Paving the way for CSR in developing countries

Kenya, Uganda and Vietnam paid Chr. Hansen a visit to learn about organizational health & safety and social responsibility

Chr. Hansen is well-known for its commitment to working conditions, the environment and a responsible approach to doing business. Therefore we were invited to take part in a Danida (Danish International Development Assistance) Fellowship program regarding Corporate Social Responsibility and health and safety on the workplace.


The purpose of the visit by representatives from a number of companies from different industries in Kenya, Uganda and Vietnam was to get an insight into how Danish companies are working with these matters, and not least to gain knowledge of which demands and expectations Danish companies put on their business partners in this respect.


In order to experience “CSR at work” the group was invited to Chr. Hansen’s large production facility in Copenhagen, where the employees are working with producing, storing, packing and distributing products.
“I was impressed with the high safety level and concern for the employees. Especially the wide use of pictograms was an incredibly good idea because it gets the message across at a glance,” said one of the participants.


A very positive experience
“It was a very positive experience, and I am happy that through such initiatives Chr. Hansen can contribute to influencing the development within CSR in other countries," says Henriette Oellgaard, CSR Manager, Chr. Hansen.


“While the observations and feedback of our guests were valuable to us, I am sure that they also returned home with new ideas and inspiration. The visitors were most interested in hearing about our experiences within this field and asked a lot of questions. It was quite exciting to host a visit by people with a very different approach to these matters,” concludes Oellgaard.

Danida Fellowship Centre
The Danida Fellowship Centre is a self-governing institution, which manages and implements the Danida supported Fellowship Programme in Denmark and administers research grants for development research.