CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility

Conducting business in an ethical way

Key information

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a management concept whereby companies are socially accountable to themselves and their stakeholders. Through integrating social and environmental concerns into their operations and stakeholder interactions firms a company can achieve balance socially, environmentally, and economically.

There is an accounting framework that considers these three key factors which is called 'the triple bottom line'. The three areas are often referred to as The Three P's; People, Profit and Planet.

Some examples of CSR in practice

  • TOMS shoes - Founded upon the social mission that for every pair of shoes sold, one pair would be given to a child in need of shoes.

  • Starbucks - In its hiring procedures Starbucks strives for equality and diversity, hiring veterans and refugees, and maintaining 100% pay equity across men and women and people of all races for performing similar work.

  • Salesforce - Champions a 1-1-1 philanthropic model, this means giving 1% of product, 1% of equity, and 1% of employee time to communities and the non-profit sector. Interlinking success of the company with positive impact.

Quick activity: Think of a job that you have done, what is a way that CSR practices could be applied to the work or company?

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