According to the world bank, social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society—improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity.
In this day and age of globalization through social media and the ever-widening net of intricacies created by the internet, staying connected and keeping relevant with the trends of cyberspace is easier than ever. Literally, everything is one click away.
Further, our inkling for inclusion is rooted in human psychology.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” in Psychological Review. Maslow subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans’ innate curiosity.
In the middle of Maslow’s pyramid model is our need to be loved and feel we belong, further broken down to five categories, are physiological, safety, love and belonging esteem and self-actualization.
The theory states that higher needs in the hierarchy begin to emerge when people feel they have sufficiently satisfied the previous need.
In the context of corporate social responsibility, companies go beyond what can be done and give, other than basic human and safety needs.
That’s why various enterprises, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations, make it their commitment to spearhead social inclusion initiatives present in their Corporate Social Responsibility programs.
As an example is the Clark Development Corporation, which has made it its quest to improve the lives of the Aeta communities that they cater to. This is just one example of the many more projects aimed at social inclusion for marginalized sectors.
Read on, to know more of these wonderful undertakings.
Photos credit Merce Pascual