FUNDACION CORDON DEL PLATA ::::::Responsabilidad Social Empresaria

Cordón del Plata Foundation (CPF) is an institution established in the year 2002 as an initiative from a group of professionals interested in the development and diffusion of public and private Social responsibility (SR).
It was suggested to incorporate the knowledge and experiences gathered in countries with an advanced development in this subject matter and bring them in to the companies and communities in Latin America. Nowadays, the organization is working in Argentina and Ecuador.
Current situation: Over the last years the World has been aimed towards an economic development which considers the man and its environment, so as to turn it into a place with equal opportunities of growth. The government, companies and communities have great expectations for the future. Considering this, the CPF supports the companies and the communities in the attainment of a sustainable development, through the techniques which have been internationally used, collaborating in the promotion and elaboration of diverse strategies with international institutions like UNDP, UNEP, Global Compact and GRI. ALLIANCES

Global Compact: In 2005 Cordon del Plata Foundation joins the Global Compact of United Nations. It was set up in 1999 by the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, in the World Economic Forum. From then on, the Global Compact becomes an initiative in the companies’ social responsibility. Its purpose is that organizations from all the countries subscribe, as an all-embracing part of their strategy and operations, ten Principles of behavior and action concerning Human Rights, Work, Environment and Anti- Corruption.

UNEP: Since 2004, through seminaries and qualification to companies. Cordon del Plata Foundation spreads the principles of the United Nations Program for the Environment. The main goal of the UNEP is to defend the environmental problems within the international system. They also aim to encourage the participation of the private sector, the scientific community, the NGOs, the youth, the woman and other groups, to carry out sustainable development.

GRI: Cordon del Plata Foundation has served as an independent reviewer of the GRI Supplement of mining and metals at the request from the Entorno Foundation in Spain. The international program Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) intends to establish a structure of work globally accepted for the elaboration of sustainable memories. Here, all the environmental, economic and social aspects of the sustainability should be considered. The CPF does a job of diffusion, formation and monitoring of the mining companies in Latin America

Mission
To work in the scope of Social Responsibility (SR) linking companies, government organizations and their communities within Latin American. To train institutions and communities in the search of sustainable development setting up strategies internationally applied. To contribute in the promotion and elaboration of SR strategies, with diverse public and private institutions. To coordinate sectorial networks to strengthen the tasks in CSR done by the companies in our region. To promote the elaboration and setting up of social projects in the areas of interference of the regional companies.

Vision
To be a means of qualification and to increase awareness of Social Responsibility being acknowledged in Latin America by the realization of successful projects and for the coordination of sectorial networks which promote the development of CSR. To be an institution which includes updated strategies and information coming from the most developed countries and regions concerning Social Responsibility and Business for Social Responsibility

Philosophy
Cordon del Plata Foundation (CPF) is an organization that works with the conviction that companies and government can create sustainable projects with Social Responsibility. In this way, they would guarantee the future development in businesses as well as the improvement of the quality of life of the community with attention and sustainability of the environment.

1.Workshops to introduce the sustainability: Cycle of conferences distributed in a working morning, directed to companies and professionals who wish to know the fundamental bases of the sustainable development.
1.How to be a Sustainable Company: Programs of qualification for companies and professionals interested in the CSR, characteristics, advantages, international examples, available instruments.

Elaboration of Indicators of BSR: The CPF carries on tasks of investigation of the suitable way for the companies to comply with the CSR. So that, a social study is made allowing to know the reality of the place where the company works, the interested groups (clients, shareholders, suppliers, community) and the way in which its activities are developed (product, service). Some indicators can be drawn up from this allowing us to consider the company’s output through time and the incorporation of its practice in CSR.

Observation of RSE: The CPF monitors the companies that work in BSR and have a management system. The CPF annually awards a prize to the company that outstands in compliance with the principles of BSR in the world.

Social Statistics: The CPF conducts social statistics in the areas where the company has influence so to obtain a social baseline. That allows the elaboration of sustainable social projects. This work is made through a social economic census which provides us with the capacities and expectations of development that a community has and the way the company can channel them through programs of social development.

Projects of social development Bank: Once the real conditions of the place are well-known through the social economic census, diverse projects are suggested. These are projects that the company or companies which work in the region can carry on in a particular or associated way. Those projects can form part of a program of development, after reaching a consensus among the social actors. Each project has the social reality of each individual geographic area as a base. The perspectives of future development of the related companies towards markets, international certification, quality, product competitiveness, gaining of clients, etc., are also bases to allow the success of their undertakings.

