The African Institute of Philanthropy (AISTIPHI) and Philanthropy Space have launched a registry looking at corporate social responsibility among businesses in Ghana. The registry, which was released this month, receives, verifies, and publishes official reports of CSR initiatives in the Astiphi Gazette, a publication produced by AISTIPHI. This is the first time information about CSR in Ghana will be available publicly in a centralised location, and the organisations hope to pursue the model in other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Innovating the reporting of CSR initiatives nationally is long overdue,’ said Dr Benjamin Ofori, President of AISTIPHI and CEO of Philanthropy Space. ‘Every year, businesses invest substantial resources in fighting poverty and improving the quality of life in Ghana’s communities. Records of these important CSR initiatives must be treated with the utmost deference of a truly grateful nation and passed on to future generations as legacies of corporate goodwill and generosity.’

The National CSR Registry considers entries that fall under 12 thematic areas: education and bright futures; charity and social protection; public health and healthcare; empowerment and social justice; democracy and human freedom; sports, recreation and the arts; environmental stewardship; disaster prevention and response; community development; culture, heritage and social cohesion; public sector development; and enterprise development and livelihood security.

AISTIPHI is a Canadian nonprofit research, public interest and community service organization dedicated to advancing corporate philanthropy, nonprofit NGO charity and civic-spirited community service in Africa, and Philanthropy Space is a close business partner of AISTIPHI, also located in Canada.