Corporate Social Responsibility

Duurzaam ondernemen

Dr. Miguel Goede6 Mei 2010

Wise Society

• There seems to be a consensus among scholars and practitioners that we are living in the era that can be described as the Knowledge Economy. But beyond the Knowledge Economy lies the Wise Society (Matthews, 1998). The world is longing for knowledge and wisdom (Zeleny, 2006, p. 751). (Goede, 2010)

Agenda

• What is it?

• Other names

• What is it not?

• Why SCR?

• CSR in Curaçao

What is it?

• A green company acts, or claims to act, in a way which minimizes damage to the environment.

Other names/concepts• Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as

corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance,[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.

• Ideally, CSR policy would function as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its adherence to law, ethical standards, and international norms.

• Consequently, business would embrace responsibility for the impact of its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere.

• Furthermore, CSR-focused businesses would proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development, and voluntarily eliminating practices that harm the public sphere, regardless of legality.

• Essentially, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit.

Wise organization

• The wise organization is a green organization that manages a triple bottom-line: People, Planet and Profit. Broadly speaking, the social responsibility of businesses may cover the following principles:  

• Maintaining a high standard of business ethics;• Working as part of the community; • Protecting the environment; • Providing good corporate governance; • Engaging in fair trade and business practices, as well as

fair workplace relations.[1] (Goede, 2010)

[1] http://www.goodcorporatecitizen.com/meaning.html, accessed on 23 December 2009

Triple P’s

• According to de Vrijer, referring to Adam Smith, corporate governance is not an economical or legal concept. It is a philosophical concept, which states that there should be a balance between the individual (the “Me”) and society (the “We”). (van Rijn, 2008, pp. 24 – 27).

What is it not?• The practice of CSR is subject to much debate and criticism.

Proponents argue that there is a strong business case for CSR, in that corporations benefit in multiple ways by operating with a perspective broader and longer than their own immediate, short-term profits.

• Critics argue that:– CSR distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; – others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; – others yet argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of

governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations.

• Corporate Social Responsibility has been redefined throughout the years. However, it essentially is titled to aid to an organization's mission as well as a guide to what the company stands for and will uphold to its consumers.

Triple P’s

Government

People

Planet

Profit

NGOs

Planet

People

Profit

Public

Profit

People

Planet

Examples

• With writer A.E. Hotchner, Newman founded Newman's Own, a line of food products, in 1982. The brand started with salad dressing, and has expanded to include pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, salsa, and wine, among other things. Newman established a policy that all proceeds, after taxes, would be donated to charity. As of early 2006, the franchise has donated in excess of $250 million.[5]

BoP

• In economics, the bottom of the pyramid is the largest, but poorest socio-economic group. In global terms, this is the 2.5 billion people who live on less than $2.50 per day[1]. The phrase “bottom of the pyramid” is used in particular by people developing new models of doing business that deliberately target that demographic, often using new technology. This field is also often referred to as the "Base of the Pyramid" or just the "BoP".

Why SCR?

• Balance between “Me” and “We”– Bill Gates– Warrant Buffet

The world is becoming too complex

• According to Deane-Drummond (1999) technology will continually increase possibilities. The world is becoming too complex: “…democracy seems to have been, up to now, the best way to drive a country forward, but democracy is based on a ‘conscious consensus’ of people, and the growing complexity of the problem to be faced (such as energy, pollution, waste water, and social problems) sometimes need unpopular answers. Therefore in a democratic country, good solutions can be obtained only with increasingly educated and responsible people. Finally, well-educated people are also needed in order to properly manage diversity and intercultural dialogue and to strengthen identity” (Blasi, 2006, p. 403).

Curaçao

• Early stages– Some business have the image of CC

• Donations• Foundations

• It is not integrated in to the business

• Only profitable business can be Corporate Social Responsibility

Conclusions

• SCR is here to stay– The Wise organization

• There is a long way to go, specially in Curaçao

Q&A