Week #8

 Corporate Social Responsibility

Does this matter to you? Do you base decisions to do business with companies based on the way they are socially responsible? This is an area that seems to be growing in the business world. Consumers, employees and shareholders are increasingly demanding greater social responsibility. Businesses have greater responsibility to the triple bottom line. This is not just profit, although that is obviously important to businesses. The triple bottom line includes economic, social and environmental considerations, Taking care of the planet by having environmentally responsible practices, take care of people by meeting social needs that relate to the business and find sustainable ways to have a profit while maintaining the other two areas is the goal of many modern businesses.


One way that you can know if the companies you do business with are socially responsible is to check for a B Corp certification. This organizations certifies businesses who ascribe to the beliefs that business should be a force for good. They are a third party that verifies businesses based on an Impact Assessment that measures performance, legal accountability and public transparency. There are many businesses who pursue this certification which can help guide consumers who want to be more socially conscious in their patronage. I am inspired to be more aware of businesses that I support with my purchases and to be a responsible consumer in searching for businesses that are social responsibility. This video shows why  B Corps matters.

https://youtu.be/tlxZjnBEsaI 
Why do you think CSR has become more popular in recent years?

As our world has become more global and we have increased access to information, we are more aware of global needs and of environmental concerns. As more and more people are aware of problems, there is an expectation of solutions. This change in public perception drives business change. Additionally more and more people in business have a desire to positively impact the world around them and look for ways to implement changes. The social awareness shift has made corporate social responsibility more popular.





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