Social Responsibility: Ethical Business, Environmental Sustainability and Philanthropy - Research Paper

Introduction

Social responsibility is a moral theory which makes people accountable in conducting their civic duty which is beneficial to the whole society. Through these actions, there has to be an equilibrium between social welfare, economic growth, and the environment. The different types of social responsibility are ethical business activities, environmental sustainability initiatives, financial responsibility, and direct philanthropic giving. For the social responsibility to become successful, the individual has to be a critical thinker, conduct self-actualization thinks beyond their limits. Sustainability is the development which meets the requirements of the present without compromising the ability of the coming generations in meeting their obligations (Amini & Bienstock, 2014). Sustainability in organizations creates an impact on both society and the environment. Whenever an organization fails to develop responsibility in both areas, it leads to issues like social injustices, environmental degradation, and inequality in society.

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Types of Social Responsibility

Ethical Responsibility

The actions and decisions which are taken by the Organization usually affect the stakeholders in different ways. This act gives the Organization the duty to follow the moral standards, values, and norms of the societies where the company operates. A morally responsible organization can interpret, recognize and act towards various values and principles which are prescribed by specific contexts within a given area. The businesses tend to adopt the Code of Conduct to control the behavior of workers towards a given moral boundary (Carroll & Shabana, 2010). Therefore, managers are the prime ethical actors since they base their decisions on specific standards of ethics.

Legal Responsibility

The government has developed policies and laws which act as restrictions on how businesses are conducted in a particular country. In the past, firms worked freely since the set of rules and policies did not restrain them. Restricting transactions has helped in protecting the interests of the societal members. Through these policies the company can follow the codified and written laws which concern its existence (Carroll & Shabana, 2010). For example, the rules which affects the organizations which operate in these areas are the contracts and obligations, labor rights, consumer protection, and the competition laws.

Philanthropic Responsibilities

According to Carroll & Shabana (2010), this responsibility views itself as the contributing entity and active member of the community. It states that organizations have the responsibility of giving back and promoting the improvement of the society. The philanthropic responsibility gives the Organization a sense of purpose which helps in improving its public image. Therefore, to encourage this responsibility the organization hold seminar for the emerging entrepreneurs and the existing employees which makes them achieve their set goals and objectives.

Steps to Creating a Sustainable Organization Strategy

Understanding Sustainability and Recognizing its Meaning to the Organization

It is essential for the company to define the Meaning and the benefits of sustainability to its members and the surrounding population. For the management to make decisions towards the development of the new products, investment decisions and alteration of the procurement practices, sustainability tends to play a vital role in these decisions. For example, whenever a company is setting a production plant, water sustainability has to be included as a prime factor (Benn, Edwards & Williams, 2014). Therefore, efforts have to become concentrated on issues which create the most significant impact in the Organization since they can lead to the success or failure in the Organization.

Involving the Stakeholders

Since the impact created by the Organization varies among the stakeholders, it is essential for the management to include the stakeholder in decision making. The company can engage with influential individuals thus keeping a close relationship and constant communication. The different methods and levels of interaction results in various benefits to the stakeholder and the organizations thus being translated to various sustainable actions (Benn et al., 2014). For example, allowing the stakeholders to criticize the company makes them improve their services and programs through the development of the leading platforms.

Assessment of the Challenges and Definition of the Objectives

The management of an organization has to assess how the employees, clients and the company view sustainability. The Organization's objectives are developed through the determination of the amount of waste created by the company. The waste produced by the company harms the surrounding since it leads to pollution. Also, when developing the organizations' goals one the company has to focus on the diverse hiring candidates who have appropriate knowledge and skills that suit their positions. The company should also develop objectives which ensure their products targets to help a particular audience (Benn et al., 2014). Goals which are set by the company are supposed to have a positive impact on the local society.

Establishment of Processes and Systems

The goals, processes and the particular systems control the implementation of every initiative in the Organization. The management has to ensure the policies and procedures in the Organization has to consider and collaborate with the specific areas that require improvements. The Organization has to develop an employee involvement model by appointing an internal sustainability champion. For example, the Unilever Company utilized the various brands which targeted particular social issues, altered the clients' behavior and invested in sustainable technologies (Benn et al., 2014). Therefore, the development of different systems and processes would help the Organization to develop strategies which will help it in the achievement of the set goals and objectives.

Tracking the Progress, Communicating Actions and Meeting Expectations

The developed system is supposed to measure the performance of every goal in the Organization. Definition of particular performance indicator will help the management to detect areas which require to be improved while gathering appropriate information to track the progress of the Organization. Specific signs and metrics govern activities conducted in the Organization. Data contribute to the prioritization of the initiatives and issues which promote the involvement of workers in an organization. The collection of data outside the Organization leads to accountability thus responding to the interests and expectations of stakeholders in a company (Benn et al., 2014). Organizations tend to designs their systems which help in measuring their performance for a specific. The corporate sustainability requires adaptability to the business maturity and the willingness of the Organization to accept and treat sustainability as the strategic opportunity.

Importance of Social Responsibility and Sustainability

The sustainability programs which are adopted in the production of various products and services leads to cost saving. The areas where these programs promote savings are in the green offices, during incorporation of the renewable sources of energy and in the storage and manufacturing facilities. For example, General Mills used the sustainability efforts to encourage its workers to eat healthier hence lowering the medical care costs in the company (Orlitzky, Siegel & Waldman, 2011). Therefore, the program has helped in minimizing pollution in the ecosystem thus promoting the lives the people present in the society.

References

Amini, M., & Bienstock, C. C. (2014). Corporate sustainability: an integrative definition and framework to evaluate corporate practice and guide academic research. Journal of Cleaner Production, 76, 12-19. Retrieved from http://www.pgsadvisors.com/2013/08/5-key-steps-to-a-sustainable-corporate-strategy/

Benn, S., Edwards, M., & Williams, T. (2014). Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Change-Corporate-Sustainability-Understanding/dp/041569549X

Carroll, A. B., & Shabana, K. M. (2010). The business case for corporate social responsibility: A review of concepts, research, and practice. International journal of management reviews, 12(1), 85-105. Retrieved from http://www.versiondaily.com/the-four-social-responsibilities-of-a-business/

Orlitzky, M., Siegel, D. S., & Waldman, D. A. (2011). Strategic corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Business & Society, 50(1), 6-27. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0007650310394323