Social Bridges team recently got a chance to have a heart-to-heart talk with Mr. Muhammad Nadeem Iqbal, Jang Group/MKRF’s group director of CSR and Special Projects. We were interested to know about what Jang Group is doing in the CSR scene, given its status as the largest media group of Pakistan. Additionally, the role of Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman Foundation (MKRF) also came under detailed discussion. In the following lines you would read excerpts from the interview. Additionally, we’re also able to get some scoop of the future projects of MKRF - a Social Bridges exclusive.

Social Bridges: How would you define CSR especially with respect to Pakistan?

Nadeem Iqbal: CSR is a new buzz word in the Pakistani corporate sector. The idea was recently imported from the west and still has to take roots in the local industry. The western concept of CSR is flawed as compared to the South Asian charity scene. In western countries, no one contributes towards the society unless and until he has amassed big wealth or the government imposes inheritance tax or stuff like that. On the contrary, South Asians have centuries old traditioins of donating irrespective of their financial status and they still give billion in charities annually.

According to a research by John Hopkins University research, Pakistan has the highest charity rate in the world and interestingly the lower rung of the society has more contribution in that. The catch lies in the mismanagement of these charities. As far as CSR by Pakistani corporate sector is concerned, it’s a mere eyewash; just a way of image buiding.

Social Bridges:If you can elaborate more on that?

Nadeem Iqbal: As I said earlier, CSR is the new buzz word in Pakistan. The awareness level is so low even if you meet the big shots of local chambers of commerce and industry. If some do know the definition, they have converted the CSR strategy as an easy source of building PR. They spend up to 70% of their CSR budgets on administrative costs. Additionally, they don’t spend a dime from their personal budgets but the end customers have to pay the costs. Even you won’t find separate CSR managers in any companies except Jang Group; the marketing department caters to both. You can well imagine how marketing guys can tackle CSR, they just care about marketing, not public welfare.

Social Bridges: What if companies do CSR in their respective industries like Telecom companies conducting CSR projects in the telecom sector?

Nadeem Iqbal: That would be fine but at least someone must throw the first stone in the pond. Some companies are doing CSR projects but they are only on a smaller scale; pilot projects. No one is ready to spend money on projects where they don’t see any marketing viability. The CSR activities of most companies are a mere eyewash and a PR campaign. Let me quote a real-life example. The Blind Crikcet World Cup was held recently in Pakistan. Jang Group/GEO was the media partner. The Blind Cricket Association moved from doors to doors for sponsorship but no one agreed. The companies thought there will be no PR advantage they’ll get by sponsoring such a boring event. Ultimately the then Prime Minister of Pakistan had to chip in some amount and Jang Group was successful in holding the event without any corporate sponsorship.

Social Bridges: Why you think no one came forward?

Nadeem Iqbal: Simply because they thought it would not be commercially viable. But when GEO TV created the hype then they started contacting me for sponsoring the event but I plainly refused. Such is the level of corporate sector in Pakistan.

Social Bridges: So what should be the ideal approach of CSR?

Nadeem Iqbal: The approach is very simple actually. You have to have a clear concept of CSR first. The next step is the proper channelzing of CSR efforts. In Pakistan, SME sector can work wonders in the CSR field. I personally know many businessmen who pay millions in Zakat each year. If that money is properly used in CSR projects, there will be no poverty in Pakistan.

Social Bridges: There is also a buzz about profitability and sustainability. Wal-Mart has announced that it will use the by-products instead of dumping them. They estimated that their profits will increase significantly if they implement the scheme -besides protecting the environment. Do you think a similar type of strategy can be enforced here?

Nadeem Iqbal: Yes, definitely. Companies can actually increase their earnings manifolds if they adopt a more CSR friendly working strategy. The problem is this that they don’t even care a dime about this thing.

Social Bridges: Media can play a pivotal role in creating that awareness. How can Jang Group - being the largest media group in Pakistan- can do in this connection?

Nadeem Iqbal: Jang Group is ready to play its role, infact we have already contributed a great deal in this regard. Here I would like to reiterate that arranging Seminars on CSR can never be productive. They are just a waste of money and time. Instead, I am all for CSR workshops. These workshops can help develop the sense of CSR in the pakistani business community. We can materialize many CSR ideas through these workshops.

Additionally, Jang Group is ready to forge strategic partnerships with the corporate sector in the CSR field. We can combine the powers of media and the know-how of the corporate sector to take CSR to new heights. The only condition is that the corporate sector has to be ready for that. They have to think of it as a community service as not as a PR stunt.

Social Bridges: What if companies start CSR projects and also brand them? In this way they can do CSR and it would also help them building their images.

Nadeem Iqbal: That’s not a bad idea but they should at least start some projects. The thing that hurts me the most is the tunneled vision of these companies. They should do something practical at least.

Social Bridges: Tell us about the history of MKRF, when it all started? What was the vision behind this organization?

Nadeem Iqbal: MKRF was launched in 2003 in the memory of Mir Khalil-ur-Rehman, founder of Jang Group. We started the project after a thorough study. We studied different case scenarios and concluded that we have to start developmental work in all social sectors. Our speciality is strategic communications. Most development projects fail because they don’t have proper communications. You see that UNDP is doing many great pilot projects but they go unnoticed as they don’t communicate it properly.

So what we are looking is a strategic partnership between the development sector and MKRF. We are focusing on behavioral change. The best example of that is Zara Sochiye campaign aiming at the amendment of Hudood laws. That was an ideal example of behavioral change.

It’s not behavioral change to hand over the project to an advertising agency which even don’t know the basics. Cases in point; the HIV/AIDS program on which millions of dollars have been spent but the advertising agency carrying out the media campaign has failed to deliver. So that’s the difference between us and others. The most interesting part is that we have zero percent administrative costs.

Social Bridges: Please give us some insight about the future projects of MKRF?

Nadeem Iqbal: After the huge success of Zara Sochiye campaign, we are currently in the final stages of a huge environmental campaign titled SABZ initiative. We are not aware of the magnonimity of the environmental problems we are facing. According to UN estimates, 52,700 Pakistais die each year because of pollution. So we are working on this issue and it’ll be launched very soon, InshaALLAH.

OK, let me give you an exclusive news. The SABZ initiative will be launched in August or September, hopefully.

Social Bridges: What’s the expected launching date?

Nadeem Iqbal: OK, let me give you an exclusive news. The initiative will be launched in August or September, hopefully.

Social Bridges: And the other projects?

Nadeem Iqbal: Well we are working on another project on the women issues. Additionally, we are also planning to launch a comprehensive human capital development initiative; a proper career counselling campaign for the first time in Pakistan.

Social Bridges: Any final comments?

Nadeem Iqbal: I would again repeat my open invitation to all the corporate sector, the development sector, the national and international NGOs to come on board on a bigger platform. We are ready for long-lasting strategic partnerships. We have the proposals, presentations, ground work ready for them. The only need is to join hands.

We are ready for long-lasting strategic partnerships. We have the proposals, presentations, ground work ready for them. The only need is to join hands.

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