Social Responsibility

Doris and Don Fisher inspired generations of our employees with a simple aspiration: Lets do more than just sell clothes. Their legacy continues to guide our commitment to the communities where we live and work. In that spirit, we are proud to announce our new social responsibility report.

What Is Social Responsibility?

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Winston Churchill.

Being Socially Responsible means that people and organisations must behave ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic and environmental issues. Striving for social responsibility helps individuals, organisations and governments have a positive impact on development, business and society with a positive contribution to bottom-line results. Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) to achieve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSP)
ISP may appear to be a new concept in relation to CSP, but it is a concept as old as The Golden Rule Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. ISR expands on this by promoting a proactive stance

tow

ards positively influencing and affecting the people and environments outside

your immediate circle. ISR is at the roots of CSR, because a corporate comprises of individuals and hence determines the social responsibility culture it creates. This is the intermingled relationship between CSR and

ISR. Individuals are becoming more socially responsible and, in response to this Corporations and Companies need to become more socially responsible to meet consumer demand. The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) states: In the wake of increasing globalisation, we have become increasingly conscious not only of what we buy, but also how the goods and services we buy have been produced. Environmentally harmful production, child labor, dangerous working environments and other inhumane conditions are examples of issues being brought into the open. All companies and organisations aiming at long-term profitability and credibility are starting to realise that they must act in accordance with norms of right and wrong. Socially responsible individuals are demanding companies and organisations to become more socially responsible.

How Does an Individual Become Socially Responsible?

The Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation (WCIF), Bulgaria, describes ISR in its position statement on Social Responsibility as, The individual social responsibility includes the engagement of each person towards the community where he lives, which can be expressed as an interest towards whats happening in the community, as well as in the active participation in the solving of some of the local problems. Under community we understand the village, the small town or the residential complex in the big city, where lives every one of us. Each community lives its own life that undergoes a process of development all the time. And everyone of us could take part in that development in different ways, for example by taking part in cleaning of the street on which he lives, by taking part in organization of an event, connected with the history of the town or the village or by rendering social services to children without parents or elderly people. The individual social responsibility also could be expressed in making donations for significant for the society causes social, cultural or ecological. There are many ways of donating, as for example donating of goods or donating money through a bank account or online Social Responsibility can be negative, in that it is a responsibility to refrain from acting (resistance stance) or it can be positive, meaning there is a responsibility to act (proactive stance). Being socially responsible not only requires participating in socially responsible activities like recycling, volunteering and mentoring, but to actually make it a lifestyle. Only through a commitment to embrace and embed social responsibility into your personal value and belief system can you truly become socially responsible in all you do.

According to The Harris Poll #57 , June 18, 2007[7], when it comes to individual social responsibility, there

are three types of people: 1. Two-thirds of U.S. adults have Good Intentions they believe that social responsibility is a good

idea, and they do what they can in terms of volunteering, but they do not sacrifice huge amounts of time or money. 2. 3. At the top end of the spectrum, 8 percent of U.S. adults Practice What They Preach and for this One-quarter of U.S. adults, however, follow a philosophy of To Thine Own Self Be True and, for group, individual, as well as corporate, social responsibility is extremely important. this group, social responsibility has little consequence in their lives. On the other hand the trends show that the biggest growth for big charitable organisations in the world is coming through individuals and not through Corporations and Governments [8]. To take a proactive stance, ISR can start off as a simple act of philanthropic behaviour. My husband and I actually budget for giving, just like we do for living or car expenses. Add to this the campaigner, volunteer and activist in you that picks-up and supports issues affecting society. You may just start off volunteering once a month somewhere that suits your skills, abilities or interests. The other day, I asked a friend if he could teach my son guitar. We determined a tuition cost but instead of me paying him, he asked me if I could pay the charity of his choice. If you have the choice of two products and one product supports a good cause or was produced in a more ethical way, then purchase that product. You may only be one person but if everyone did their part, we could change the world! All Social responsibility, both individual and corporate, is voluntary; it is about going above and beyond what is called for by the law(legal responsibility). It involves an idea that it is better to be proactive toward a problem rather than reactive to a problem. Social responsibility means eliminating corrupt, irresponsible or unethical behavior that might bring harm to the community, its people, or the environment before the behavior happens.

