How can a company incorporate ideals like sustainability and social responsibility into its DNA? That’s the role of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy, a hot topic at companies large and small.

On December 4, Israeli nonprofit organization Maala is hosting the Innovation for Good Life International Conf(fair)ence in Tel Aviv in conjunction with the launch of Leaving No One Behind,its book on Israeli CSR case studies and insights written with CSR pioneer Prof. David Grayson from the UK.

Maala CEO Momo Mahadav says the annual conference is a platform for dialogue with global players in CSR and sustainability.

“The main topic we focus on is business impact on inclusive growth,” he says. “Many of our colleagues in US and Europe focus on climate change and the global supply chain, while we’re more passionate about inequality, social gaps and social mobility. Those issues are gaining momentum.”

The conference is structured into tracks for professionals from HR, marketing, finance, digital, procurement, environment, health and safety and R&D.

“The title of the book doesn’t aim to imply that Israel has solved the problem of inclusive growth; this is more a call to action,” says Mahadav.

“We have practices and inroads to share. The conference is designed as a workspace for connecting, engaging, learning, and sharing between various professionals and sectors who aspire to increase their social impact. It is a place where you can discuss your ideas, initiatives and models for takingsustainability forward.”

Last year’s conference drew nearly 800 participants from 100 companies, including multinationals with branches in Israel. Mahadav says most of the foreign participants are from the US and Europe.

The 2019 Maala Index rated 161 companies in Israel for their CSR impact. Criteria include workforce diversity, employees, trust, work-life balance, volunteering, corporate giving, procurement and environment.

“We’re happy that number has increased from 150 in 2018. The increasing numbers represent an effort we started three years ago, offering a basic threshold index to suppliers of companies rated on the advanced level. It’s a way to go beyond looking only at large companies and what they can accomplish in CSR,” says Mahadav.