BAC 4 JUAN F. PUJOL, JR.

, MBA
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

According to EU Commission,
CSR is a concept whereby companies integrate social and
environmental concerns in their business operations and in their
interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.
 Corporations are part of society

The social performance of a business has not always however

been accepted and has been the subject of extensive debate. Thus,
Hetherington states:

“There is no reason to think that shareholders are willing to tolerate

an amount of corporate non-profit activity which appreciably
reduces either dividends or the market performance of the stock”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 Corporations are part of society

Conversely, Dahl states:
“…every large corporation should be thought of as a
social enterprise; that is an entity whose existence and
decisions can be justified insofar as they serve public or
social purposes.”
Similarly, Caroll, one of the early CSR theorists states that:
“business encompasses the economic, legal and
discretionary expectations that society has of
organization at a given point in time.”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

Balabanis, Phillips and Lyall declared that:

“in the modern commercial area, companies and their
managers are subjected to well publicised pressure to
play an increasingly active role in (the welfare of
society.”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 Profit is all that matters

Milton Friedman says,
“There is one and only one social responsibility
of business – to use its resources and engage in
activities designed to increase its profits so long
as it stays within the rules of the game, which is
to say, engages in open and free competition
without deception or fraud.”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 Profit is all that matters

Drucker had the opinion that:
“business turns a social problem into economic
opportunity and economic benefit, into
productive capacity, into human competence,
into well –paid jobs, and into wealth.”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 CSR is conditional
Robertson and Nicholson thought that:
“a certain amount of rhetoric may be inevitable
in the area of social responsibility. Managers
may even believe that making statements about
social responsibility insulates the firm from the
necessity of takng socially responsible action.”
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 CSR is conditional
Moir is more ambivalent:
“whether or not business should undertake CSR, and
the forms that responsibility should take, depends
upon the economic perspective of the firm that is
adopted.”

CSR therefore is by no means certain that everybody

thinks that it is important or relevant to modern
business.
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

The effects of organizational activity

Any actions which an organization undertakes will have an
effect not just upon itself but also upon the external environment
within which that organization resides.
This effect of the organization can take many forms, such as:
 The utilization of natural resources as part of its production

processes
 The effects of competition between itself and other

organizations in the same market

 The enrichment of local community through the creation of

employment opportunities
Defining Corporate Social Responsibility

 Transformation of the landscape due to raw material

extraction or product waste storage.
 The distribution of wealth created within the firm to the
owners of that firm (via dividends) and the workers of that
firm (through wages) and the effect of this upon the welfare
of individuals.
 And more recently, the greatest concern has been with
climate change and the way in which the emission of
greenhouse gases(contributes to greenhouse effect - the
trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower
atmosphere) are exacerbating (making worse of) this.
 SEATWORK #1
Answer the following Questions in Google Classroom:
1. Why do you think Corporate Social Responsibility is
important for a business in these modern times? Is it
relevant?
2. Should CSR be a voluntary activity? Why?
3. What is the relationship between CSR and profit?
End of Session 1
The Principles of CSR

 The Prominence of CSR

 Changing Emphasis in
Companies
 Environmental Issues
and their Effects and
Implications
 Externalizing Costs
 The Social Contract
The Principles of CSR
There are three basic principles
which together comprise all
CSR activity. These are:
 Sustainability

 Accountability

 Transparency

Sustainability – is concerned with the effect which

action taken in the present has upon the options
available in the future.
The Principles of CSR
 If resources are utilized in the present then they
are no longer available for use in the future, and
this is of particular concern if the resources are
finite in quantity.
Ex. Raw materials of an extractive in nature,
such as coal, iron, or oil, are finite in quantity
and once used are not available for future use.
 Alternatives in the future therefore will be needed
to fulfil the functions currently provided by these
resources.
 As resources becomes depleted then the cost of
acquiring the remaining resources tends to
increase, and hence the operational costs of
organizations tend to increase.
The Principles of CSR
Sustainability implies that society must use
no more of a resource than can be generated.
Ex. The paper industry has a policy of
replanting trees to replace those
harvested and this has the effect of
retaining costs in the present rather than
temporarily externalizing them
 Resources that are finite in quantity would

require alternatives to fulfil the functions

currently provided by these resources.
 Sustainability implies that society must

use no more of a resource than can be

regenerated.
 The Principles of CSR

Accountability is concerned with an organization recognizing

that its actions affect external environment, and therefore
assuming responsibility for the effects of its actions.
 This concept implies a quantification of the effects of

actions taken, both internal to the organization and

externally.
 It implies reporting of those quantifications to all parties

affected by those actions.

