Personal Responsibility Reflection

I. INTRODUCTION “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.” - Mahatma Gandhi The above quote rightly points out the role of environment for the mankind and the responsibility we need to shoulder for its sustenance. We've come a long way in recognizing that and now almost every business has a statute of doing something good for the environment as part of their CSR initiative. But companies who think of the environment as a social responsibility and not as an imperative are not going in the right direction. The global climate changes and the gradual scarcity of resources have come to light as major disruptions in the business environment. These challenges

A lot of businesses find that a very efficient way to keep their customers is by acting in a socially responsible way.. A company can be socially responsible in a variety of ways such as using resources that won’t hurt the environment or the consumers, and giving a portion of their proceeds to a foundation. An example of a socially responsible company is Burt’s Bees. Burt’s Bees has gone above and beyond to promote socially responsibility not only by providing natural products and assuring customers that no harm was done to the animals involved but by sponsoring and donating to foundations that have the same want for world-wide well being.

I was very affected by the biracial girl in the video that explains how she was a product of rape and was not allowed to see the other side of her family. I know understand more about other people background and the way that some things have affected them in a positive and negative ways. This video really opens my eyes to not be blinded by the issues that are really going on in this world. This has been a very

I attended the January 29th event Environmental Advocacy; We are all in this together. Guest speaker Gabe Wing director of environmental health at Herman Miller Inc. held a presentation about corporate social responsibility (CSP) with examples from companies like his. He focused on sustainability by explaining why it is good for business. He also mentioned global warming and described how, unaddressed, its consequences will keep Herman Miller’s furniture and other products far from consumer priorities. Then, Mr. Wing harkened back to the presentation’s subtitle We are all in this together by recognizing achievements like Dell’s Ocean Plastics Initiative. He was very clear about the importance of spreading a message of shared duties.

Corporate social responsibility incorporates environmental, social, and economic dimensions that provide leadership and differentiation opportunities for perceptive organizations. However,

Built to make profit, businesses/firms believed making money was their sole purpose—and their business model made everything subservient to money and corporate greed. Only now, have we begun to see and understand how irresponsible we have become and those business models may make money but they are killing the environment. Here we will look at four businesses and their different models that center around sustainability, caring about mother earth, and still able to make money. The framework we will evaluate these organizations is through the triple bottom line method, process improvement, economic development, and giving back (altruism), as well as, build a sustainable plan for a company that had not implemented one in the past and is failing to accept any environmental responsibility.

Corporations’ measured success by financial means only undermines the global impact companies can have on society. With the evolution of business into a global market, society requires corporations to emphasize social welfare beyond simple philanthropic contributions. A new initiative called Corporate Social Responsibility blends philanthropy, social initiatives, corporate responsibility, and corporate policy for the overall benefits to various facets of society, including but not limited to investors, employees, and local communities.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY By Lori S. Mohr-Corrigan, For The Paper Store - © October 1999 VISIT www.paperwriters.com/aftersale.htm -- for more information on using this paper properly! Because society is fundamentally based upon performance and profit, it is not unusual to find that it is necessary to impart a sense of corporate social responsibility with regard to contemporary commerce. The ethical approaches of purpose, principle and consequence are integral components of business social performance; itemizing these contributions finds one incorporating the interests of ethics and morality within the corporate structure, essential concepts that are often absent from a managerial standpoint. Chapters two and three of Beauchamp and

Every corporation or company is in the business of making a profit. The market is a huge contributing factor that drives corporations to either be socially responsible or not. If making a profit was not a factor, most people would want to be socially responsible because it’s the right thing to do. We will discuss the meaning of corporate social responsibility, how the environment affects the decisions of being socially responsible and my personal experiences.

The issue of corporate social responsibility has recently been the subject of much debate. These debates pose the question “What responsibilities, if any, do corporations have to society and the greater good?” From a legal standpoint the answer to that question is none. Legally, corporations have no responsibility to participate in any type of social responsibility, in fact, doing so is illegal and can lead to directors and corporate officers being sued by shareholders. Although the specific law varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the general idea is always the same, corporations are only responsible for making the greatest profits for their shareholders. For example, In Maine, Section 716 of the business corporation act reads in part: ”The directors and officers of a corporation shall exercise their powers and discharge their duties with a view to the interests of the corporation and the shareholders.” (qtd. In The Humanist). The opposition to these viewpoints believe however that the action of corporate executives participating in social responsibility will in fact not only benefit the community and the general public, but in the long run, the corporation itself along with its shareholders. Many believe, as do I, that as a society we are more likely to engage in business with corporations who give back to its consumers and who concern themselves with the betterment of our society and the world as a whole, and in turn the result for these corporations is larger

The concept of going green has been a growing trend in recent years across all types of industries. Some have argued that it’s simply a fad that can be attributed to the popularity of global awareness amongst celebrities, but in reality it is more than that. It is redefining the way the business world works. As more companies expand on an international level, more stress is put on the surrounding environment to accommodate those expansions. While the bottom-line still is the primary goal of companies, they must now react to the new values of their consumers, which include protecting the community that they are a part of. This results in companies like Patagonia, an outdoor clothing company based in Ventura, CA, Bamboo Sushi, a sushi restaurant in Portland, Oregon, and Ben and Jerry’s, the famous ice cream brand coming out of Vermont, focusing on different bottom-lines but similar socio-economic goals. These companies aren’t in the same industry, but those socio-economic goals like high levels of sustainability are being shared across lines. Patagonia, Bamboo Sushi, and Ben and Jerry’s are all Benefit Corporations. Emerging from the non-profit, B-Lab, Benefit Corporations (B Corporations) are corporations focused on “using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems” that our society is starting to face (What are B-Corps?, 2014).

Marriott has a broad array of social responsible activities that it participates in around the world. Marriott made sure that the activities it participates in were appropriate for the company without jeopardizing its reputation. These activities include support with Habitat for Humanity to build homes in the U.S. and Canada. Whenever there is a natural disaster; Marriott and its employees come together to contribute to the American Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent for disaster relief. This has helped Marriott with their reputation of helping others outside of their workforce and contributing to the communities it serves. (Marriott.com)

Many consumers are now looking into companies who promote organization that are socially and environmentally responsible. “It may well be in the long run interest of a corporation that is a major employer in a small community to devote resources to providing amenities to that community or to improving its government. That may make it easier to attract desirable employees…” (Friedman, Milton 1970)

Many large corporations are taking corporate social responsibility into account and making it a part of their everyday routine. Various companies have modified their ways of conducting day-to-day business routines and manufacturing processes in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and help maintain sustainability. Companies are encouraging employees to volunteer and make a difference in surrounding communities. In this way they are

With the increased focus on the environment in recent years – IBM must be innovative and continue to lead the market by supplying greener solutions to their customers. A growing body of evidence asserts that corporations can do well, by doing good. IBM must differentiate their brand and reputation as well as their products and services, by taking responsibility for the wellbeing of the societies and environments in which they operate. Practicing corporate social responsibility can generate significant returns to their business.