Is CSR a sound policy?

OUTDOOR Cafe at the Nature Club

You’re going to Anvaya Cove,” observes a friend recently. “They’re shrewd businessmen, you know, being an Ayala company.”

I didn’t take it as a warning, though; more like an opinion expressed.

Since it was established in 2007, the Anvaya Cove & Nature Club in Morong, Bataan, has been a kind of haven for the well-to-do. The image that club officials would like to project is that of a seaside leisure community where families and their guests can go during weekends and other days, bracketed by a virgin forest and scenic seascape.

For those who can afford it, Anvaya Cove has something to offer. There’s the beautiful beach cove with the obligatory white sand and sparkling waters; a main pavilion, luxurious casitas, recreational beach area, pools, “great lawn and lagoon,” nature camp and spa.

Why, the company brochure is quite literate, containing quotes from William Blake’s great poem: “To see the world in a grain of sand/and a heaven in a wild flower/hold infinity in the

GM George Bernard Cadhit

palm of your hand/And eternity in an hour.”

“Let’s talk about the property first, it’s all about nature,” says the articulate Anvaya Cove GM George Bernard L. Cadhit, named after the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.

“What existed in 2007 was a natural environment, there were no living quarters.”

He adds: “A businessman would do it for the view but we wanted to preserve. . .(the environment). So there’s only a restaurant here and casitas over there. It is a nesting area for the pawikan (marine turtle), the season is from September to February.”

The Anvaya Environmental Foundation was established, and a portion of the monthly dues of the club members are set aside for environmental sustainability funds. Some of these funds go to the foundation.

KAYAK tournament begins

“Every member has to pay the environmental fee and there have been no complaints as this is for sustainability,” observes the GM.

“This is Corporate Social Responsibility, local engagement,” says Cadhit. “We have livelihood projects, we engage the fishermen, they come here and sell their local produce.” Ninety percent of the club’s manpower come from the town of Morong and Olongapo City. Vegetables supplies are brought from the neighboring barangays of Sabang and Mabayo, and the company is considering a recycled playground for the community children.

Is CSR a sound practice from the business point of view?

“Definitely it’s good,” asserts Cadhit. “This is corporate integrity, sustainability leads to sound business practice. Any business should be able to that, to give back. . .”

After all, as he points out, “you depend on the resources of the land, the people. So the company should be able to give back to the community. This should come from a central body, so why not the company?”

The company has also hired a group to come up with recommendations and regulation policies on coastal resources management, as the place is an MPA (Marine Protected Area).

THE wide beach cove at Anvaya

When Anvaya Cove was developed, there was an undeniable impact on the environment, as Cadhit himself admits. Roads and houses were constructed. “That’s the reason for the foundation,” he says. “We have done this to the environment so, we give back. It’s always giving back. 2013 will be all about environment, mitigating the footprint we have established. CSR. Wildlife protection. ”

And the GM concludes: “That is the reason we support kayaking, this is a very ecofriendly activity. There are no jet skis here, unless they come from Subic Bay and that we cannot control, but we tell them to stay away from the swimmers to avoid accidents.”