By Gifty Amofa, GNA
Shaanxi (China), July 22, GNA – Construction companies have been urged to take corporate social responsibility (CSR) seriously by ensuring that their operations positively impact host communities while safeguarding the environment.
Mr Wang Qi, Chairman of Chang, an International Engineering Company Limited, said companies executing projects, particularly in developing countries, should not exploit local communities or compromise environmental standards in pursuit of profit.
Chang An International Engineering Company Limited, under Sinohydro Bureau 3 Company Limited, undertakes projects in water resources, energy, urban infrastructure, mining and digitalisation across Africa, Asia and other parts of the world.
Mr Wang stressed that issues of pollution and environmental degradation should never be treated lightly, especially by construction firms whose activities could have significant ecological consequences.
He made the remarks when participants in an ongoing three-week training programme for mainstream media professionals from developing countries visited the company’s headquarters in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, in the People’s Republic of China.
The training is organised by the China International Communication Group’s (CICG) Institute of International Studies and Advanced Training (IISAT) with funding support from China’s Ministry of Commerce.
Highlighting the company’s commitment to CSR, Mr Wang said it had undertaken several community-centred initiatives, including free medical outreach programmes, the construction and handover of water supply systems, and resettlement projects for communities affected by its operations.
He said those interventions reflected the company’s commitment to China’s sustainable development agenda and aligned with President Xi Jinping’s 15th Five-Year Plan, particularly its emphasis on ecological sustainability.
The media delegation was led by Mr Dong Yan, Deputy Director of CICG-IISAT, and included senior and junior officials of the Institute, as well as students from Xi’an International Studies University.
Briefing the delegation, Mr Dong said CICG oversaw 21 directly affiliated institutions and supervised two national associations, with 26 overseas branches spread across 14 countries and regions.
“The organisation publishes more than 3,000 book titles annually in over 40 languages, edits about 36 multilingual journals in 14 languages and distributes them to readers in about 180 countries worldwide,” he said.
Mr Dong explained that CICG-IISAT was a national cadre education and training institute directly under CICG and serves as an important component of the organisation’s “Introducing China to the World” initiative.
“The Institute organises international seminars and exchange programmes and had conducted nearly 100 training programmes for media professionals worldwide, facilitating face-to-face exchanges with almost 1,000 African journalists,” he added.
Those initiatives, he said, had strengthened mutual understanding and provided an effective platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration between Chinese and African media professionals.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe