Private companies play a crucial role in the overall development of societies. With every action they take, they have a tremendous influence not only on economic growth, but also on the wellbeing of communities. They are responsible for their utilisation of resources, for their means of production, and for their impact on the social and ecological environment. This applies to the communities in which they operate, to the areas of origin of the raw materials and to the destination of the finished products. Fortunately, companies are beginning to realise that their economic future depends on the thoughtful handling of the environment and its people.

The responsible behaviour of companies, that is to say behaviour that considers the economical, ecological and social dimension of business, is often referred to as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development ( BMZ) defines CSR as responsible activity on the part of businesses with the aim of using their available leeway to foster sustainable development.

Essentially, CSR involves doing business in an ecologically and socially responsible manner along the whole value chain. CSR topics range from energy efficiency and environmental protection, personnel development, labour and human rights, ethical behaviour, and quality of goods and services produced, right through to customer satisfaction. Thus, voluntary responsible business behaviour can improve the overall living environment in communities and the working conditions of employees, and ensure the financial wellbeing of the company in the long run.

Who we are

Since 2002, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH  ( GIZ) has supported responsible business practices worldwide on behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development ( BMZ). Consequently, GIZ’s Center for Cooperation with the Private Sector (CCPS) opened an office in Pretoria in 2005 to foster Corporate Social Responsibility in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.

What we offer

To support Corporate Social Responsibility in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, CCPS:

supports private-sector initiatives on CSR or CSR topics in targeted countries and regions across all boundaries;

• assists local non-governmental and academic CSR competence centres; and
• both enhances the understanding of CSR in Africa and refines concepts adapted to the specific context of the continent.

CCPS assists with setting up platforms for the private and public sectors, civil society and academia to enhance engagement, interaction and mutual learning on CSR. The Center helps businesses to identify crucial areas for responsible business engagement and the corresponding needs for support. CCPS also interlinks companies, other stakeholders and CSR initiatives, and systematically identifies and shares relevant information and knowledge.

Our approaches and areas of work

Our highest priority is always the local ownership of any initiative.

We place strong emphasis on the use of learning forums; the development and use of relevant tools and case studies; as well as awareness creation and organisational development.

Apart from the direct engagement with the target group, CCPS liases with partner organisations as intermediaries. These are local academic institutions, multi-stakeholder networks as well as non-governmental organisations that promote the same principles as CCPS.

CCPS does not work on pre-determined topics in the strict sense; rather, we work in all fields relevant to CSR and the specific topic is subject to discussion with the partner(s). Current themes include collective action against corruption; local supply-chain development; responsible business investment in post-conflict zones; food security; human rights; energy efficiency; and water sustainability.

In addition to our services to the private sector, we also link with other GIZ programmes, which could open entry points for further collaboration. In addition to specific bilateral and regional programmes, as per the German Development Cooperation's focal areas, we also work closely with the GIZ programme for  Development Partnerships with the Private Sector). This programme offers mechanisms for in-kind or financial support to companies carrying out projects that meet the particular DPP-criteria.

This website

The purpose of this website is to document and share the experiences and learning outcomes of our various initiatives and encourage the private sector and other stakeholders to implement innovative CSR initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa in collaboration with CCPS.