Social Responsibility Quotes:

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. ~George Bernard Shaw The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor. ~Hubert H. Humphrey One is a member of a country, a profession, a civilization, a religion. One is not just a man. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell Each of us is a being in himself and a being in society, each of us needs to understand himself and understand others, take care of others and be taken care of himself. ~Haniel Long We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt Every individual has a place to fill in the world and is important in some respect whether he chooses to be so or not. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne Independence [is] middle-class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth. ~G.B. Shaw, Pygmalion, 1912 A machine has value only as it produces more than it consumes so check your value to the community. ~Martin H. Fischer A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbors. ~Richard Whately We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. ~Herman Melville

Definition of 'Social Responsibility'

The idea that companies should embrace its social responsibilities and not be solely focused on maximizing profits. Social responsibility entails developing businesses with a positive relationship to the society which they operate in. According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this relationship to the society and environment in which they operate is "a critical factor in their ability to continue to operate effectively. It is also increasingly being used as a measure of their overall performance."

Investopedia explains 'Social Responsibility'

Many companies, particularly "green" companies have made social responsibility an integral part of their business models. What's more, some investors use a company's social responsibility - or lack thereof - as an investment criterion. For example, one who has a moral (or other) objection to smoking, may not want to invest in a tobacco company.

That said, not everybody believes that business should have a social conscience. Noted economist Milton Friedman noted that the "social responsibilities of business are notable for their analytical looseness and lack of rigor." Friedman believed that only people could have social responsibilities. Businesses, by their very nature, cannot.

Social responsibility
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other types of responsibility, see Responsibility (disambiguation).

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2010) Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystem. A trade-off always[citation and environment.
needed]

exists between economic

development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose any action impacts the environment.[1] This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.
Businesses can use ethical decision making to secure their businesses by making decisions that allow for government agencies to minimize their involvement with the corporation. (Kaliski, 2001) For instance if a company is and follows the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for emissions on dangerous pollutants and even goes an extra step to get involved in the community and address those concerns that the public might have; they would be less likely to have the EPA investigate them for environmental concerns.[2] A significant element of current thinking about privacy, however, stresses "self-regulation" rather than market or government mechanisms for protecting personal information (Swire, 1997) According to some experts, most rules and regulations are formed due to public outcry, which threatens profit maximization and therefore the well-being of the shareholder, and that if there is not outcry there often will be limited regulation.[3] Critics argue that Corporate social responsibility (CSR) distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; others argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful Tricorp corporations though there is no systematic evidence to support these criticisms. A significant number of studies

have shown no negative influence on shareholder results from CSR but rather a slightly negative correlation with improved shareholder returns.[clarification needed][4]
Contents
[hide]

1 Student Social Responsibility 2 Corporate Social Responsibility 3 Emerging Normative Status of Social Responsibility 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading

[edit]Student

Social Responsibility

Student social responsibility is the responsibility of every student for his/her actions. It is morally binding on everyone to act in such a way that the people immediately around them are not adversely affected. It is a commitment everyone has towards the society contributing towards social, cultural and ecological causes. SSR is based on an individuals ethics. Instead of giving importance only to those areas where one has material interests the individual supports issues for philanthropic reasons. It forms the base for CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility because if everyone in a business organization does his/her bit the bigger things automatically fall into place. The trends however show that big charitable organizations recorded high growth due to the SR efforts of individuals and not corporates or the government. ISR may be slightly impractical, especially in the modern competitive world, where everyone works for self-interest, but it will succeed if we take decisions based on what will benefit a large number of people and respect everyones fundamental rights. As individuals we can make our small contributions to society by donating money to trustworthy NGOs, saving our resources by reducing our consumption, E.g. by switching off lights or computers when not in use.

[edit]Corporate

Social Responsibility

Main article: Corporate Social Responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR has been defined by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in The World Business Council for Sustainable Developments publication Making Good Business Sense as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at large". CSR is one of the newest management strategies where companies try to create a positive impact on society while doing business. There is no clear-cut definition of what

CSR comprises. Every company has different CSR objectives though the main motive is the same. All companies have a two point agenda- to improve qualitatively (the management of people and processes) and quantitatively (the impact on society). The second is as important as the first and stake holders of every company are increasingly taking an interest in the outer circle-the activities of the company and how these are impacting the environment and society.[5] Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystem. A trade-off always[citation needed] exists between economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and environment. Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose any action impacts the environment.[1] This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

[edit]Emerging

Normative Status of Social Responsibility

Social responsibility as a non-binding, or soft law principle has received some normative status in relation to private and public corporations in the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights developed by the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee particularly in relation to child and maternal welfare.[6] (Faunce and Nasu 2009) The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is developing an international standard to provide guidelines for adopting and disseminating social responsibility: ISO 26000 - Social Responsibility. Due for publication in 2010, this standard will "encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility and will lead to common guidance on concepts, definitions and methods of evaluation." (ISO, 2009) The standard describes itself as a guide for dialogue and language, not a constraining or certifiable management standard.[7]

Examples of Social Responsibility Strategies

by Susan S. Davis, Demand Media

Related Articles
Strategies a Company Can Employ That Help Develop Social Responsibility for a Business Policy Corporate Social Responsibility As a Tool in Sales Promotions About Companies Who Practice Positive Social Responsibility Five Dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility What Monetary & Nonmonetary Benefits Do Social Responsibility Programs Bring to a Business? Micro Finance & Business Social Responsibility Social responsibility is a form of self-regulation that businesses adopt as a part of their corporate conscience and citizenship. Often referred to as corporate social responsibility or CSR, this policy spurs businesses to develop means to monitor the publics social perception of them as a responsible business. The business goal of social responsibility is to encourage the companys actions toward the positive impact of consumer, community and employee responsibility.
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Voluntary Hazard Elimination

Companies involved with social responsibility often take action to voluntarily eliminate production practices that could cause harm for the public, regardless of whether they are required by law. For example, a business could institute a hazard control program that includes steps to protect the public from exposure to hazardous substances through education and awareness. A plant that uses chemicals could implement a safety inspection checklist to guide staff in best practices when handling potentially dangerous substances and materials. A business that makes excessive noise and vibration could analyze the effects its work has on the environment by surveying local residents. The information received could be used to adjust activities and develop soundproofing to lessen public exposure to noise pollution.

Community Development
Companies, businesses and corporations concerned with social responsibility align with appropriate institutions to create a better environment to live and work. For example, a corporation or business may set up a foundation to assist in learning or education for the public. This action will be viewed as an asset to all of the communities that it serves, while developing a positive public profile.

Philanthropy
Businesses involved in philanthropy make monetary contributions that provide aid to local charitable, educational and health-related organizations to assist under-served or impoverished communities. This action can assist people in acquiring marketable skills to reduce poverty, provide education and help the

environment. For example, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation focuses on global initiatives for education, agriculture and health issues, donating computers to schools and funding work on vaccines to prevent polio and HIV/AIDS.

Creating Shared Value

Corporate responsibility interests are often referred to as creating shared value or CSV, which is based upon the connection between corporate success and social well-being. Since a business needs a productive workforce to function, health and education are key components to that equation. Profitable and successful businesses must thrive so that society may develop and survive. An example of how CSV works could be a company-sponsored contest involving a project to improve the management and access of water used by a farming community, to foster public health.

Social Education and Awareness

Companies that engage in socially responsible investing use positioning to exert pressure on businesses to adopt socially responsible behavior themselves. To do this, they use media and Internet distribution to expose the potentially harmful activities of organizations. This creates an educational dialogue for the public by developing social community awareness. This kind of collective activism can be affective in reaching social education and awareness goals. Integrating a social awareness strategy into the business model can also aid companies in monitoring active compliance with ethical business standards and applicable laws.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our priorities for social responsibility include labour, human rights, diversity, disaster response and community involvement.
In recent years, we have worked to implement formalised principles and forge partnerships that integrate social responsibility more tightly into our business and our operations. For example, we have created and implemented the Maersk Global Labour Principles a code of labour standards that applies to all our employees, wherever they work in the world.

We have also taken significant steps in the areas of diversity, disaster relief and community involvement including forging partnerships and establishing new entities and roles within the company. All of this work underscores our deep commitment to responsible corporate behaviour and good citizenship around the world. This work is and will remain an on-going journey for Maersk, where we enhance and adapt earlier initiatives an embark on new ones. In 2011, for example, we established the Maersk Human Rights Framework, which is based on the new UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights and Business and will serve as a platform for our work in this area. Follow the links to the left to explore what were doing in the field of corporate social responsibility.

Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/socialresponsibility.asp#ixzz2KGMhl9F Z

http://www.imasocialentrepreneur.com/social-responsibility/ http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/csr.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_responsibility http://www.maersk.com/sustainability/socialresponsibility/pages/socialresponsibility.asp x http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-social-responsibility-strategies-10633.html