Dar Es Salaam — THE East African Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) awards for this year, co-organised by the East African Business Council (EABC) and Nation Media Group, are effective this week open for entries.

Companies registered in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda qualify for the CSR award competition, according to Sinit Zeru from the East African CSR Award secretariat.

She said the award categories include best workplace practice, Environmental excellence, Most ethical & responsible business practice for supply chains and Most sustainable & scalable community investment.

The aim of the awards, she said, was to clarify good CSR practice by recognising what constitutes best-in-class CSR programmes.

Companies will be rewarded for outstanding, innovative and high-class initiatives that create a high social and environmental benefit for the community and the business.

The award giving ceremony is slated for the evening of May 5, 2010 during the World Economic Forum-Africa in Dar es Salaam.

Ms Zeru said that the concept cropped up out of wide awareness that CSR activities have increased substantially over the past decade in East Africa.

"There has been an encouraging debate about what constitutes good CSR and how it can act as a positive force for the region's social, environmental and economic development," she added.

The deadline for sending the entries is March 26, 2010 after which an independent panel of international and regional experts in responsible business will review the entries under the chairmanship of Elvis Musiba, former President of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.