Social development is all-inclusive in concepts, theories, and practices putting people at the center of development through community participation. It brings the three key players of society, business and the people into a triangle and the equation of interactive roles in human development. This paper discusses corporate social responsibility (CSR) by businesses and its reversed version of social corporate responsibility (SCR) by the people in community participation.

1. FROM ‘CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES’ TO
‘SOCIAL CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES:
BALANCING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
A Keynote Address
BY
TANKO AHMED, fwc
Consultant Strategist /Community Development Scholar and Practitioner

2. A Paper Presented at the 7th Meeting of Nigerian Members and
Potential Members of the International Association for
Community Development (IACD) and the 6th National
Community Development Consultative Conference/Workshop
held at the Conference Hall, National Open University of
Nigeria, University Village, Jabi, Abuja-NIGERIA
December 4-5, 2019
Theme:
Community Participation in Social Development

3. A PREAMBLE

4. Comment on A Facebook Page
“Northern Nigeria is one of the most difficult
places in the world to do charity work. People
will never assist you; leaders do not know
charity. At times you get embarrassed,
ridiculed, or even get arrested. I will never
give up. Nobody will change me, the poor
must have a say.”
Yusuf Ahmed Mohammed, 22:53, Tuesday, December 3, 2019.
https://web.facebook.com/yusuf.ahmedmohammed.56/posts/175648190251286?n
otif_id=1575409239197741&notif_t=close_friend_activity

5. A Progress Trap
• So many things seem not to be working
satisfactorily.
• The system, the leadership, the followership
and those even dedicated on doing
something about it are not satisfied with
what they are doing.
• It is a PROGRESS TRAP or condition in which
societies seem to lack the material and
intellectual resources, or political will to face
challenges (O’Leary, 2006)

6. Problem of Growth-Based
Development Process
• Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology
of a cancer cell (Abbey and Stiles, 1991)
• When societies are so trapped and engrossed
in stagnated ‘growth based development
process’ there is the need for change
• All hands must be on deck through
• Is Community Participation in Social
Development the answer to all these?

7. INTRODUCTION
“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of a cancer cell”
– Edward Abbey

9. Background
• Social development is all-inclusive in concepts,
theories, and practices putting people at the
center of development through community
participation.
• It brings the three key players of society,
business and the people into a triangle and the
equation of interactive roles in human
development.
• This paper discusses corporate social
responsibility (CSR) by businesses and its
reversed version of social corporate
responsibility (SCR) by the people in community
participation.

10. Literature Trend
• General literature trend on Community
Participation in Social Development projects
‘inclusiveness’ in all manner of approaches to
development
• The UN Social Development Agenda is built on
successive social development goals
• The series of meetings, conferences and workshops
the Institute of Community Development
Practitioners, Nigeria revolve around ‘inclusive
participation’ in social development

11. Theoretical Terrain
• Theories of social development tend to
rally around its general concept of all-
inclusive, qualitative, and stable
improvement of standard of living
• The overall approach to be expected in
this Conference will focus on People-
Centered development.

12. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

13. The Problem
• Human societies the world over seem in
serious predicaments concern
development and its challenges
• Developed and Developing countries
alike are grumping over problems of
development even where material well-
being look stable
• The old ways of development processes
are failing – and new ones are required

14. The Statement
• The three decades of the last Century witness
global surge in seeking for the way out through
social development goals.
• The United Nations’ Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs), followed by the current
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the
futuristic Generative Development Goals
(GDGs).
• The MDGs, SDGs and GDGs are all aspects of
community participation in social development

15. Significance of the Key Players
• Society Provides for Social Development
by controlling, allocating, and managing
resources.
• Business Contributes to Social
Development in self-regulated ‘paying
back to society’ approach.
• People Participate in Social
Development with expectations, with
right of demand.

16. CONCEPTUAL DISCOURSE

17. Social Development
• Social development is about putting
people at the center of development.
• That is, all commitment of development
must be directed at the people of all
classes and levels in society.
• This will also involve the way people
interact with one another within formal
and informal institutions and processes.

18. Community Participation
• The involvement of people in
community development activities like
the planning, execution and
management of projects.
• It involves singular or collective efforts
in identifying and solving problems
associated with the general well-being
on communities or larger society.

19. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• CSR is a self-regulating business model for
companies to be socially accountable to
themselves, their stakeholders, and the
public.
• By practicing corporate social responsibility,
also called corporate citizenship, companies
are considered as impacting on social
development process.
• That is to say, a company is operating in ways
that enhance society and its citizens, instead
of contributing negatively.

20. Social Corporate Responsibility (SCR)
• SCR is a reverse of CSR practiced by
companies with focus on the People
who are expected to participate directly
in social development process.
• By practicing SCR, it is assumed that the
People are responsible for their fate in
the general development of society.

21. TRIANGLE AND EQUATION OF
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

22. Key Players in Social Development
• Society and Government occupy the ‘apex’ at
the top of the triangle as ‘providers of
services’
• Corporation and Business are at one side of
the base as ‘contributors in social
development’
• People and Communities are at the other
side of the base as ‘participants in social
development’

23. The Equation of Social Development
• It is hypothetical to assume that if society
and government fail to provide adequately
and the corporate and business negate
sincerity in contributions, People’s
participation must increase in response, or
society would collapse.
• The warning signs are seen all over the world
in places like Hong Kong, and the general
discontent of the People with the roles
played by Governments and Corporations

24. Engaging the SCR and CSR in Social
Development Process
• The SCR and CSR are used to engage the
overall responsibility of society, state or
government as enabler and provider for
social development.
• Current warning signs of widespread
discontent and dissents are casting serious
doubt on the traditional approach to
development processes.

25. The Challenge
The challenge to this conference, and its sub-
theme presenters, is to address the roles of key
players and how they interact in community
participation for social development in Nigeria

26. CONCLUSION

27. • This paper attempts to capture the general
situation in the development arena in which
the old approach is giving way to the new
• Community participation is the key to social
development goals through the direct
involvement of the People at all levels
• There is the need for all-inclusive
improvement in the quality of life and living
of the citizens

28. References
Abbey, E. and Stiles, J. (1991) The journey home: Some words in
defense of the American West. New York, NY: Plume Publishers
Mohammed, Y. A. (2019) A Facebook Comment. Retrieved from
https://web.facebook.com/yusuf.ahmedmohammed.56/posts/1
75648190251286?notif_id=1575409239197741&notif_t=close_f
riend_activity 4/12/19
O’Leary, D. B. (2006) Escaping the progress trap – the book.
Montreal, CN: Geozone Communications