 It implies a reporting to external stakeholders of the effects

of actions taken by the organization and how they are

affecting stakeholders.
The Principles of CSR
Transparency
 Transparency, as a principle, means that

the external impact of the actions of the

organization can be ascertained from that
organization’s reporting and pertinent facts
are not disguised within that reporting.
 Thus all the effects of the actions of the

organization, including external impacts,

should be apparent to all from using the
information provided by the organization’s
reporting mechanisms.
The Principles of CSR
Transparency
 Transparency is of particular importance to

external users of such information as these users

lack the background details and knowledge
available to internal users of such information.
 Transparency therefore can be seen to follow

from the other two principles and equally can be

seen to be a part of the process of recognition of
responsibility on the part of the organization for
the external effects of its actions and equally
part of the process of transferring power to
external stakeholders.
 The Principles of CSR
The Prominence of CSR
 It is quite noticeable how much more prominent corporate
social responsibility (CSR) has become – not just in the
academic world and in the business world but also in
everyday life.
 Factors that contribute to the more prominent corporate

social responsibility:
1. Poor business behaviour towards customers
Ex. Individual customers are understanding and that they do
not expect perfection from a business but do expect honesty
and transparency.
 The Principles of CSR
The Prominence of CSR
2. Treating employees unfairly. Ex. exploitation
of people in developing countries, especially the
question of child labour but also such things as
sweat shops (a factory or workshop, especially
in the clothing industry, where manual workers
are employed at very low wages for long hours
and under poor conditions).
3. Ignoring the environment and the
consequences of organizational action.
Example. issue of climate change.
 The Principles of CSR
Changing Emphasis in Companies
 Companies themselves have changed - No
longer concerned with greenwashing
which is the pretence of socially
responsible behaviour through artful
reporting.
 Companies now are taking CSR much
more seriously not just because they
understand that it is a key to business
success and can give them a strategic
advantage, but also because people in
those organizations care about social
responsibility.
The Principles of CSR
Changing Emphasis in Companies
 The growing importance of CSR is
being driven by individuals who
care, but those individuals are not
just customers, they are also
employees, managers, owners and
investors of a company.
 Companies are partly reacting to
external pressures and partly
leading the development of
responsible behavior and reporting.
 The Principles of CSR
Environmental Issues and their Effects and
Implications
 When an organization undertakes an activity
which impacts upon the external
environment, then this affects that
environment in ways which are not reflected
in the traditional accounting of that
organization.
 The environment can be affected either
positively, through for example a landscaping
project, or negatively, through for example
the creation of heaps of waste from a mining
operation.
The Principles of CSR
Environmental Issues and their Effects and Implications
 These actions of an organization impose costs and
benefits upon the external environment.
 These actions are excluded from traditional
accounting of the firm, and by implication from its
area of responsibility- such costs and benefits have
been externalized.
 The concept of externality therefore is concerned
with the way in which these costs and benefits are
externalized from the organization and imposed
upon others.
 The Principles of CSR
Externalizing Costs
The externalization of costs can be externalized
both spatially and temporally.
 Spatial Externalization

Spatial externalization describes the way in which

costs can be transferred to other entities in the
current time period. Examples of such spatial
externalization include:
• Environmental degradation through such things
as polluted – and therefore dead – rivers or
through increased traffic imposes costs upon the
local community through reduced quality of
life;
 The Principles of CSR
Externalizing Costs
Examples of such spatial externalization include:
• Causing pollution imposes costs upon society at
large;
• Waste disposal problems impose costs upon
whoever is tasked with such disposal;
• Removing staff from shops imposes costs upon
customers who must queue for service;
• Just in time manufacturing imposes costs upon
suppliers by transferring stockholding costs to
them.
The Principles of CSR
Externalizing Costs
 Temporal Externalization
The temporal externalization of costs describes the way
in which costs are transferred from the current time
period into another – the future.
Examples of temporal externalization include:
o Deferring investment to a future time period and so

increasing reported value in the present;

