Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer the preserve of ‘do-gooders’. It is now firmly on the social calendars of most business, of all sizes. Since its establishment, Optimum Group (K) Ltd has been interested in all the social and cultural activities taking place in Kenya, and has been actively involved in many of them. Through its actions, as laid down in our CSR policy, the company uses every available resource to support the efforts of various sports and cultural bodies, with the ultimate aim of contributing to their further development and therefore improving the quality of life at local and national level. Our concerted efforts no only go a long way to dispel the broadly held concept that businesses are just profit seeking entities but also have an obligation to benefit society. The CRS policy, in line with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, states that our businesses must ‘behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving on the quality of life of the workforce, their family, the local community and society at large’.
Three main avenues:
CSR in Sports
Business that invest time and resources into grassroots sports buy a bond with the community that no level of outdoor adverting can achieve. By investing in ‘sports in the community’, particularly those communities with worrying levels of disenfranchised youths, is a sure sign that OGK is committed to improving the local communities well being through contribution of corporate resources.
CSR in Society
OGK, in conjunction with the local government, has conducted several fire safety awareness programmes in Kibera and Mathare. The training have forecasted on fire prevention and protection. Further the company has donated fire fighting equipments worth millions of shillings free, including the multipurpose Fire Bag in inaccessible areas whereby fire trucks have no access. The easily refillable Fire Bag is a portable fire extinguishing back rack which does not require regular servicing or refilling in the event of discharge. This is yet another fine example of the obligation of the company to be reactive in meeting the needs of the local community and the under privileged.
CSR in Education
An important contribution to Kenya’s future competitiveness and stability depends on education taking a central role in the CRS agenda. Through the direct effort of the Managing Director, OGK scholarship program beneficiaries include students and schools in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyeri & Naivasha. We believe that investing in our education system will transform our youth into responsible and ethical managers equipped with the knowledge and capacity to meet the needs of the present and leave a better environment for future generations.
