Corporate social responsibility and environment

Corporate social responsibility and environment

The term corporate prima facie resembles or synonymous to the earning economic gains and to concentrate on the on the profits of the corporate giants. But with the advent of corporate social responsibility, the corporate chambers are more inclined towards the social and charitable causes towards the human need, human values and human rights. When these terms have been attached to it the right to healthy environment has automatically comes into picture, which has been enshrined in the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India under Article -21.

The concept of the corporate social responsibility is not new one but the great philosophers like Kautilya and other Pre- Christian scholars have laid down the environment friendly ethical doctrines of business.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is about understanding your business impact on the wider world and considering how you can use this impact in a positive way. CSR can also be good for your bottom line. Almost everyone has different opinion or different thinking about the corporate social responsibility and every one give their definitions on corporate social responsibility and some of them are as follow:

1. The European Commission's definition of CSR as:

"A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a   voluntary basis."

2. Anonymous respondent to an Accountancy Ireland survey defined csr as:

Doing the right thing even no one is looking.

3.IndianNGOs.com,2003 defined CSR  as:

 “Corporate social responsibility is a business 4 Stakeholder process wherein the institution and the Social individuals within are sensitive and careful Environmental about the direct and indirect effect of their Economic work on internal and external communities nature and the outside world.”

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:

Now days when corporate world grow and almost cover all of the world economy and help in the progress of all the nations than in this situation corporate world has the highly responsible for the protection of environment and to reduce the environment pollution .To protect the environment and to reduce the environmental pollution companies can do many things and it helps them in increasing their profits also and by the small things also the companies can increase their profits like:

(a)Switch off the light and equipments when not working.

(b)Reduce the waste.

(c)Use recycle waste.

(d)Reduce use of water.

(e)Reduce the amount of paper.

The  International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Word Business Council for sustainable development (wbcsd) and Business Charter for sustainable Development identified sixteen key principles for Environmental management.

1. Corporate priority.

2. Integrated management.

3. Process improvement.

4. Employee education.

5. Prior assessment.

6. Produces and services.

7. Customer advice.

8. Facilities and operations.

9. Research.

10. Precautionary approach.

11. Contractors and suppliers.

12. Emergency preparedness.

13. Transfer of technology.

14. Contribution to the common effort.

15. Openness to concerns.

16. Compliance and reporting.

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

Every company in the world have to adopt the corporate social responsibility as their bottom line to protect the environment because the environment protection issue are on the peak and if every company adopted the policy than it will help the countries to protect the environment for this the companies and government can adopt the following steps:

(1) Make the csr as bottom line in their project.

(2) Take compensation from the company which pollutes the environment.

(3) Government makes policies for the protection of environment.

(4) Adopt Csr is compulsory for the companies.

(5) Companies voluntarily take the steps to protect the environment.

(6) Ngo”s helps the company to adopt CSR.

Case Studies 

The case studies below demonstrate how diverse company activities can be for businesses 

of all sizes.  

SAP

Here for Life is a not-for-profit public benevolent organisation focusing on education, 

awareness and research aimed at the prevention of youth suicide. The organization provides 

resources, education and school based life skills programs to help prevent suicide amongst 

young people. Through its charity sponsorship program SAP Australia supports Here for Life 

with monetary contributions, volunteering and staff involvement in the agency's programs 

Sun Microsystems 

In 1998, Sun became Musica Viva's first and only principal sponsor.  By associating itself 

with a leader in the IT industry, Musica Viva gains networking opportunities within the 

corporate sector, resulting in further sponsorship openings.  It gains access to Sun's staff and 

customer base to increase awareness of Music Viva's activities and performances, enabling 

it to achieve its own aims of taking the beauty of music into the lives of ordinary Australians 

and forging meaningful links between the arts and the corporate world.  The exchange of 

expertise helps both partners.  Sun provides its technological know-how and assists with 

market reach for Musica Viva, which in turn provides opportunities to give something back to 

Australia's cultural life through supporting and engaging with music in various ways. 

IBM

IBM - Japan’s ‘e-elder’ initiative is a national program using training materials and other 

support from IBM Japan which will hire and train seniors as instructors for other seniors in an 

effort to help elder citizens (expected to make up one-fifth of Japan’s population by 2008) 

more fully participate in a Web-based society. 

HP

In Singapore, HP staff raised nearly $295,000 for charity in 2003 and received a SHARE 

Gold Award from the Community Chest of Singapore for employee participation exceeding 

50%.  One event was Gladiathon, a fundraiser in support of the President's Challenge 2003. 

Leading by example was the Managing Director from HP Asia Pacific, who wore a gladiator 

costume and competed with other IT industry leaders in the battle for charity.  HP was the 

largest corporate donor of this event, raising a total of $121,000.  

Microsoft

Microsoft works closely with international organizations such as the World Food Programme, 

Save the Children, and Mercy Corps to provide technology-based development assistance 

through the HEART (Humanitarian Empowerment and Response through Technology) 

program.  More and more, global organizations rely on technology to improve the 

effectiveness of their humanitarian efforts around the world.

CONCLUSION:

Corporate Social Responsibility means the responsibilities on the companies for the development of the environment and for the community welfare and for the betterment of the society. CSR is highly responsible for the protection of the environment and to reduce the environment pollutant.

If companies engages the csr  in their policies than they can protect the environment because by this they initially done the steps to protect the environment and to take the prevention steps to control the environment pollution and the companies can start the steps to develop the area and educate the people.