Corporate environmental responsibility (CER) concept is relatively new
in Cameroon. The principal objective of this book is to examine
critically the environmental aspects of corporate social responsibility
in the utility service sectors namely; hydro-electricity and water
sectors in Cameroon and how that connects to governmental policy. ENEO
and CamWater who are respectively the unique hydro-electrical and water
corporations in Cameroon are recognised as an impetus to economic,
social, cultural and political advancement. Surprisingly, in this strive
to achieve economic development, little or no consideration has been
given to the social and environmental effects of its activities even
when government's principal responsibility has been to ensure social and
environmental safety as well as mitigate any damage. Even when social
and environmental problems have arisen, they have been minimised 'in the
public interest'. As a result, corporate environmental policies have not
occupied a priority position on the agenda of this corporations and its
implementation as such is relatively slow. The outcome of this has been
the perpetration of corporate conduct that is negligent of safeguards
that mitigate environmental degradation even when the State has taken
measures through legislations to set social and environmental standards
in a bid to regulate corporate conducts that contribute to environmental
safety to the local communities. While acknowledging the innovations in
these laws, this study equally argues that this has taken place within
the ambit of weak and insufficiently articulated policy. Sanctions and
implementation have not been stringent enough to effectively deter these
coporations from violating CER as corroborated by the increase in the
number of cases on violation of CER. This calls for reforms as well as
the enforcement of the sanctions system.
