The Advantages Of Corporate Social Responsibility

The article “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility” by Michael E. Porter and Mark E. Kramer advocates that there is a link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and competitive advantage, and there is an opportunity for innovation that benefits both the company and society that can result in a win-win positive sum game. Ultimately if your firm does not integrate a CSR program into your business core your competitors will.

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).

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

The benefit to business of good Corporate Social Responsibility is difficult to quantify as it varies depending on the nature of the enterprise. Some scholars believe that there is a business justification for CSR. That is, what is good for the environment and society will be good for company profitability. And studies have shown a slightly positive correlation between CSR and financial gain (Steiner and Steiner, 2006). However, as Freidmanism claims, the first responsibility of business is to make enough profit to cover the costs for the future. If this social responsibility is not met, no other responsibilities can be (Hargreaves, 2006). Therefore it is critical that CSR activities are included in strategy formulation and that the level of resources devoted to CSR is determined like any other strategy – through cost/benefit analysis. Corporations will not throw money away…they need to see it

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.

One of the leading companies that adopted CSR as a pioneer of ethic is The Body Shop. The company has used CSR as a competitive strategy in order to succeed in business. The shop owner knows what she does best. So, products are developed based on a specific group of customers in order to create a strong brand preferences and unique way with a perception of enormous customer groups, called sustainability ideals. The source of The Body Shop success is to utilize the benefits of CSR by selling products based on natural ingredients, paying a fair price and no testing on animal. According to porter (1985), he claimed that sustainability of differentiation depends on two things: "it is continued perceived value to buyers and the lack of competitor ability to imitate it" (Porter 1985 cited in Mallin 2009, p.71). It requires a transparency of work process with stakeholders. From this example, it explains why CSR is important to modern businesses like The Body Shop (Mallin 2009, pp.59-78),(Kwapong 2005, p.89).

Moreover, David Henderson’s book “Misguided Virtue” (2001) pointed out that companies have to adjust their accounting and management approach to adopt CSR raising costs and reducing revenues. In spite of that, the benefits will be able to outweigh the short-term costs in the long run (Millon, 2011).

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.

CSR plays a very important role in the sustainability of every department in the corporation including marketing and management. Corporations are very particular in maintaining a sustainable corporate socially responsible environment. While marketing a product they make sure that they endorse it in the right way as it is the responsibility of the company to provide the right facts of the product to the society. In the same manner with regards to Management corporations make sure that they are socially responsible.

3. Socially responsible and ethical businesses can attract more investors. CSR can give a proxy for better management

Reasons vary from the benefits of CSR, the goodwill and marketing of the company and even as a method for increasing the company’s profit margin (Thorpe, 2013). In some areas, there are significant cost savings affiliated with CSR. The

CSR can improve the company’s reputation and branding and this in turn improves the prospects for the company to be more effective to attract new customers and increase market share.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which can also be sustainable responsibility business/ responsible business strategy functions as a built – in, self-regulatory system whereby a business screens and ensures that activities are complied with, in the spirit of the laws, moral standards, and global standards. The objective of CSR is to embrace responsibility regarding the organizations activities and encourage a positive effect through its activities on the environment, consumer’s employees, communities, and all different individuals of the public who might be considered as stake holders. The basic underlying understanding of CSR concept is the voluntary engagement of companies to coordinate their business operations with the social and natural expectation of their stakeholders.

CSR isn’t a recent subject as it has been a progressing topic since the 1950’s, which has grown in importance and impact. There is some evidence where businesses hundreds of years ago were seeking to improve society, the community or particular stakeholder groups. This topic has grown in importance since the 1950’s and consumers nowadays are highly tuned into sustainable operations of businesses.

Corporate social responsibility for the authors of the mentioned article is a “form of management that is defined by the ethical relationship and transparency of the company with all the stakeholders with whom it has a relationship as well as with the establishment of corporate goals that are compatible with the sustainable development of society, preserving environmental and cultural resources for future generations, respecting diversity and promoting the reduction of social problems” (Milton de Sousa Filho, Soares Outtes Wanderley, Pasa Gomez, & Farache, 2010). Based on this understanding of CSR Milton de Filho, et al. concluded that a competitive advantage can be derived from social responsibility and has following positive consequences for the firm: