Corporate social responsibility

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject Organisation and administration - Miscellaneous, grade: 1,3, University of applied sciences, Neuss, course: Marketing, language: English, abstract: "Corporate Social Responsibility", or CSR for short, is the buzzword for company¿s

voluntary initiatives involving a number of various activities and company¿s programs.

But the question is what does Corporate Social Responsibility really means and how is

it implemented in German companies? Expectations are growing as the public at large

and, increasingly, the financial markets want to know not just what a company does

with its profits, but also how it earns them.

This assignment examines first in what extend ethical aspects are an essential

condition for the justification of Corporate Social Responsibility. Therefore the basic

aspects of CSR and the paradigms to ethics will be discussed in the first part.

Afterwards before examining the situation of CSR in the German businesses

landscape, the main elements to build up a program focussing on social responsibility

will be listed. Then with the insight of what drives a CSR program, the question how is

it implemented in German companies in order to meet stakeholders expectations will

be answered. Several surveys conducted by agencies and the German ministry will be

the basis for an objective reflection of the situation in Germany and illustrating the

variety of initiatives and commitments. Final regards on the problems and risks

connected with Corporate Social Responsibility are mentioned to close up the study. If you follow the literature and daily press, marketers are verifying their relationships

with social values and responsibilities. Philip Kotler is pointing out in his ¿Principles of

Marketing¿ that ¿as the worldwide consumerism and environmentalism movements

mature, today¿s marketers are being called upon to take greater responsibility for the

social and environmental impact of their actions.¿ Demands in corporate ethics and

social responsibility have become important topics for the companies. Only few

companies can ignore this demanding change, but are being forced to take action

when authorities and the public are claiming. More forward-looking businesses readily

accept their role and seek ways to best serve the interests of their customer and

communities. They are building social responsibility and action into their company

goals and with that approach, they include concerns for individual and community

welfare in their daily decisions.