Academic literature on the topic 'Corporate social and environmental responsibility'

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a western concept that is penetrating Middle Eastern countries, and the UAE is the most appropriate region to offer insights into CSR because other Middle Eastern countries are not adopting the concept quite as quickly as the UAE. One indication of CSR in UAE is its transparent firms. This paper explores the current stage of CSR implementation in Arab countries, with special attention given to the UAE. An in-depth study was conducted to explore CSR implementation among local managers. Primary data from 198 questionnaires and case studies were analyzed to obtain valuable insights into the current state of CSR in the UAE. Key concepts are highlighted regarding the definition and practice of CSR in the UAE. Secondary data from both western and eastern cultures were also analyzed to examine the extent of adoption and adaptation of CSR and corporate philanthropy from multiple perspectives. Findings suggest all organizations, both local and multinational, must consider environmental and stakeholder interests in order to become global. Some confusion appears to exist between the concept of philanthropy and CSR. Some CSR highlighted by firms includes following regulations effectively and efficiently, adopting environmentally friendly business processes, organizing seminars, and creating awareness of the concept among peers. Although CSR is maturing in the Middle East, UAE firms need to improve CSR to compete with the practices that have become the CSR standard in western countries. In the last few years, governments and local organizations have strictly enforced business ethics and environmental regulations to support the growth of CSR in the country.

In recent decades, the study of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become one of the most popular research topics. In the markets of China, CSR has also attracted much attention from either local corporations or multi-national business. They have contributed many efforts to put CSR into effect, which helps CSR to be more practical and influential. By reviewing existing literature, this article mainly focuses on the environmental problems caused by lack of corporate social responsibility in China, which has led to the following research on CSR performance in China and customer view of CSR. The conditions of practicing CSR in China are researched first, and the attitudes of people towards CSR is tested empirically by a questionnaire using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Ultimately, the valid results collected were analyzed in detail along with a few suggestions. This article may help identify some surrounding problems of CSR and advance CSR practice slightly.

‘The business of business is business,’ Milton Friedman, a leading figure of the Chicago School of economic thought, famously declaimed. In his 1970 article, ‘The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits’, he argued that corporate managers who factor social and environmental considerations into their decision-making are, in effect, ‘imposing taxes . . . and deciding how the tax proceeds shall be spent’. By deviating from their organizational duties—maximizing profits for the companies that employ them—they are appropriating money owed to shareholders and allocating it to broader social causes, a function that resembles government. Friedman objects to this behavior not on economic or legal but on political grounds: managers have not been elected and there are no principled procedures for determining which causes to support beyond ‘general exhortations from on high’ (Friedman 1970: 17). He also expresses scepticism about ‘hypocritical window-dressing’, concluding: ‘our institutions, and the attitudes of the public make it in their self-interest to cloak their actions in this way’ (Friedman 1970: 17).

Research background: Corporate social responsibility (CSR) involves doing business in an ethical manner, being responsible to employees, customers and stakeholders in the business, and contributing to society and social causes. Organisations that implement CSR in their business have the potential to become more competitive in the market, and to create a better image of themselves in public. An organisation should behave in a socially acceptable manner towards interest groups affected by its business, since the behaviour of those interest groups also has an impact on the organisation’s operations. Purpose of the article: This article covers the economic, social, environmental and ethical dimensions of CSR, and focuses on the care for the environment and the impact of the application of CSR on the success of the organisation. Methods: The aim of the research is to investigate how the application of CSR in the organisation affects its performance factors but also its environment and whether the organisation can in addition to achieving its primary objective - profit, also contribute to a better and healthier environment for future generations. Findings & Value added: It can be concluded from the research results that people prefer working in an organisation that is socially responsible and would accept lower pay if conditions such as opportunities for advancement, health and safety at work etc. are met.

In business environment, corporate social and environmental responsibility is becoming increasingly an important issue. In today's world there are many components to consider when managing corporate social and environmental responsibility. The most dangerous are: air, water and soil toxifcation, climate change, exhaustion of resources (oil, water, forests), destruction of biological diversity and extermination of animal and plant species, environmental noise pollution, unmanaged waste; which overcome the potential of nature to purify and renew itself. There is no recipe for actualizing corporate social and environmental responsibility. However, the companies should be aware of this fact and accordingly, we may observe that the long term survival in the 21st century depends on wise leaders of companies and learning organizations who would manage CSR and environmental responsibility as an imperative. It is important to take into account philosophical aspect of such kind of managing, where the main questions are: what is the responsibility of the companies that generate long-term competitive advantage and what is type of implication of such success on the environment, society and the consumers. By adopting social and environmental responsible practices, company achieves better performance, reputation and overall commitment. It generally has a positive effect on company‘s support for the environment, adoption of corporate environmental responsibility and green practices. Governmental support strongly creates the effect of green management and encourages policies that are supported by financial aid and technical resources. The meaning of a corporate social and environmental responsibility concept of companies is a conscious ethical investment based on innovations and moral upgrading of managing. Such approach can be seen as an investment for sustainable value creation. The main aim is long term gain. The great social capital and environmental safety can be obtained through such kind of managing approach. It is important to underline that high and middle management can upgrade their ethical approach by managing corporate social and environmental responsibility with high integrity and deep respect for the environment, in order to avoid irreparable form of exploitation. That is the new way of doing business by implementing the understanding for specific needs of different environments, which involves elaborating the new responsible business models. It can be concluded that responsible development of sustainable innovations has to be done in order to respect positive socio-economic, ethical, political and environmental features and differences. Traditional, PR-seeking corporate and environmental responsibility is no longer enough in 21st century, because the paradigm of human survival is inseparable from our global ecosystem. Proactive corporate social and environmental responsibility jointly brings harmony to the whole society.

The article explores the issue of the place and significance of measures for environmental protection and environmental management in the system of social responsibility of business. The retrospective of the concept of social responsibility of business, its modern content and approaches to the organization of activities are considered. The issues of applying the principles of responsible investment and its connection with the expansion of methods for assessing the effectiveness of socially responsible activities of mining companies in Russia have been studied.