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Corporate Social Responsibility in practice |
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| The beer manufacturer, Cobra,
was started by the award winning and pioneering entrepreneur, Karan
Bilimoria CBE. The story of Cobra is a fascinating one, and this is
not only from the point of view of how successful the company has become
in its global positioning, but also in terms of its operating ethos
and values for giving back to the community and to its employees. Some
examples of its corporate social responsibility strategy:. |
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Example 1:
As part of its
glass recycling operation in South Africa, Cobra collects thrown away
used beer bottles and drops them off to a homeless shelter in Cape
Town. There the tops of bottles are sheared off by the clients, making
drinking glasses and candle holders to be sold to upmarket bars and
VIP rooms of Protea Hotels. |
Example 2:
With problems
of power supply in some parts of India, many factories use fuel oil
or coal to power their generators. Cobra uses the left over mustard
seed husks from surrounding farms, which would otherwise normally have
been thrown away, and burns them to generate power. The company sees
this as a natural form of power, which also provides income for the
poor farmers, and promotes recycling. |
Example 3:
Many breweries
throw away water, left at the end of the brewing process. Cobra’s
brewery keeps the water from this process, treats it through an effluent
plant, and then gives it to the farmers in the nearby fields so it
can be used for irrigation purposes. |
Example 4:
Cobra encourages
its employees to sign up to a Payroll Giving scheme, which raises regular
funds for charitable causes. It invests in its employees by encouraging
them to commit to life-long learning and it implements new ideas into
the business that are suggested by them. |
| With a £20,000 debt,
Karan Bilimoria started the Cobra business in 1990. Today, the company
is valued at £110 miilion, and has become the fastest growing
beer brands in the UK, selling in 50 countries. This has also culminated
in the setting up of the Cobra Foundation, which focuses on cancer
research, education and supporting local communities. |
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