Ethical leadership promotes social responsibility as part of its corporate culture. It treats all it stakeholders with fairness, honesty, and respect at all times. Ethical leaders consider the consequences of their decisions to others, and look for ways to minimize harm. By incorporating social responsibility into the corporate culture, an organization should enjoy continued economic success. Its products and services should be well received and its reputation will promote good will, which translates into ongoing support in the community and in the marketplace. Three such organizations that promote social responsibility are PETCO, Home Depot and New Belgium Brewing Company.
PETCO’s code of ethics established a corporate culture that would foster social responsibility. The code of ethics addresses all areas of organizational risks associated with “human resources, conflicts of interest, and appropriate behavior in the workplace” (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2011). The codes primary emphasis was that an “animal’s health, well being, and humane treatment.” (Ferrell, …show more content…
They believed strongly that their company should give back to the community in whatever way they could. Home Depot’s approach to social responsibility has four focus areas. These areas are affordable housing, the environment, youth at risk; and disaster preparedness and relief. Another way that Home Depot fosters social responsibility in the community is through its employee volunteer program, Team Depot. Team Depot consists of associates who volunteer their own time to work on projects in their communities. Team Depot has since evolved into a significant component of Home Depot’s efforts to give back to the communities where it operates. The company’s focus on giving back to the communities in which it operates helps build its reputation for being a good