Corporate Social Responsibility: March 2020

CLEANING UP THE AUGEAN STABLE: GLOBAL COMMUNITY V. CHINA

While 2019 ended on a sad note of the outbreak of Corona virus aka CODIV19, unfortunately 2020

did not only commence with the evil disease but inherited the deadly virus with its globally

ravaging consequences. The statistics of casualty stands as follows: 190 countries/territories have

been affected with a total of 340,829 cases resulting in 14,582 deaths, still counting.

Nigeria is one of the affected countries. The Health Minister, Dr Osagie Enahire in his media

broadcast on 29^th March, 2020 painted a picture of a safe country with 25 cases, though no death yet.

Perhaps it is not yet time to apportion blames, that is why US President Donal Trump was halted

when he reportedly referred to the disease as ‘Chinese virus’. It’s probably provocative, says China

but where is it coming from?

China is one of the 55 countries that signed the Paris protocol on Climate change in 2015 and these

nations represented about 55% of countries responsible for global greenhouse gas emission. That’s

the proportion of contribution to possible global health crisis, like CODIV19. By paragraph 6.2 and

6.3 of the Agreement, signatories are bound by International Transfer of Mitigation Outcomes

(ITMO) obligations.

Besides China is also a member of global community. The global community has collective

responsibility to keep the world safe for human habitation, hence climate change with negative

consequences had induced serious concerns for mitigation. Perhaps the starting point would be for

corporate China to acknowledge its corporate social responsibility, then failure to observe same

leading to the outbreak of the virus would be the bone of contention.

The response corporate institutions across the globe indicates some acknowledgement of corporate

social responsibility, For example Microsoft, Starbuck , Google, Amazon etc are now leading other

companies in the clean up of the aftermath of the deadly virus. Some of the practices of these

corporate institutions include employee protection, Corona committees, conducting tests,

sanitisation, medication etc.

One of the measures taken at global level include stay at home policy where schools, corporate

institutions, government office shut down, while operating from home and online. Is the global

economy receiving deadly blows from both ends?

We are in danger of impending inflation, economic meltdown and crisis if global community fails to

tackle the menace efficiently and effectively. It’s after the virus had been halted that the issue of

corporate social responsibility would be dissected between the global community and China.

Iyke Ozemena Esq

Corporate Attorney/Consultant

IKECHUKWU O. ODOEMELAM & CO

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Corporate Social Responsibility