Corporate Social Responsibility Definition

This research study is about what the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is, how people define and how I understand this term? According to my research and observations, CSR does not have only one and constant definition. I have read a lot of definitions of CSR and in fact, they are similar but not the same. Briefly, definition and understanding of CSR depends on person to person. Thus, I am going to talk about definitions of the CSR and I will define my own perspective about the CSR. As I mentioned, CSR does not have one definition. There is huge amount of CSR definitions published by business world and economists. For example, “CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society” according to Mallen Baker. (Baker, M. June 8, 2004). In my opinion, this definition reflects basic concept but it does not include how the business world can produce or create positive impact on the society and what impacts can affect the society positively while the companies run for the business? Furthermore, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense by Lord Holme and Richard Watts have defined CSR in little bit different and specific perspective “Corporate Social Responsibility is 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 of the local community and society at large" Holme, L.& Watts, R. (Jan.2000). This definition is more specific and comprehensive than Baker’s definition. Holme and Watts mentioned positive impacts and how the impacts should be. However, they rule out very important fact which is environmental impacts. I think, companies and business world must contribute to economic and social development while improving the life quality of the work force and consider about environmental

References: Baker, M. (June 8, 2004). Corporate Social Responsibility - What does it mean? Retrieved from http://www.mallenbaker.net/csr/definition.php Carroll, A.B., and A.K. Buchholtz.Business and Society: Ethics and Stakeholder Management .5th ed. Australia: Thomson South-Western, 2003. Carrol, A.B., (July-August 1991). The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Toward the Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders. Business Horizons. Retrieved from http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/dunn/rprnts.pyramidofcsr.pdf Friedman, M. (Sep 13, 1970.) “The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase its Profits.” The New York Times Magazine pp.122-126 Holme, L.& Watts, R. (Jan.2000). “Making Good Business Sense” Retrieved from http://www.wbcsd.org/web/publications/csr2000.pdf pp.4-9 Marrevijk, M. (2002). Concepts and Definitions of CSR and Corporate Sustainability-between agency and communion-. EU European Social Fund Article 6 Innovative M