| Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a bit of a | | | | their local communities, they engender greater loyalty |
| contradiction in terms, after all, corporations are known | | | | and greater support. |
| for their profit margins and not their community | | | | For corporate social responsibility initiatives to thrive, |
| initiatives. But with work taking up so much of our time, | | | | however, they need the full support and backing of the |
| people are starting to look for more from their | | | | general public. That means that consumers have to |
| employers than a pay slip at the end of the day. | | | | alter their shopping habits to support only those |
| Things like working environment, environmental policies | | | | companies whose policies they endorse, and boycott |
| and social conscience are starting to play an important | | | | those that they don't. Unfortunately, few people are |
| role in employment decisions. | | | | willing to do that. The primary reason is familiarity or |
| The problem with CSR is that as a concept, it's fairly | | | | comfort. Once people are familiar or comfortable with |
| vague and open to interpretation. Toby Heaps, the | | | | a particular brand, they find that they can live with the |
| managing partner of Corporate Knights magazine, a | | | | fact that they pay low wages, emit toxic gases or |
| Canadian publication dedicated to CSR, says that CSR | | | | sanction wholesale animal slaughter. It's too much |
| "balances financial returns with the concerns of its | | | | bother to look for a similar product from a company |
| main constituencies: shareholders, employees, | | | | that is truly ethical because a) the product just won't |
| customers, citizens and nature." While the Canadian | | | | be the same and b) ethically produced products tend |
| Democracy and Corporate Accountability Commission | | | | to be a little more expensive than others. |
| say that it includes: "good corporate citizenry", | | | | You can't please everybody all of the time, but you |
| consumer protections, environmental protection, human | | | | can ease your own conscience by choosing who you |
| and labour rights and ethical behaviour. | | | | work for. Thanks to increasing media attention, more |
| While many companies still scoff at the idea of | | | | companies are investigating CSR avenues and going |
| corporate responsibility, those that subscribe to the | | | | public when they get it right, which means that |
| basic principles generally experience better employee | | | | responsible and ethical companies are getting easier to |
| performance, as staff members are proud to belong | | | | find. All you need to do is decide if you want to work |
| to these companies and work harder so that the | | | | for a company whose values are similar to your own, |
| company can do even more. Companies that are | | | | or if you want to join a crusade to change the world, |
| socially responsible also tend to be perceived well in | | | | because you won't find the latter in a boardroom. |