Since 2004 Alexeï Kostin has worked tirelessly to convert Russian businesses towards corporate social responsibility and as a consequence is now known as the authority in the domain. He is the Executive Director of the NGO CSR-Russian Centre, which is a think tank, a forum, a training center and a platform for exchange with the West. He regularly participates in the World Forum for Responsible Economy in Lille, France. In this interview he explains what CSR signifies in Russia.
- What does the CSR concept mean in Russia?
Alexeï Kostin: Unlike the EU, Russian has not adopted any definition for CSR. The State regards CSR as a purely business venture. Last month during a meeting with the Human Rights Council we pressed upon Vladimir Poutine the need at the very least for a CSR coordinator role in the Ministry for Economic Development. He was positive but nothing concrete has so far been forthcoming. It is not a government priority.
- How do businesses gauge their level of
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