Analysis of Staples CSR Programs

The evolving practices around corporate social responsibility (CSR) provide dynamic, and complex opportunities for business. Overall, businesses are modifying their core purpose from creating shareholder profit toward creating shared value across their stakeholders, with shareholders being only one of the many stakeholders. This paper analyzes the 74th ranked 2014 Fortune Global 500 Company Kroger. Kroger started in 1883 as a local Cincinnati, Ohio grocery store, and has expended to be the second largest retail grocery store in the United States, and fifth largest in the world, owning retail food and drug stores, jewelry stores, and convenience stores in the United States (Kroger, 2015). Kroger remains headquartered in Ohio. An overview of Kroger, and specifically Kroger’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and implementation will be discussed, followed by a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) CSR analysis informing a concluding plan to enhance Kroger’s CSR maturity.

In business, Anne Lawrence and James Weber (2014) identify enlightened self-interest as a corporation’s recognition that using corporate resource to serve others, including customers, employees, and the community as a whole, is in the best interest of the company. This social responsibility enhances the company’s image within the community, which increases both customer loyalty and satisfaction of employees. Some of the ways that businesses serve others is through philanthropy and backing environmental sustainability. Within his lecture on ethics and corporate responsibility, Dr. Kahlib Fischer (n.d.) encourages the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in that it provides mutual benefit to both the organization and the community.

At one time, Sears prided itself as “Where America Shops” by staying in touch with consumers and upholding high product, employer, and customer standards. Today, Sears is struggling to remain a prominent American retailer. The company’s present business model reflects a poor grasp of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Riddled with lawsuits, workplace issues, and a poor reputation with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Sears consumers know today is undesirable.

Once a business realizes that it has gotten wrapped up in maximizing profit that it neglect ethics of care, the next step is to readjust and realign its core values internally and be more responsible to the environment in which they operate by showing societal care. Therefore, the aim of this report is to address the importance of realigning the business with ethics of care through involving in CSR activities, and as well as showing how these actions can impact on a company’s performance even if it may be demoralized in the society.

Every organized company worldwide should have among its structure, one planning and coordination division in which social and business goals are integrated. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are necessary for commercial business as an element of risk management and represent an outstanding mechanism for the stakeholders to identify weaknesses when their own actions or others conduct in its operating environment generate social risk. (Kytle and Ruggie 2005).

Staples is reported to be committed to responsible corporate citizenship referred to by the company as "Staples Soul". (WikiInvest, 2012) This is reported as a holistic approach to business the recognizes the close connection between the financial success of the company and the company's desire to "make a positive impact on"¦associates, communities and the planet." (WikiInvest, 2012)

In this article, “The Truth About CSR,” authors Rangan, Chase and Karim stress the importance in aligning a company’s social and environmental activities with its business purpose and values (Rangan, Chase, & Karim, 2015, 41). Outcomes of CSR programs should be a “spillover” and not a primary focus of a business, expressing concern towards social responsibility and corporations failing to contribute to society accordingly (Rangan, Chase, Karim, 2015, 42). There is a great deal of importance in companies refocusing their CSR activities on a primary goal and in providing an organized process for bringing consistency and discipline to CSR strategies (42). Rangan, Chase and Karim want corporations to understand why it is important for them to evaluate their CSR activities and refocus them towards the goal of reinforcing the firm’s societal and environmental actions, while also ensuring their actions add to the overall purpose and values of the corporation. According to the authors, even though

At one time, Sears prided itself as “Where America Shops” by staying in touch with consumers and upholding high product, employer, and customer standards. Today, Sears is struggling to remain a prominent American retailer. The company’s present business model reflects a sub-par grasp of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Riddled with lawsuits, workplace issues, and a poor reputation with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Sears consumers know today is undesirable.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) describes programs adopted by a company in addition to their profit-making ventures. These programs are specifically intended to integrate environmental and social concerns into regular business operations. More than just charity, they act as the “conscience” of the company and balance the social and environmental actions of the company with the desires of the shareholders. (“What is CSR?,” 2015) As a multinational corporation valued at billions of dollars, Bank of America has a large impact on its employees and surrounding communities.

