The Mozambique Chamber of Commerce (CCM) on Tuesday, 3 November, launched the Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Award in Maputo, an initiative designed to recognise companies, organisations, and individuals that develop projects with a positive impact on communities and contribute to the country’s social and economic development.

The initiative aims to encourage the business sector to take a more active role in addressing social challenges through investment in areas including education, health, the environment, community sport, culture and the arts, citizenship, and journalism. The award will have national scope and will not be restricted to large corporations — small and medium-sized enterprises, public institutions, and individual or collective initiatives will also be eligible.

At the launch ceremony, CCM Vice-President Ilda Matabel said that “corporate social responsibility goes beyond compliance with legal obligations”, arguing that businesses must actively participate in building a fairer and more inclusive society. She noted that there are organisations across the country developing projects in education, health, environmental protection, and youth training whose initiatives do not always receive the recognition they deserve.

“We want to give visibility to these good practices, value their promoters, and encourage other companies to follow their example,” Matabel said, adding that the award should also function as a platform for sharing experiences and fostering closer ties between the business sector, public institutions, and civil society.

The CCM explained that the initiative seeks to distinguish actions that produce concrete changes in communities, moving away from an approach limited to philanthropy or one-off interventions.

The Chamber clarified that projects under way for at least one year, as well as initiatives already completed in 2026, will be eligible. Interested entities will be required to submit social investment reports enabling assessors to evaluate the activities carried out and the results achieved.

A representative of the Ministry of Education and Culture, speaking in her capacity as Acting Permanent Secretary, said the award represents an opportunity to strengthen private-sector participation in national development, particularly in education and culture. In her remarks, she stated that “the development of a country is not measured exclusively by economic growth, the volume of investment made, or production and productivity indicators, but also by the capacity to improve the living conditions of the population.”

She called on businesses to engage in the construction and rehabilitation of schools, the provision of learning materials and equipment, the award of scholarships, and technical and vocational training. On the cultural front, she highlighted the importance of supporting the preservation of national heritage, promoting the arts, and recognising Mozambican artists and creators. “Corporate social responsibility should not be seen as an additional cost of doing business, but as an investment in sustainable development,” she argued.

The published calendar provides for applications to run from January to March 2027, followed by monitoring, evaluation, and project selection phases between April and June. The awards ceremony is scheduled for June or July of the same year. Participation and evaluation criteria are to be made available through the project’s digital channels and those of the Chamber of Commerce.

Selection will be conducted by an independent jury composed of specialists in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and other relevant fields. Evaluation indicators will include the social impact of initiatives, their sustainability, the geographic and sectoral diversity of projects, and the results achieved in communities.

With the launch of the award, the CCM aims to encourage greater business participation in addressing the country’s social challenges, promoting partnerships between the public and private sectors and a corporate culture oriented not only towards financial results but also towards community wellbeing.