o Failing to provide for asset disposal costs in capital

investment appraisal and leaving such costs for

future owners to incur;
 The Principles of CSR
The Social Contract
 In 1762 Jean-Jacques Rousseau
produced his book on the Social
Contract which was designed to explain
– and therefore legitimate – the
relationship between and individual and
society and its government.
 In it he argued that individuals voluntary
gave up certain rights in order for the
government of the state to be able to
manage for the greater good of all
citizens.
The Principles of CSR
The Social Contract
 More recently the Social Contract
has gained a new prominence as it
has been used to explain the
relationship between a company
and society.
 In this view the company (or other
organisation) has obligations
towards other parts of society in
return for its place in society.
The Principles of CSR
The Social Contract
 This can be depicted thus:
 SEATWORK #2
Answer the following Questions in Google Classroom:
1. What has led to the current interest in CSR?
2. What is green-washing?
3. What is cost externalization? Why does it happen?
4. What is the Social Contract? Why has it become
prominent in CSR?
End of Session 2
 RT 3
PA

BAC 4 JUAN F. PUJOL, JR., MBA

Stakeholders & the Social Contract

 What is a stakeholder?
 Multiple Stake-holding

 The Classification of

Stakeholders
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

Although we considered the social contract in the last chapter

we now need to consider it in relationship to stakeholders and
to Stakeholder theory. This theory is one of the major
influences on CSR.
What is a stakeholder?
There are several definitions. The
most common ones are:
 Those groups without whose support

the organization would cease to exist

 Any group or individual who can affect

or is affected by the achievement of the

organization’s objectives.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

We can see from these definitions that a lot of people

can be a stakeholder to an organization. The most
common groups who we consider to be stakeholders
include:
 Managers

 Employees

 Customers

 Investors

 Shareholders

 Suppliers
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

Then, there are some more

generic groups who are
often included:
 Government

 Society at large

 The local community

Many people consider that only people can be

stakeholders to an organization. Some people extend
this and say that the environment can be affected by
organizational activity.
 Stakeholders & the Social Contract

These effects of the organization’s activities

can take many forms, such as:
 the utilization of natural resources as a part

of its production processes

 the effects of competition between itself

and other organizations in the same market

 the enrichment of a local community

through the creation of employment

opportunities
 transformation of the landscape due to raw

material extraction or waste product

storage
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

These effects of the organization’s

activities can take many forms, such as:
 the distribution of wealth created

within the firm to the owners of that

firm (via dividends) and the workers
of that firm (through wages) and the
effect of this upon the welfare of
individuals.
 pollution caused by increased volumes

of traffic and in creased journey times

because of those increased volumes of
traffic.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

Thus many people also consider that

there is and additional stakeholder to an
organization, namely:
 The environment

As we will see in the next discussions -

the actions of an organization have a big
effect upon future possibilities. It is for
this reason that we also add one extra
stakeholder:
 The future

It should be noted however that others do

not generally include the future as a
stakeholder.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

Multiple Stakeholding
 It is normal to consider all of these

stakeholder groups separately.

 It should be noted however hat each

person will belong to several

stakeholder groups at the same time.
For example a single person might be a
customer of an organization and also an
employee and a member of the local
community and of society at large.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract

Multiple Stakeholding
 He or she may also be a

shareholder and a member of a

local environmental association
and therefore concerned about
the environment. Most probably
that person will also be
concerned about the future also,
on their own behalf or on behalf
of their children.
 Stakeholders & the Social Contract

The Classification of Stakeholders

There are two main ways to classify
stakeholders:
1. Internal vs. external
 Internal stakeholders are those included
within the organization such as
employees or managers, whereas
 External stakeholders are such groups as suppliers or customers
who are not generally considered to be a part of the organization.
Although this classification is fine it becomes increasingly difficult in
a modern organization to distinguish the two types when employees
might be subcontractors and suppliers might be another organization
within the same group.
 Stakeholders & the Social Contract

The Classification of Stakeholders

There are two main ways to classify
stakeholders:
2. Voluntary vs. Involuntary
 Voluntary stakeholders can choose

whether or not to be a stakeholder to an

organization, whereas
 Involuntrary stakeholders cannot.
For example, an employee can choose to leave the employment of
the organization and therefore is a voluntary stakeholder. The local
society or the environment are not able to make this choice and
must therefore be considered to be involuntary stakeholders.
 Stakeholders & the Social Contract

