E N D
Globalization Sustainability CSR
“Business has become, in the last half century, the most powerful institution on the planet. The dominant institution in any society needs to take responsibility for the whole…Every decision that is made, every action that is taken, must be viewed in light of that kind of responsibility.” -D.C. Korten
Iron Law of Responsibility: In the long run, those who do not use power in ways society considers responsible will lose
CSR vs. Citizenship • Corporations should be held accountable for any actions that affect people, their communities, and the environment: Academic • The corporation recaptures its rightful place in society, next to other “citizens” with whom the corporation forms a community: Practitioner-driven
Legal requirements vs. CSR/CC • Laws and regulations are enacted to ensure socially responsible conduct by business • Businesses that comply with the laws are meeting MINIMUM levels of CSR • CSR is bringing corporate behavior up to a level where it is in congruence with currently prevailing social norms
Roots of CSR • Turn of 20th century • Corporations were being accused of being too big, powerful, anticompetitive, and antisocial • Carnegie/Ford/Rockefeller • Shift in 1920s again • Community Chest movement
What about Corporate Responsibility? doing ethical things doing things ethically Ethical Values underpin…. approach to Corporate Responsibility Ethics Policy & Code CSR Programme
Forms of CSR • Stewardship Principle: Timberland • Charity Principle • Shareholder view
CSR: All grown up • Multiple stakeholder view! • Philanthropy and community involvement: Sophisticated partnerships • Social auditing
Current hallmarks of CSR • Rapid development • Gradual regulatory support • Growing corporate enthusiasm, right?
Who cares? • Stakeholders! • Especially in a down economy: consumers = risk averse Risk averse consumers are 50 percent more likely to agree that companies have a duty to be socially responsible and support the communities in which they operate (Microfinance Monitor: September 21, 2011)
Companies spend millions of dollars every year on corporate social responsibility; they invest in programs to support local communities, give away products to support people in need, invest in clean technology to lower their environmental footprint, donate money from sales, and engage their employees in nonprofit work. But many are mismanaging their CSR investments.
Companies need to reassess how to spend their money if they want to improve their return on investment. “You don’t do CSR for the sake of CSR. You do CSR as part of your reputation management strategy to drive business growth, customer loyalty, and employee alignment.” Only a few companies get it right.
How to enact CSR/CC • Social performance audits • Benchmarks: mission statement + other organizations • Global benchmarks are available • Social/environmental reports
# 6-10 • Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) • Volkswagen • Sony • Colgate-Palmolive • LEGO Group
Should consumers have to do something for the CSR to happen?