Corporate Social Responsibility
Introduction
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a concept which is also known as corporate citizenship, corporate conscience or in a simple way a responsible business. It is an integrated concept of self-regulatory business model for any organisation. Corporate Social Responsibility has been in practice for more than fifty years now, which has been adopted not only by domestic companies but also by transnational company with voluntary CSR initiatives (Chernev and Blair, 2015). It includes Corporate Social Responsibility for code of conduct, organisational health and environment, companies reporting on social, financial and environmental aspects, partnership with agencies, NGO’s and UN agencies etc. and increase its focus on community development program (Sun, Stewart and Pollard, 2010).
Corporate Social Responsibility is necessary for every organization and they have a uniquely distinctive approach to it. Let’s say for a business Corporate Social Responsibility is to manage business processes to produce a positive outcome for the society in general. For this the company needs to keep two aspects in mind while operating:
1. People and processes- quality of their management
2. Impact on society on diverse areas
The organization’s stakeholders keep an eye on the working environment of the business and their interest keep on increasing with the increase in the multiple numbers of activities company undergoes. Stakeholders
Businesses, specifically larger corporations, play a major role in what occurs in society therefore, they are responsible to their stakeholders not only to pursue economic goals but the greater social good as well. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) means that a corporation should act in a way that enhances society and its inhabitants and be held accountable for any of its actions that affect people, their communities, and their environment. (Lawrence, 2010). Social responsibility is becoming the norm so much so that some businesses have incorporated it into their business model. There are three components of the bottom line of social
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is something that affects all companies and should be an active factor in the company’s decision making. It is something all corporations need to care about. CSR is when business’ or corporations take part in an initiative or campaign for a cause that will benefit society and/or in some way make the world a better place (Taylor, 2015). Initially, Corporate Social Responsibility started to take shape around the 1950’s, but some say that it dates all the way back to the 1800s, the idea of CSR was seen (Carroll, 2007). One may think that because it is dated so long ago, it doesn’t have an important impact today nevertheless, it is proven that Corporate Social Responsibility is a pathway for entities to self benefit as they are in the process of benefitting society.
While there is no universally accepted definition of Corporate Social Responsibility, it is usually described in terms of a company considering, managing and balancing the economic, social and environmental impacts of its activities. The notion of corporate social responsibility should be a part of the core business operations of a company, rather than a separate ‘add on’.[2]
The following definition of corporate social responsibility describes, what is meant by this complex concept: “A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates. Companies express this citizenship (1) through their waste and pollution reduction process, (2) by contributing educational and social programs, and (3) by earning adequate returns on the employed resources.” In other words, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a particular strong influence on companies, to operate in a respectable manner, where working conditions for workforce and local communities of its location received a great deal of attention.
A company’s stakeholders are all those who are influenced by and can influence a company’s decisions and action, both locally and globally. Business stakeholders include(but are not limited to) employees, suppliers, customer, community organizations, subsidiaries and affiliates, joint venture partners, local neighborhoods, investors, shareholders(or a sole owner in case it is sole
As corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts continue to grow within industries world-wide, the pursuit of sustainably responsible investment (SRI) is becoming increasingly popular among investors looking to create a positive societal impact. Similar to ethical consumption, an organization’s sustainability initiatives can motivate investors to not only provide monetary support for their company (stock holdings), but to influence their business decisions through shareholder advocacy as well (Voorhis & Humphreys, 2011). Therefore, companies who highlight and publish their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data are taking advantage of the increasingly popular market for SRI. In addition, community investing provides opportunities for investors to financially engage with communities directly in an effort to create social growth (Voorhis & Humphreys, 2011). Consequently, independent organizations and financial advisors are providing in-depth company research and industry examinations (screenings), which go beyond the financial aspects of investing and assist potential investors in their decision making processes. Within the power point presentation, a thorough analysis of both SRI and ESG factors are highlighted as well as their industry and investor significance. Furthermore, notable positive attributes of SRI are noted in an attempt to showcase its attractiveness along with specific examples of three corporations that have excelled in their ESG practices.