Dialogue between companies and interested parts: The CPF plays the role of facilitator among the social actors. It increases the dialogue between the Company, Government and Society, announcing the community the improvements from the companies, the control that the government has over them, their needs and concerns and the support from the community to the efforts realized by the different groups to improve their quality of life. This job is made through “focus group”. This type of activity allows the company to open up and to seriously commit to the system they belong to. Regarding this, the preservation of an open, honest and fluid dialogue, is growing in importance.

INVESTIGATION
The Cordon del Plata Foundation conducts research works into the right way for a company to be sustainable. This is done based on the international experience of different universities and business schools in the world.
For the company to reach sustainability it is necessary to work on the following areas.

Command framework for the government of the sustainable company.
The highest government organs and the company management are in need to extend and balance the command framework. This is because apart from the classic indicators, they need to include some other indicators which would contribute with more information about the future of the companies. One of the characteristics on the sustainable company is their openness to the environment and the great commitment to the system they belong to. This type of activity allows the company to open up and to seriously commit to the system they belong to. Regarding this, the preservation of an open, honest and fluid dialogue, is growing in importance. Likewise, it is of great importance to negotiate the dialogue and to make sure that its outcome is seen in the process of formulation of strategies and innovation. One of the aims of this research line is the establishment of a new model. This model should allow the companies to handle efficiently the activities for the different dialogues and their impact on their strategy and innovation processes.

IImpact of the public organisms on the companies sustainability.
According to many studies, the public sector is the most influential in the contribution of the sustainable development of the companies.
Impact on the process of creation of companies values regarding environment and society.
As a social and ethic starting point, it seems there is no doubt that the companies should expand their conception of their role in the society. However, which is the effect of this attitude upon the ability to produce the economic value of the companies?

The social enterprise initiative is an idea that has as an objective the creation of social and economic wealth. It is not a new phenomenon but an issue that is just beginning to be systematically studied by the investigators. Our objective is to study with scientific rigor the phenomenon of the social enterprise initiative so as to define the conceptual bases of a knowledge that can be transferred to all kind of organizations; this is small companies, local companies, big multinationals and academic institutions. We believe that those main concepts can be useful for the great companies in the diversification of their ability to create values, and also in the discovery of opportunities which increase their possibilities of performance. Regarding the small companies and local companies, they could be of useful purpose for the possibility of gaining new national and foreign markets

Socially responsible investment
The creation of investment indexes like the Dow Jones, Sustainability Family Indexes or the FTSE4Good, and the increasing importance of the socially responsible investment funds is generating a massive concern in the companies. This area of investigation monitors the development of the subject matter and its influence on the companies.

The bottom of the pyramid (BOP) as a source of business opportunities
Four billion people who form the bottom of the social pyramid have been traditionally ignored by the companies. However, some pioneering companies are proving that it is possible to carry out business directed to the BOP. They are also realizing that their main possibilities of profitable growth lie in it. There is no doubt that this new attitude can be one of the factors which can contribute the most to the necessary social development of the BOP

The sustainable company
The actual role of the company, as a key element of the economic-social system of our society, turns it into the probable key actor of the process towards the sustainable development. Nevertheless, there exists no approved handbook telling us what the companies should change in order to contribute to the progress towards a more sustainable model of development. However, there are many work lines which are working out in the world

1º Meeting for Companies of Cuyo - Global Compact [March, 15th. Mendoza] · Attended by 40 representatives of companies of the region of Cuyo (Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis)
Presentation of experiences from CSR carried out by Manpower, EDEMSA, Taranto San Juan and Chandon Wineries, companies joined to the Global Compact of United Nations
Formation of the Executive Secretariat of Global Compact, as a request from the companies of Cuyo, led by Cordon del Plata Foundation
Meeting for Ecuadorian Companies about Global Compact [28 March. Ecuador] · - Attended by 25 representatives of Ecuadorian companies, coming from diverse commercial areas
Presentation of Global Compact of United Nations, its characteristics and implementation
Project of prepacking of garlic (Calingasta, province of San Juan)
Resulting from the social - economic census carried out in March 2006, there was a need to work in a project of communitarian development, of prepacking of garlic, with the collaboration of the INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology) ·
Status: in process
Agreement of work with Municipalities of Mendoza for the implementation of the CSR
In order to promote this responsible experience in the companies located in the areas for economic promotion of the Province

Executive Secretariat of the Global Compact of United Nations in the Region of Cuyo

Presentation of the Secretariat and its activities in the Provinces that make up the Cuyo Region.
Organization of business encounters to spread the Global Compact and to present successful cases of CSR in the Region.
Interaction with different companies and enterprise organizations.
Participation in enterprise events.
Collaboration with companies for the implementation of the Global Compact and the elaboration of its Cop (Communication on the Progress).