Good corporate citizenship recognises the need for sustainable social investment. As the name implies, CSI is all about social investment. Cheque-book charity no longer cuts the mustard.
Uplifting the poor, implementing initiatives that address their needs in a sustainable manner, partnering charities and holding them to account for funding provided, and helping the marginalised gain access to the economy is what CSI is all about.
The publication of the Codes of Good Practice last year introduced a new dimension to CSI: compliance.
While it will influence CSI policies, compliance need not reduce CSI to an exercise in getting the necessary tick on the scorecard.
Positive, long-term change can be made while still meeting the requirements of the codes. What is critical is the mindset with which the subject is approached.
Deneys Reitz does not take the view that CSI is merely another tax. We see it as an investment that generates returns: goodwill, business opportunities, future human resources, community development, social upliftment and self-improvement.
But CSI should not be thought of in direct monetary terms only. Investments in kind have an equally important role to play.
In the legal environment legal practitioners are able to give of their time and expertise, which they do by offering pro bono legal services.
Deneys Reitz has established a public-interest law department in recognition of its moral and ethical duty to facilitate access to justice for the disadvantaged by providing pro bono legal services to people of limited means, as well as to organisations of a charitable, civic, religious or community nature that cater to the needs of the poor.
While debate continues as to whether pro bono legal services should be done on a voluntary basis or made obligatory of all practising attorneys, the Law Society of South Africa has elected to go the latter route. The regional law societies have adopted, or intend to implement, compulsory pro bono schemes.
Again, the compliance issue need not reduce the good intentions underlying the practise of pro bono legal work to satisfy the law societies and a legal services sector scorecard.
Pro bono work offers benefits both to the recipient and the legal practitioner rendering the services: the recipient obviously receives sophisticated services free of charge, while legal practitioners are able to involve themselves in socially rewarding and significant work and are able to realise the long-held dream of “making a difference”.
Deneys Reitz, by offering pro bono legal services, is better able to attract and retain human capital and offer a working environment where better work/life balance is achievable.
It is also able to offer better training to its younger attorneys as pro bono legal matters tend to be varied, enabling younger Âattorneys to run with interesting matters, under appropriate supervision.
CSI, in whatever form, has an important role to play in the social, economic and environmental development of this country of ours. It is the working face of ubuntu.
Liesl Williams is an associate at Deneys Reitz