Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

by Anita Cava, JD

Core Values

Responsibility, Citizenship, Integrity, Respect

These core values are reflected in this module in the following ways:

This module explores the responsibility of business to invest money in promoting the interests of "stakeholders" such as employees, the community in which the corporation is located, and the environment, instead of concentrating solely on making money for "shareholders." Examples include: paying workers more than the legal minimum wage, and instead, paying a living wage; supporting community prosperity initiatives such as affordable housing and access to health care; and investing in environmentally friendly policies that might be more expensive in the short run but that will preserve and protect community resources.

These factors also support the discussion of citizenship as a core value and challenges students to ask whether businesses are "citizens" or members of their community with responsibilities as outlined above, or just entities created to make money?

Integrity is a core value that involves being true to certain deeply held convictions. Do you, as a student, want to work for a company that is not mindful of the responsibilities described above? Do you want your political actions and employment choices to encouargae or discourage corporate social responsibility?

Respect is a core value that emphasizes making decisions that you as a person and as a business are proud of and want everyone to know about. This module emphasizes business decision-making that respects individuals, communities, and the environment even while it seeks to make a profit.