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What is Corporate Social Responsibility?

In a global perspective Corporate Social Responsibility is a relationship between Global corporations, government of countries and individual citizens. More locally Corporate Social responsibility is concerned with the relationship between a corporation, the local society in which it resides or operates and its other stakeholders. An exact definition of CSR is difficult since beliefs and attitude regarding the nature of this association fluctuate with the relevant issues of the day. This raises the question as to what exactly can be considered as Corporate Social Responsibility.

Niall Fitzerland Former CEO, Unilever says, "Corporate social responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it... because it is good for our business"

According to Sunil Misser, Head of Global Sustainability Practice, PwC, "Corporate social responsibility is not just about managing, reducing and avoiding risk, it is about creating opportunities, generating improved performance, making money and leaving the risks far behind."

In the words of Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business Review, “Companies that are breaking the mold are moving beyond corporate social responsibility to social innovation. These companies are the vanguard of the new paradigm. They view community needs as opportunities to develop ideas and demonstrate business technologies, to find and serve new markets, and to solve longstanding business problems.”

Jeroen van der Veer, Committee of Managing Directors (Shell) enunciates, "In my view the successful companies of the future will be those that integrate business and employees' personal values. The best people want to do work that contributes to society with a company whose values they share, where their actions count and their views matter."

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