OREANDA-NEWS. July 16, 2009. A national conference on Corporate Social Responsibility took place in Tbilisi, Georgia. The event was organized by the UN Global Compact and UN Development Programme (UNDP) with the support of ten business associations and non-governmental organizations, reported the press-centre of SCM.

Georgian and international businesses and academics, business associations, NGOs and international donors attended the conference.

The delegates shared experience in applying CSR principles in business activity and discussed the benefits of the CSR-based business practices for development of companies and encouraging the economic and social growth of the country in general.

SCM was represented at the National CSR Conference by Jock Mendoza-Wilson, Director of International and Investor Relations, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Global Compact Network in Ukraine.

Addressing the delegates of the conference, Mr Mendoza-Wilson said: "For emerging markets like Ukraine and Georgia, it is important to take a systematic approach and promote the principles of corporate social responsibility. It is important for businesses to understand that good CSR equals good business and establishing effective partnerships. At SCM we are implementing this systematic approach on a regular basis. In our view, CSR is a core part of our business strategy, not an add-on. We believe that CSR is the way to better business effectiveness in the long run".