Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study

Case Title:

UNICEF: Concerns over its Role as a Child Rights Protector

Abstract:
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), whose mission was to augment the lives of children, had as its main source of revenue, donations by various public organisations, governments and public celebrities. This was, however, inadequate. At the instance of the then UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, in 2000, UNICEF approached corporates for donations, something it had not done before. Among big corporate names that supported this effort, figured the name of GUCCI, the luxury giant. However, GUCCI’s alleged relations with sweat shops in third world countries, posed questions relating to UNICEF’s credibility. It remained to be seen as to how UNICEF would be able to balance its need for funds and its credibility standing.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To understand the purpose, function and activities, and revenue of UNICEF
• To analyse the possible synergies from corporate alliance with UNICEF
• To foster discussion on how public welfare organisations can maintain credibility in the face of resource crunch.

Keywords : UNICEF, Child rights protection, corporate philanthropy, Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study, CSR, Goodwill ambassadors, celebrity ambassadors, United Nations, Sweatshops, Gucci