From a business perspective, researchers often argue that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can improve the competitiveness of a company and that the CSR activities develop a favourable corporate image and their financial performance (Burke & Logsdon 1996). CSR is defined as the obligation of organisation management to make decisions and take actions that will enhance the welfare and interests of society as well as the organisation (Samson & Daft 2009). Some say that the significance of social responsibility has been changed up until today in that CSR activity may not achieve the intended effects and therefore believes that only one social responsibility exists; to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its
Corporate social responsibility is what a company uses to self-regulate itself and refers to business practices involving initiatives that benefit society. A business’s CSR can encompass a wide variety of tactics, from giving away a portion of a company’s proceeds to charity and implementing “greener” business operations. Companies use implement Corporate Social responsibilities for various reasons and this can be argued. Large corporations have a more reasons for CSR to protect their image Corporate social benefits also have many different benefits for the company.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has rose to an important thought when companies form their mission statements. In the global business community, this has increased for the last couple of decades. The expanding interest on how business practice is affecting the planet as well as the media coverage on corporate scandals have put companies in the spotlight as to how they can conduct themselves in a way that shows responsibility when operating their businesses. “Consumers more and more are looking to buy from socially responsible companies, and they’re actually willing to pay more for products in certain cases.” (Biery) Different watchgroups and media have made it a mission to finding and holding businesses accountable for the negative impact they may have on society. For example, many organizations actually rate companies on their activities and performance to corporate social responsibility. These ratings draw scrutiny from the ever-demanding public. Remember when Nike was cited using children to make their shoes at its Indonesian suppliers? Consumers ended up boycotting after publications such as the New York Times and other outlets recorded negative labor practices. Food companies and fast food restaurants are now being held accountable for the lack of nutrition in their products.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR), has been the centre of debate since the last decade, with the increase in technology and globalization, company policies have come under a lot of scrutiny. Although this issue is not relatively new but with the hype of increasing media coverage and in the wake of high profile corporate scandals (Enron, WorldCom) the emphasis has mounted (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2013). Organizations play a vital and ever so increasing role in the lives of people, other organizations and the wider community in general (Mullins, 2013). Hence it is the responsibility of these organizations to act in such a manner that accommodates the wider society. In 1970, economist Milton Friedman once argued “the business of business
Throughout my research of what Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is, I noticed that many organizations have framed their own definition, considering a common ground between them. My own definition of CSR is the voluntary continuous commitment and responsibility on the effects that an organization has on both internal (employees) and external stakeholders (communities, environment) that go beyond legal or ethical standard required to operate, as well creating a synergistic relationship between the two parties promoting win-win relationship based on trust and the positive perception that reflects the organization to the community. (Mirvis, 2012, p. 110)
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) as defined by Carroll (1979) refers to the inclusion of moral, lawful and economical obligations that is expected of a business by the society (Brtitzelmaier, Kraus 2012). Organisations are expected to act responsibly, but many would agree that their actions and policies do have a direct or indirect effect on the society at large and the environment. The success of most organisations is dependent on their corporate
Business personalities, government officials, and loans are hedging more attention on the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The core issue is the appropriate responsibility of business. In as much as firms ought to obey the law, but beyond complete compliance with environmental laws, the question is whether firms have extra social responsibilities to commit part of their resources to environmental preservation voluntarily.
Corporate Social Responsibility involves making sure that the organisations goods and services meet the customers’ demands and are provided in a fair way and also that they are involved in relevant sponsorship and humanitarian activities to help social development.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the intention of the companies to do the right things and act in certain ways that are good for the company, society and environment. CSR was accelerated in 1970 (Archie B, 2006) and took into account since there was a concern between the increased population and scarce resources. It was established in order to ensure that the global development is sustainable. There are three fundamental aspects of sustainability, economic progress, communities’ relationships and environmental protection. This essay will report the managerial skills, leadership style and management practises in leading and managing an organisation to promote better and greener environment. Considerable research has been undertaken on Toyota Motors Corporation.