Training on “Promoting CSR in Western China” in Lanzhou, Gansu Province

Following the activity in Xining, Qinghai Province in April the China Association for NGO Cooperation, CANGO held another CSR training in Lanzhou, Gansu province from May 12-14, 2010 titled “Promoting CSR in Western China”.

It was jointly organized with the Gansu Association for NGO International Economic & Technical Cooperation, GANGO and financially supported by the German Heinrich Boell Foundation. Dagmar Woehlert, International Advisor to CANGO and Ms. Xu Shanshan, Project Department organized and took part in the training.

After a round table discussion and a training needs assessment conducted in October and November 2009 this training activity was designed. Altogether 70 people participated in the three days training. With two trainers, Dr. Liang Xiaohui of China National Textile and Apparel Council and Dr. Jia Ying of CSR & Company the participants could be partly divided into a group of company representatives and an NGO group to deal with issues that were particularly interesting to the respective people.

Main topics of the training were:  an introduction to CSR issues and the concept, labour safety issues, labour law and labour contract law and the impact on working conditions and employer – employees’ relation, community development and the role of different stakeholders such as companies and NGOs etc.

The training used participatory methods such as role play, group discussions, case studies and joint project development of companies and NGOs.

On the third day the participants visited Lanzhou Sanmao Industrial Co.,LTD, a company producing fabrics and textiles, afterwards discussing and analysing the situation at the factory.

All participants really enjoyed the training and actively joined the discussions. They welcomed the plan to organize another training in October this year to add more knowledge especially on occupational health and safety as well as to have more opportunities for exchange between companies and NGOs.