SEATWORK #3
Answer the following Questions in Google Classroom:
1. Why do you think the Environment and The Future are
considered to be Stakeholders?
2. Describe an individual who is considered to be a
multiple stakeholder.
3. How do we classify stakeholders?
End of Session 3 - Module 1
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholder Theory
o The argument for Stakeholder Theory is based upon

the assertion that maximizing wealth for shareholders

fails to maximize wealth for society and all its
members and that only a concern with managing all
stakeholder interests achieves this.
o Stakeholder theory states that all stakeholders must be

considered in the decision making process of the

organization.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholder Theory
The theory states that there are 3 reasons why this
should happen:
 It is the morally and ethically correct way to behave

 Doing so actually also benefits the shareholders

 It reflects what actually happens in an organization

As far as this third point is concerned then this is

supported by research from Cooper at al (2001) into
large firms.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholder Theory
This research shows that the majority of firms are
concerned with a range of stakeholders in their decision
making process:
  Concerned with Very concerned
with
Stakeholder % %
Customers 89 59
Employees 89 51
Shareholders 100 78
Suppliers 70 3
The environment 62 5
Society 73 3

Fig 3.1: Stakeholder inclusion in decision making

Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholder Theory
According to this theory,
 Stakeholder management, or corporate social
responsibility, is not an end in itself but is simply seen
as a means for improving economic performance.
 This assumption is often understood although it is

clearly stated by Atkinson, Waterhouse and Wells

(1997) and is actually inconsistent with the ethical
reasons for adopting stakeholder theory.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Stakeholder Theory
 Instead of stakeholder management improving
economic, or financial, performance therefore it is
argued that a broader aim of corporate social
performance should be used (Jones and Wicks, 1999).
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
 One thing which is of particular importance for all
corporations, and is becoming more important is the matter
of risk and the managing of that risk.
 A stakeholder approach to decision making and managing
the organization is likely to identify more risks and to
manage them better.
 Risk is also very related to sustainability (see the next
chapter) and we will show that the lack of a full
understanding of what is meant by sustainability, and
particularly by sustainable development, means that the issue
is confused in corporate planning and reporting (Aras &
Crowther 2008)
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
In order to fully recognize and incorporate
environmental costs and benefits into the investment
analysis process the starting point needs to be the
identification of the types of costs and revenues which
need to be incorporated into the evaluation process.
 Once these types of costs have been identified then it

becomes possible to quantify such costs and to

incorporate qualitative data concerning those less
tangible benefits which are not easily subject to
quantification.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
 The completion of an environmental audit will enhance
the understanding of the processes involved and will make
this easier.
 Once all the data has been recognized, collected and
quantified it then becomes possible to incorporate this
data, in financial terms, into an evaluation which
incorporates risk in a more consistent manner.
 It is important to recognise benefits as well as costs, and it
is perhaps worth reiterating that many of these benefits are
less subject to quantification and are of the less tangible
and image related kind.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
The Examples include: 
 Enhanced company or product image – this in itself

can lead to increased sales

 Health and safety benefits

 Ease of attracting investment and lowered cost of such

investment
 Better community relationships – this can lead to

easier and quicker approval of plans through the

planning process
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
The Examples include: 
 Improved relationship with regulators, where relevant

 Improved morale among workers, leading to higher

productivity, lower staff turnover and consequently

lower recruitment and training costs
 General improved image and relationship with

stakeholders
Many of these benefits are not just intangible but will
take some time to realize.
Stakeholders & the Social Contract
Reducing Risk
The steps involved in the incorporation of environmental
accounting into the risk evaluation system can therefore
be summarized as follows:
 Identify environmental implications in term of costs

and benefits
 Quantify those costs and incorporate qualitative data

regarding less tangible benefits

 Use appropriate financial indicators

 Set an appropriate time horizon which allows

environmental effects to be fully realized

 SEATWORK #4
Answer the following Questions in your Google Classroom:
1. What justification does Stakeholder Theory use for
considering stakeholders?
2. Give an example of a certain right that an individual
gives up for the greater good of all citizens.

ANSWER THE ABOVE-GIVEN QUESTIONS IN YOUR

GOOGLE CLASSROOM
End of Unit I