The course, Responsible Companies, Competitive Companies, organized by Forética together with the Menéndez Pelayo International University, brings together experts in corporate social responsibility from leading companies. For two days they have analyzed the challenges posed by ethical management in different models of organizations and sectors.
The day was divided into two main blocks. The first was dedicated to experts in corporate social responsibility from leading companies, who shared their opinions on the challenges of corporate social responsibility.
As a representative of AccentureAlmudena Rodríguez, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Environment, stressed the need for CSR to be linked to business strategy and aligned with business objectives. Along the same lines, Laura Villaescusa as Director of Communications at Lafarge, Javier Cuesta, Director of CSR at 3M Spain, and Federico Gómez, Director of Sustainability at Banco Santander, presented their achievements and challenges in the implementation of business ethics policies.
The responsible management of the supply chain was a key theme of the day's round table discussion, which was shared by Pedro Ruiz, CEO of Pago de Carraovejas, Fernando Riaño, as Director of CSR, Institutional Relations and Communication at ILUNION, and Luis Gandiaga, Manager of Sauver Marketing Consulting. " Moving from stories to accounts" was the message that guided the exchange of opinions between speakers and students.
The second day was very intense and focused on a key element for the cross-cutting implementation of CSR throughout the value chain: senior management. Led by Ana Medina, who, with her experience from the other side of the communication field as an economic journalist, provided the keys that mark the way in which CSR is transmitted to society, the importance of internalizing among business leaders the need to establish the ethical guidelines that guide their way of operating was stressed. As a representative of a listed company, Emma Fernández, CEO of Indra, stressed the idea of "being responsible out of conviction". This idea was supported by the General Manager of Leroy Merlin Spain, Ignacio Sánchez, and the Director for Spain and Portugal of Solvay, Luis Serrano, with a clear conclusion, "a CSR strategy can never be made to sell more".
The end of the course was marked by the speech on transparency given by Manuel Conthe. The former Chairman of the CNMV and current Chairman of the Advisory Board of the newspaper Expansión stressed that it is very good news that the new Good Governance Code of the CNMV includes a point that recommends -although it does not oblige- the publication of a CSR Report, it is a very useful step for the dissemination and recognition of good practices, the assumption of a written commitment by companies.
The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Economy and Finance of the Government of Cantabria, Juan José Sota, the Director General of Quality and Environmental Assessment and Natural Environment of MAGRAMA, Guillermina Yanguas, the Vice Rector of Internationalization of the UIMP, Sebastián Coll, the head of Sustainability, Reputation and Good Governance of the newspaper Expansión, Ana Medina, and the General Director of Forética and director of the course, Germán Granda, ended with the closing ceremony and presentation of diplomas by Fernando Riaño, Rosa María Castrillo as Course Director together with Germán Granda.
A period for a course that in turn sets another starting point for Forética; that of training, knowledge of trends and innovation in CSR through the CSR Academy.