Employees are a large part of what make up organizations and they play a vital role within the stakeholders of a company. In order for an company to conceive socially responsible goals, they must focus within their organizations structure and make sure their stakeholders needs are attained, specifically the employees working for them. Companies wouldn 't exist without employees who work and interact with their products, customers and suppliers on a day to day basis. David Chandler and William B. Werther, Jr. present the case study of John Lewis Partnership in their book, Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility, to illustrate an example of a company that strives to keep their employees a central priority in their organization. The John Lewis Partnership has a unique way of viewing the roles their employees play within the firm that has allowed their overall business to be a major success. The revolutionary concept has pioneered a new way that companies and other organizations strive to incorporate into their business strategy.

Drawing from these debates, Archie Carroll has developed “the Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility”, one of the most significant concepts of CSR. There are four kinds of social responsibilities that contribute total CSR, he suggested, Economic, Legal, Ethical, and Philanthropic (1991). Therefore being socially responsible does not mean forgetting the fundamental aspect of business, to make profit. The obligation of Law restricts business activities and they are the rules of the game which businesses have to obey. Being ethical is to perform actions that are fair, morally good, and of stakeholders’ interests, even outside the boundary of law. Considering corporate citizenship, philanthropic responsibilities are responses to the rising society’s expectations to business (Carroll, 1991). The notion of discretionary and voluntary distinguishes philanthropic responsibilities to ethical responsibilities. A good CSR firm should “strive to make a profit, obey the law, be ethical, and be a good corporate citizen” (Carroll, 1991, p.43) and without simultaneous fulfillment of the four responsibilities, the business should not be characterized as operating within CSR.

Today’s culture is pushing companies to be more socially responsible on all levels. Companies who fail to adapt risk becoming overshadowed by competitors that do so. According to the text, "...companies displaying a 'clear commitment to ethical conduct ' consistently outperform companies that do not display ethical conduct..." (Strategic Management, 312). It is therefore important for companies to meet the standards of customers who choose to shop with a ‘filter’. As such, it is important to investigate how a company ranks when doing a strategy analysis. The following paragraphs look into Starbucks to see what socially responsible actions they claim to do, where they fall amongst their competitors, and whether their claims are truthful.

For decades, corporate social responsibility was viewed, both internally and externally, as an insincere marketing effort made by corporations for the sole purpose of increasing their profits. Today, however, companies and consumers alike are realizing that corporate social responsibility, or CSR, can be done in a way that benefits both parties. One perspective, stakeholder matching, requires that any specific statement about the relationship between a firm’s social performance toward a stakeholder group be measured by financial or organizational performance that can be directly correlated to that action. Essentially, the approach clarifies that advantageous CSR is not about having corporate employees pick up trash once a year; instead, effective CSR practices benefit both the firm and its relevant environment in a tangible, worthwhile, and measurable way. In this paper, we will discuss C-Leveled, an organization that advises startups and new businesses in the Pittsburgh area that are interested in making an impact while creating a sustainable business model. By applying the principles of stakeholder matching, we will make a business case for various stakeholders to support C-Leveled’s efforts to generate business opportunities while addressing local food sustainability. Specifically, we will look at creating an efficient supply chain, a favorable cost structure, and increasing a variety of business opportunities available when

Background to CSR - In this environment, the impact of behaviour, values and ethics on achieving a company's strategic vision represents a timely and valuable undertaking. This behaviour, often called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a new focus on ethical and social issues (Sen & Bhattacharya 2001). CSR leads marketers to the notion of both global and stakeholder responsibility, and an organizational system that begs for sustainability not just to outlast the competition, but to increase customer loyalty, presence in the global market, and a stronger unification with the political bureaucracies. There is a clear integrative framework involved that impacts the idea of sustainable marketing concepts (Maignan & Ferrell 2004). Indeed, at the same time, "culture" has changed, too; there is likely not a country in the

CSR lacks universal methods. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) mentions that it is important to draw a distinction between CSR as part of strategic business management concept and charity, sponsorships or philanthropy. The latter applications make valuable social impacts that enhance the reputations of the companies, however, CSR is a continual effort instead of an instance. A few features that CSR should focus on are: eco-efficiency, employee and community relations, environmental management, gender balance, responsible souring, anti-corruption, stakeholder engagement and human rights. Utilizing some of these key features a company can bring competitive advantages into the market place. Increased sales and profits from operational cost savings as well as improved reputation and brand image and customer loyalty can result from a well-defined CSR strategy.