Business Ethics: Understanding “Corporate Social Responsibility”
In the article “Strategy and Society: The Link between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility” written by Michael E. Porter and Mark R. Kramer, It states that the “CSR [corporate social responsibility] has emerged as an inescapable priority for business leaders in every country”. Remarkably, every company or factory has to face the same topic mentioned above, even Nike, Shell Oil, Nestle and McDonald these renowned and gigantic companies.
It is noteworthy that a company is not only responsible for their shareholders, suppliers, financiers and employees, but it is also responsible for our society and world. What is the consequences if a factory keeps ignoring the pollution it produces? What happens if a fast food company keeps ignoring the negative influences of its unhealthy meals? Based on these points, don’t we have our own responsibilities for them as a consumer?
Fortunately, the social media and press are the most powerful tool which are being used to supervise those unethical companies or factories. However, it is important to remember that the stakeholders are human beings, they are customers with names, faces and families mentioned by R. Edward Freeman. Furthermore, the “Business ethics shouldn’t be an oxymoron, it should be two words and a redundant to each other. Thinking about the stakeholders is thinking about business, and thinking about stakeholders is thinking about ethics” R. Edward Freeman stated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5IBe1cnQw&feature=youtu.be
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/how-bad-is-mcdonalds-food_b_754814.html
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