In the history of Uganda, there probably has never been any single national cause, that has brought together Uganda and Ugandans alike- individual and corporate, than the Covid-19 fundraising drive.
Although the campaign launched by the president is yet to hit its targets of UGX170 billion; by end of June approximately UGX50 billion- UGX17 billion in cash and UGX33bn in kind, including 70 vehicles had been collected- an unprecedented record by all standards.
At the height of the campaign- many a time, the public focus was often drawn to the how much question- often missing out on the broader picture of what actually is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
First of all, CSR as a concept was born out of the realisation that the business of businesses is not just doing business, where profit is the end goal, but rather companies can – and must – achieve business and financial success while also leaving a lasting and positive imprint on society. As such, recent philosophies such as “doing good to society is good business” have emerged, but in a world of unlimited resources, it has also become important to widen the conversation from CSR being merely those charitable causes and cheques, but rather how the organisation leverages its human, financial, relationship, technological and reputational resources for the benefit of society. It also looks at how businesses use their processes, market share advantages as well as timing to build value for internal and external stakeholders.
The now-deceased former Shell Country Manager/Chairman, Ivan Kyayonka put it even more correctly. Addressing guests at the Uganda Investment Authority’s 15th Annual Investor’s Awards in 2009, Mr Kyayonka said: “Many wrongly equate CSR to charity. CSR is much more than this. It is all about the different ways in which a company operates.”
In his presentation titled: CSR– an integral part of a sustainable development strategy,” Kyayonka said: “The efficient way you transact your businesses to benefit the societies in which you operate is being corporate sociable. CSR is about providing efficient and excellent services, paying your suppliers on time, paying taxes regularly etc.”
What Kyayonka was trying to explain, is that to do good to society, you don’t have to take from the business. That you can actually give back to both society and the business simultaneously- something that modern-day CSR experts have referred to as sustainable giving- the kind of giving that keeps giving.
Corporate giving that keeps giving- the case of Coca-Cola in Uganda
Let’s take a look at Coca-Cola’s Covid-19 CSR campaign, which in my view stands out for various reasons and yet, even though at UGX1.3 billion in cash and kind donated and as such one of the largest, if not the largest donors, it is not the size of the giving but rather the ingenuity around it that is eye-catching.
At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, even before President Museveni made a public appeal for public help, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Uganda was among the first companies to intervene. The company pledged to donate 5,000 handwash jerrycans nationwide by the end of 2020. Although this initiative initially attracted some negative attention from the public who never understood how central handwashing was, to fighting the pandemic, the importance of the handwashing facilities would eventually sink in. Again it is not the numbers of the jerrycans- 5,000 in total, but rather the fact that the jerrycans are recycled and refitted with taps. Talk about caring for the planet and protecting Ugandans from Covid-19!
To date, 1,200 handwash jerrycans have been distributed to hospitals, markets, and other public areas and institutions across the country. To further support the handwashing drive, Coca-Cola, has through Century and Rwenzori Bottling Companies in Uganda, has so far established five (5) 5,000-litre Community Handwashing Stations for public use in Mukono (Namanve), Kampala (Kyambogo) and Mbarara (Makenke and Municipality).
Irene Mwoyogwona: Beyond the Numbers – How Pride Bank's Award-Winning CFO Combines Profitability and Social ImpactCoca-Cola also, in another stroke of genius starting April 2020 put all their commercial advertising for Coca-Cola and all its other brands on hold and directed the budgets towards creating Covid-19 awareness messaging for the general public- an intervention worth UGX460 million. This is over and above carrying these awareness messages on most of their products such as water and plastic bottles.
According to a report released by media research firm, Ipsos for H1 2020, while all the companies were cutting back on their expenditures, Coca-Cola’s Covid-19 campaign stood out on all media, garnering UGX1.24 billion worth of advertising, just a few millions behind the Ministry of Health’s UGX1.32 billion! Again another stroke of genius- how they were able to leverage the UGX460 million advertising spend to create UGX1.24 billion worth of advertising value- is another ingenuity in CSR, that is worth learning from.
Telcom giants, MTN Uganda have since picked a leaf, dedicating their entire September 2020 advertising spend to running a Covid-19 mask-wearing awareness campaign.
That’s not all, The Coca-Cola Foundation through Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Uganda, donated UGX390 million worth of food relief items, distributed through the Uganda Red Cross Society to vulnerable families affected by the lockdown. The company also made another UGX85 million in cash to the Ministry of Health to buy medical equipment and sundries. The company also donated three pick-up trucks to the Ministry of Health Covid-19 Task Force.
Charity begins at home- putting the lives of staff first
However, charity must begin at home- you cant look after the children of the neighbour when your own are starving, which is why at the very onset of the pandemic, the company provided staff and their homes with the appropriate Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) and hand sanitisers manufactured by the company at the Rwenzori Water Plant in Namanve.
CEO East Africa Magazine understands, from an inside source that the beverage maker, has so far spent over USD1 million (UGX3.8 billion) on observing COVID-19 protocols at their respective plants, at distributor partner locations, and for staff. This covers Personal Protective Equipment, hand sanitisers, face masks, and Vitamin C supplements.
The company is also taking lead in sharing experiences, learnings and best-practices with peer manufacturer organisations and rotary clubs so as to enhance preparedness and ability to deal with the epidemic at their workplaces and within the supply chain.
“We have – and always will – put the health, safety, and security of people- people in our communities and our workplaces, first. Protecting employee health and their well-being has always been a top priority. This, therefore, meant that we had to prioritise safety in our production and distribution facilities, encourage remote working and restricting travel by encamping most of our staff,” says Melkam Abebe, the Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, Uganda General Manager.
“Ensuring our products are delivered safely to the stores and communities that need them, while taking every precaution to protect our employees’ well-being, is critical to ensuring that we not only save lives, but also defeat the pandemic and return to our old lives again as one happy Coca-Cola family,” he says with optimism.
