The Civil Society Team for Supporting Public Budget Transparency held a discussion session on a draft report entitled: “The reality of the private sector’s practice of social responsibility in Palestine in light of international standards.” The author of the report, researcher Iman Saadeh, confirmed during her talk on the “Nour El Melh” program on All People Radio and Television with our colleague Lama Abu Zeina that the report aims to provide practical recommendations to decision makers to enhance the management and governance of the issue of social responsibility in general and towards the private sector’s contribution to national efforts to combat corruption in general. private. Saada defined the concept of social responsibility in the Palestinian context, noting that there is no agreement on it by all companies, as the concept of social responsibility is still misapplied or unclear in many private sector companies, as the concept overlaps with other activities such as public relations and company promotion in many cases. Sometimes or to improve the company’s image and other activities.

Also, most of the support provided by private sector companies is provided in most cases based on individual requests from individuals or institutions on the one hand, in addition to the fact that the selection of sectors may be subject to the efforts of the executive management of each company based on its assessment of priorities on the other hand, as there is no government map or proposal. From human rights organizations or from civil society about national development priorities, it is not clear that there are specific programs within a strategic plan for the majority of companies that are applied to by individuals or institutions to obtain funding to implement their initiatives or assist them. Saada added that the report recommended raising awareness among private sector companies about the concept of corporate social responsibility, which creates social accountability for companies and obliges them to adhere to their duty towards society, in addition to recommending that government agencies take their role in drawing a map of the sectors that need support, the goals they seek to achieve, and the areas of private sector intervention in Through social responsibility in these sectors, with a focus on marginalized and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, women, and the poor.

In addition to calling on companies and directing them towards commitment to human rights principles, environmental preservation, commitment to the rights of various stakeholders, and sustainable development goals. She stressed that private sector companies must adopt a clear policy for their social responsibility policy and its fields, and strengthen the orientation of private sector companies in announcing sectors, projects and initiatives that are concerned with directing social responsibility in their direction, thus facilitating communication with companies according to their interests and the sectors that they direct their social responsibility to support, and strengthening the promotion of directing social responsibility policies. The social responsibility of private sector companies towards strengthening and supporting initiatives and projects concerned with empowering women.