervention of its member institutions in the development of the economic and social fabric, contributing to improve performance, increase competitiveness and expand the level of internationalisation of companies and institutions, by carrying out scientific research activities, technological development, knowledge transfer and valorisation, human resources qualification and specialised consultancy.” Like any business, we exist and operate based on an implicit social contract with our community. In this way, the character of “public benefit” is intrinsic to the DNA of INESC TEC, and is itself a form of Social Responsibility.

For the first time in 2020, INESC TEC formally assumes its concern with Corporate Social Responsibility questions, by developing a strategic plan of actions that aim to help incorporating Social Responsibility into the institution’s organisational culture.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all organisations were forced to shift their attention to more fundamental survival matters. This outbreak took everyone by surprise. In order to face the pandemic and minimise its consequences, it became necessary to gather many resources and making every effort in that sense. Most organisations have made a colossal effort to address the safety and well-being of their people, who have faced the compulsory closure of their workplaces. INESC TEC was no exception: the Institute showed an extraordinary resilience during the pandemic, readjusting itself quickly to this new reality, without major disturbances in the normal, day-to-day life. INESC TEC created a help line focused on the employees’ well-being, established a support team for COVID-19 related issues, available 24 hours a day, and developed guidelines to support teleworking and self-care. In terms of research, INESC TEC coordinated and collaborated in several initiatives to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulations to all INESC TEC employees for their effort to “make things work, anywhere”.

The world as we know it has changed; and this change will certainly leave its mark, in the way we think, socialise and live our lives, both personally and professionally; hence, it is crucial to consider and rethink new ways of developing Social Responsibility actions. These changes will be part of a legacy that will live, for a long time, in our memories, and the memories of those from future generations, thus preparing them for the new challenges that may arise.

As recently reported, 2020 will be characterised by the fight against COVID-19. The International Monetary Fund predicts that the world may experience the worst recession since the 1930s, with the global economy contracting by 3%, while advanced economies are down 6.1%. The World Trade Organization expects world trade to decline by up to 32%. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that inequality in the most developed economies is at its highest level in 50 years. The World Meteorological Organization recently informed that over the next five years, global annual temperatures could potentially rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, above pre-industrial levels, leading to catastrophic climate change.

However, this context of global crisis is precisely the factor that can encourage organisations’ to think about better ways to plan and implement Social Responsibility. In a Financial Times article published in May, several experts answered the question regarding the impact of coronavirus on corporate sustainability. Can companies still afford to worry about sustainability? According to experts, in a way, the lockdown caused by COVID-19 has made us more sustainable – the air is cleaner than it has been in recent years, and several companies actually consider how they can be a better employer in a context of record reduction in the number of jobs. But when we emerge, will companies return to their old habits? Will we be able to resume our day-to-day life as we did before? Or is it time to rethink our true purpose?

At this time, organisations have a great opportunity to understand how they can use Social Responsibility practices in these times of crisis. The pandemic has highlighted and exposed the great inequalities in terms of employment, healthcare and education. COVID-19 has devastated the well-being of people and their communities, bringing renewed attention to injustices.

It is urgent to move on towards a more genuine and authentic Corporate Social Responsibility, and to contribute effectively to address the urgent global social and environmental challenges. It is crucial to look for more humane and collective approaches, and to significantly stimulate and invigorate society. The efforts made in 2020 to preserve jobs and reinvent a new normality are, by themselves, examples of successfully adopted Social Responsibility. The recovery and creation of a new resilient economy will require a greater commitment to these actions. This is the time to rebuild things, better than before!