Corporate Performance Measurement-Social Responsibility-Womens welfare Metric

The Corporate Social Performance metrics have been focusing on the financial measure like return on investment and profits . Stake holder welfare has been recognized only partially

Peter Capellis discussion in Harvard Business Services (HBS) would be appropriate to recall here-

“The public image of US CEOs and other business leaders is in the basement along with the general perception of corporations. The idea that what is good for business is good for America seems a distant memory. The belief that corporate lobbyists are subverting the public interest is widespread, outrage over executive compensation is palpable, and shareholder performance, the sine qua non for US business, has been a complete dud, reporting a net decline over the past decade and the 2nd worst performance among developed countries. Especially when so many continue to suffer from the Great Recession, there is a hunger for organizations that are doing some good for society” ((http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/03/indian_companies_doing_well_bec.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-TOPICEMAIL-_-MAR_2010-_-STRATEGY&referral=00210)

The ecosystem of the Corporate world is changing fast. Climate sensitivity, Carbon rating have become matters to considered. In an earlier hub the growing importance of the quadrangle –the role environment, diversity, talent and success have been talked about too.

(Hub by Ramkkasturi on Corporate demise the failure quadrangle in http://hubpages.com/profile/ramkkasturi)

An integral part of the environment is the ecosystem, andwhere there is an increasing need for Corporations to be cautious in recognizing their social responsibilities and involvement.

One of the major components in the ecosystem is the future is the segment of women. There is no doubt there have been very successful women holding very elite and responsible positions ranging from Heads of States, Heads of Corporations and the academic world. The role of women in defense has been restricted and to thwart any doubts regarding their ability to take the challenge of flying fighter planes, India’s first Woman President Mrs. Pratibha Patil has taken the test ride herself and demonstrated that it is possible.

Despite all these examples somehow the life of women from average and below average income groups still seems to be troubled and vulnerable. The statistics on incidences of sexual harassment , lower wages for women for a similar job, higher unemployment among women compared to men from both developed and developing world are less than satisfactory.

An evaluation of Governments and Industry the Organized sector and their contribution to this

Women’s welfare- Government Contributions

Governments of many countries have initiated many schemes to encourage women in various fields including starting small business units by women, with the hope that women would become entrepreneurs and employ more women

Examples of such attempts are:

United States of America

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): this agency works with your local bank to help guarantee loans for small business. Loans can be up to $750,000, but most small businesses need less than this. Low Doc program that has a simplified application process and loan amounts up to $100,000.

Another type of loan from the SBA is the Micro loan for under $25,000. This is a typical loan amount for a small businesses start-up. Some areas of the country have Women Business Programs within the local SBA offices that handle helping women business owners find the capital they need to get going in business.

Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) are private organizations that are sponsored by the SBA. These organizations provide funding or make equity investments for small business start-ups. Check with the SBA for more information about these companies.

SEED Programs, or Self-Employment and Enterprise Development Programs, provide loans to unemployed workers to help them start their own business. Instead of collecting unemployment insurance they are provided with counseling, training, other types of assistance and funding. These programs are only available in a few states So contact local state government or the US Department of Labor in Washington, DC for more information.

Another state funded program is the State Economic Development Agency. These organizations lend small amounts of money to small businesses and some are very interested in women-owned businesses. Contact your state government for details.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), which usually reside on university

campuses, have well stocked resources for small businesses. A few loans are also available.

SCORE program - this links retired professionals with small businesses for mentoring and advice on a wide range of topics. Contact Agencies That Will Fund Your Business

(http://www.womanowned.com/)

India Programs

Special programs are available in all sections. Women’s welfare Organizations and Ministry of Human Resource Development are best sources of Information.

Some states have gender budgeting allocating specific funds for women’s welfare activities and employment.

Schemes for self employment and financial aid are also available with Small Industries development organizations and Financial Institutions

Bangladesh Programs

(Mar 11th 2010 | From The Economist print edition)

Women can borrow at all is partly due to the rapid growth of microfinance, which specializes in lending small amounts to poor people. Several big microfinance institutions (MFIs) also offer savings accounts: Grameen Bank in Bangladesh is a prominent example. But the industry remains dominated by credit, and the ability to save through an MFI is often linked to customers’ willingness to borrow from it. Of 166 MFIs surveyed in 2009 by the Microfinance Information Exchange, a think-tank, all offered credit but only 27% offered savings products. Advocates of a greater variety of financial services for the poor argue for more balance

Corporate Performance Measurement-Schemes for Women’s Welfare the need for a metric

Some Corporations have adopted women as suppliers without hesitation. Thus far there has been some hesitation in short listing women run organizations as vendors for components in industry. This seems to be on the decline but at very slow pace. An example is (Good Business – The Potential of Women-owned EnterprisesBy Elizabeth Vazquez, WEConnect International, Joan Kerr AT&T,International Trade Forum - Issue 3-4/2008).

The participation of women run small organizations in supply chains introduces new competition to existing suppliers. Including women-owned businesses in this arena brings particular value, as women make the majority of consumer decisions and understand the market requirements.

“women are particularly loyal to corporations that understand their needs. Buying from women-owned businesses unlocks not only women’s potential, but also the potential of corporations and governments”.

It’s essential that organizations and governments collaborate to ensure the pool of women suppliers can keep pace with demand. Technology will play an increasingly important role in enabling access to the large number of excellent diverse suppliers, in a sustainable and cost-effective way. WEConnect International is providing that important link.

Hindustan Unilever in India (HUL)

HUL has taken a bold and praise worthy step in this direction. They had gone into the interior markets where women in rural areas seem to be left helpless due to lack of employment opportunities. Many have also been victims of abuse by men (their husbands) who become alcoholics for many reasons. HUL has created cooperatives for women with the help of financial institutions and engaged them in retailing. The project known as Sakthi has become an example for Corporate Social Responsibility .

These are perhaps specks in the ocean of the need for uplifting the women of globe. There is need for more to be done and the Corporations need to play role in collaborations with respective Governments. Tax incentives to women run organizations and Corporations taking initiative in this directions will be well considered