2.6.1
Corporate Social Responsibility & Whistle-Blowing
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) means a business has a responsibility towards the community and environment. Whistle-blowing is when an employee discloses wrongdoing to the employer or the public.
Stakeholders and CSR
Stakeholders and CSR
- A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in an organisation.
- Businesses take on social responsibilities because they think these will improve their image with customers or with a certain type of investor or a certain type of employee.
Example: UK during COVID-19
Example: UK during COVID-19
- For example, when the COVID 19 pandemic took hold in the UK in 2020, many businesses had to furlough their employees: the government offered to pay 80% of the costs of furloughing.
- Some businesses, if they could afford to, went further and topped up their employees’ salaries up to the full 100% to aid them.
- Although other businesses could afford to top up their employees’ salaries and not require taxpayers' money for the furloughing, still claimed and did not top up their employees' salaries.
Investing in 'ethical' business
Investing in 'ethical' business
- There are many thousands of investors who only want to put their money into 'ethical' businesses.
- For example, the FTSE4Good Index Series provides information for investors on businesses that demonstrate 'strong Environmental, Social and Governance practices' (www.ftse.com).
- The United Nations has also set up voluntary principles for ethically-responsible investment. As of 2014, investors had put more than $34 trillion into funds committed to these principles.
Whistle-blowing
Whistle-blowing
- Whistle-blowing is when an employee of a business chooses to make public their belief that their employer has acted unethically.
- Businesses have processes through which employees can report faults or problems so that they can be addressed.
- Whistle-blowing may be perceived as an individual moral choice. But in some cases, employees have a legal responsibility to report unethical behaviour because of the likelihood that this behaviour is criminal.
Whistle-blowing examples
Whistle-blowing examples
- For example, if an employee found out the business they worked for was not paying tax, they would be legally obliged to report.
- In the case of the COVID 19 pandemic, some businesses were not adhering to the health and safety guidelines set out by the government to keep employees safe. This means some people came forward to explain their poor working conditions and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Legal protection
Legal protection
- In most cases in the UK, whistle-blowers are protected by law: The Public Interest Disclosure Act (1998).
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Jump to other topics
1Philosophy of Religion
1.1Ancient Philosophical Influences: Plato
1.2Ancient Philosophical Influences: Aristotle
1.3Ancient Philosophical Influences: Soul, Mind, Body
1.4The Existence of God - Arguments from Observation
1.5The Existence of God - Arguments from Reason
1.6Religious Experience
1.7The Problem of Evil
1.8The Nature & Attributes of God
1.9Religious Language: Negative, Analogical, Symbolic
2Religion & Ethics
2.1Natural Law
2.2Situation Ethics
2.3Kantian Ethics
2.4Utilitarianism
2.5Euthanasia
3Developments in Christian Thought
3.1Saint Augustine's Teachings
3.2Death & the Afterlife
3.3Knowledge of God's Existence
3.4The Person of Jesus Christ
3.5Christian Moral Principles
3.6Christian Moral Action
3.7Development - Pluralism & Theology
3.8Development - Pluralism & Society
3.9Gender & Society
3.10Gender & Theology
Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring
Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home
Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs
30+ school subjects covered