More than 80% of companies are implementing corporate social and environmental responsibility initiatives. This approach has become essential over the years.
Increasingly, companies are embracing CSR. The tenth edition of the RSE-IDD trade fair kicked off yesterday at the Novotel Alarobia. Under the rooftops of about fifty stands set up in the establishment’s parking lot, hundreds of companies are working to promote their social and environmental responsibility (CSR) models. This practice has gained ground over the past decade, and green initiatives are multiplying.
“Ten years ago, when we talked about CSR in Madagascar, it was vaguely limited to social actions, distributing goods to local communities, and occasional reforestation, without any real impact. But companies are now aware of the necessity to adopt this approach and have integrated it into their development strategies,” explains Ulrichia Rabefitiavana, director of the Innoveo firm, which has been organizing this fair for ten years.
According to surveys conducted by the firm, more than 90% of the companies that participated in the fair are now convinced of the value of addressing social and environmental issues. Some have even made it their core business. Their vision is to ensure this model works and to demonstrate it. “When it comes to companies, one immediately thinks of profits and revenue. While for a company focused on environmental and community impact, it may not be obvious at first; this is primarily what makes the difference,” confides a small and medium-sized enterprise operating in agribusiness.
It has made CSR its spearhead, although it was not easy during its first year. “It was only from the second, or even the third year, that I was able to have a stable income,” admits the manager of this SME.
Nevertheless, these initiatives are finding support among private investors and the State, which has decided to make CSR an essential part of investment.
And for good reason: for a company intended to make a profit, CSR is first and foremost an investment. The State wants to support these initiatives, or even encourage them. “The commitment of companies to practice CSR shows that there are opportunities and jobs being created. It also demonstrates that companies contribute to social development, the preservation of the environment, and the creation of value,” affirmed Ny Riana Nampoina Raharimanjato, Minister of Industrialization and Private Sector Development, yesterday.
The legal framework related to investments has even been revised to allow companies to implement their CSR approach. In 2023, the Great Island (Madagascar) revised its law governing investments. This new law places significant importance on CSR. The authorities have also implemented a national CSR strategy. “The goal is to make this practice a competitiveness tool for the Great Island, through the contribution of companies to the preservation of natural resources and the creation of value for communities and the country,” explains the strategic document that the Great Island plans to implement until 2030.
The State intends to rely on the private sector to achieve this goal. The country has also promulgated CSR decree no. 2024-1354. It sets the standards to be respected for companies that choose to integrate CSR. It also defines the rules of the game (waste management, good neighbor relations, inclusion) and provides for compensation as well as tax benefits to reward committed structures.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-03 06:13:25 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/investissements-la-culture-de-la-rse.html
