Corporate Social Responsibility

EnfocaRSE Program: Corporate social responsibility and pro bono work

Corporate Social Responsibility implies strategic decisions to create values which may be of reference for the community.

In Honduras there are many things to be done in this respect and as lawyers that advise people and companies in the development of their businesses we are aware of taking care of the life and environment quality that surrounds us.
In 2010 the firm creates the program EnfocaRSE assisting different sectors through donations and pro bono work. The program creates and executes corporate social responsibility activities and also establishes internal regulations concerning energy saving, garbage collection, and how to avoid pollution.
 
Year 2010

• Helped people from Choluteca collecting clothing and food and funds for construction of new houses which have been lost after Agatha Storm;

• We have donated funds to CODOI Association (an NGO formed by spouses and members of international organizations that supports education sector in the country) to cooperate with pre-kinder of school Marco Aurelio Soto in San Juancito;

• We have supported Hogar El Refugio in San Pedro Sula;

• We have participated in the renewal of the Free Legal Bureau of the Universidad Católica de Honduras donating part of the funds needed for remodeling and have worked pro bono to obtain the legal personality of several NGO´s in the country.

Regarding the pro bono work at the firm, in November 2010 CENTRAL LAW Honduras became the first Honduran firm to subscribe the Pro Bono Declaration of the Americas (PBDA), an initiative of the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice of the New York City Bar and other prominent law firms from Argentina, Brasil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, México, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Year 2011

• During 2011 we have supported Fundación de Apoyo y Vigilancia Pro-Mejoramiento del Hospital de San Lorenzo destined to the renewal of San Lorenzo´s Hospital;

• We have helped FUNDASERH non-profit organization destined to collect funds to help poor children in San Pedro Sula and suburbs.

Year 2012

• At the end of 2011 and beginning of 2012 we have participated in the creation of the Honduran Food Bank (in Spanish, BAH) which founders are prominent companies such as Lacthosa, Banco Atlántida, Corporación Dinant, Funazúcar and Walmart. CENTRAL LAW Honduras has collaborated as legal counsel pro bono in obtaining the legal personality, drafting of contracts and issuing corporate governance. BAH also counts with the unconditional technical support of FAO, SAG, and Solidaridad. Up to date BAH has benefitted more than 2,500 persons with the delivery of more than 3,500 kg of food.

• Recently the firm has been selected as legal counsel pro bono by the Cyrus Vance Center of New York Bar to collaborate in a project. The work has consisted in an administrative and legal due diligence about all the documents that must be filed by a local non-profit organization which will receive a donation from a foreign non-profit organization dedicated to the environment conservancy.

• On the other hand we have ventured in programs and initiatives for environmental education showing examples of no throwing garbage in the city to reach a more clean country and thus clear waters and green spaces.
Corporate social responsibility is a business vision and as we believe in that vision in CENTRAL LAW Honduras we create values to give back, for a better life quality and environment for our members and our community.-

For further details regarding corporate social responsibility and pro bono work please contact Guadalupe Martinez Casas honduras@central-law.com