Danielle Wong: “A CSR Conference in May”

Danielle Wong, C.S.K, is a key figure in the country’s socioeconomic landscape. She has for long been associated with the manufacturing sector within the Mauritius Export Processing Zone Association (MEPZA) which later became MEXA (Mauritius Export Association). She is now the Chairperson of the National CSR Committee. We raised a few issues with her. Ms. Wong, as Chairperson of the National CSR Committee, what are your achievements so far? First, I would like to thank the team at the National CSR Committee for the excellent work done so far. With the review of CSR guidelines, the role of the National CSR has taken a new dimension. 2015 was a very busy year for us. The Committee met several times to elaborate a new master plan for the organisation. The goal of the National CSR Committee is to act as an advisor, a facilitator and an intermediary between Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the public and private sector. We also ensure good governance of NGOs and social groups across the country. Since 2015, the Committee has been holding consultative meetings with representatives of NGOs in Mauritius. We held as many as seven conferences which we call ‘CSR meet-ups’. We invited stakeholders to come and discuss their roles and social responsibilities towards society. Thanks to the intervention of the Committee, we managed to facilitate sponsorship of some social projects. Earlier this year, we also started preparing training courses for NGOs at the NEF Building in Port Louis. In February, our team left for Rodrigues to further evaluate the situation of Rodrigues NGOs and provide concrete solutions to the problems they face. In early March 2016, I chaired the second edition of CSR Connect. It is an annual event where major Mauritian companies meet with NGOs and foundations so that we can analyse all the social projects that require funding. What are the future projects of the National CSR Committee? The National CSR team is working hard on the organisation of an international conference on sustainable development and CSR. The conference is scheduled be held on 11 and 12 May, and it will be a first in the region. Several senior executives and high level personalities will attend. Among them, Mr Mervyn King, founder of Commonwealth Governance Principles; Dr Adrian Payne, former Head of CSR Prize Winning Strategy at BAT; Prof John Lawrence of the University of Columbia, New York; Ms Mukherjee Hasha, founder and head of CSR Advisers of India and Dr Michael Hopkins, author of a book on sustainable development and CSR. The National CSR Committee is also finalising other professional training courses to assist various NGOs to launch their projects but also to better evaluate the effectiveness of their action plan through ‘Key Performance Indicators’. You also have at heart a very noble cause: enabling full integration of persons with disabilities within society. Do you think the youth is interested in vouching for social causes and implementing benevolent projects? For almost 15 years, I have been fighting for the disability cause. I have always wished that young people bring their contribution to such social causes. Unfortunately, the reality on the ground is somewhat different. Many young persons do not feel much interested in social activities now because we all ambition for materialistic success. It is unfortunate that in Mauritius, there are still many people who are indifferent to the plight of vulnerable people. I think this quote of Alfred de Musset sums up the situation in Mauritius: “Et nul ne se connaît tant qu’il n’a pas souffert” (And no one knows until he has suffered). What do you think of the new legislation, the Disability Bill, coming soon? I think it is a laudable action by the government. Certainly, this legislation is a good start but the real battle will be in its implementation across Mauritian society. I hope the Prime Minister’s Office will also be in consultation with all those concerned. Today, the private sector is coming up with the concept of Smart Cities. What are your expectations of these huge projects? I hope these new cities will include appropriate infrastructure for people with disabilities. It would be a shame if we forget these people but also other marginalised sections of society while we spend billions of rupees for the development of these new cities. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"13731","attributes":{"class":"media-image wp-image-22808 alignleft","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"149","height":"149","alt":"danielle"}}]]About Danielle Wong Danielle Wong has had a rich career and is an inspiration for young people. She attended high school at Loreto Convent of Port Louis and then completed her HSC at BPS College. Then she headed for the Paris School of Hostesses, because she always wanted to be an air hostess. But later, she enrolled at a university to study law. When the Export Processing Zone took off in Mauritius, there were many Mauritian companies which exhibited their products in France and Danielle usually worked as a hostess at the events. Her interaction with companies like Floreal Knitwear, Bonair, etc. paved her way to a career in this sector, which lasted for 33 years. She left the MEXA (Ex-MEPZA) in 2013. In June 2014, she was appointed Chairperson of the Training and Employment of Disabled Persons Board. In 2015, she was appointed Chairperson of the National CSR Committee where she has several projects in mind. A wheelchair user herself, Danielle Wong is also a strong activist for the rights and empowerment of persons with disabilities.