The concept of social responsibility

The concept of social responsibility

In this unit we will learn the concept of Social Responsibility has evolved and adapted to different areas and organizations. As you can see, there is no single definition for “Social Responsibility” and it will be very important to be able to adapt it to your own personal beliefs and profession, so you should keep in mind that:

• All our actions, both as individual and as members of an organization, have an impact on our environment.
• Being aware of this, as well as seeking to minimize our negative impact and enhance the positive, is the basis of Social Responsibility.

But... What exactly is social responsibility?

The idea of Social Responsibility (SR) first appeared in 1953 in Howard Bowen’s book "Social responsibilities of the businessman". The concept began to be widely used at the beginning of the 1970s. However, some organizations and governments were already carrying out actions that would fit into the current definition of “social responsibility” since even before the concept was developed. Actions that sought to help vulnerable groups or regulate the coexistence in societies, for example, embodied some elements of social responsibility.

The birth of the UN in 1945, and later the emergence of Human Rights in 1948, served as a solid foundation for creating greater social awareness and, therefore, these events are considered a key element in the construction of the concept. The term Social Responsibility was, originally, completely centered around business. It wasn’t until 1999 when, at the Davos forum in Switzerland, the then Secretary General of the United Nations, Koffi Annan, talked about Social Responsibility as a way to urge companies to act in ways that would benefit society as a whole. Nowadays, the term is especially related to environmental protection actions. All these actions are also part of social responsibility.

More than 60 years after the first mention of the concept, it still has not been possible to agree upon a single, concise definition. This is in part due to its multidisciplinary origin, but also due to the multiple theories that have studied it from a more academic perspective. As a result, each organization and profession must adapt the definition to its own field. Before reviewing some of the definitions that exist for social responsibility, you should not forget that it the field considers three fundamental lines or areas:

• Economic
• Social
• Environmental

Here are some definitions for social responsibility that mention these three components, as well. We recommend you take note of the terms you find:

Social Responsibility is the voluntary commitment to recognize and accept the tasks we have to our society. It is a mature, conscious and sensitive attitude toward the problems of our society and it must be a proactive attitude to adopt habits, generate strategies and processes and develop proposals that help us minimize the negative impact that we can generate. While keeping social, economic and environmental sustainability in mind.

(CLARES. (n.d.))

Social Responsibility, as a concept, refers to the impact of our actions, specifically to the co-responsibility that we must assume for the results of these. That is, the impact generated by our activities and decisions (both, personal and professional) in the social, economic and environmental context.

(Fernández, S., 2016)

Social Responsibility is a conscious search for a homogeneous or differentiated end, but with a perennial value towards society (common good), where negative consequences are minimized and communication channels are established (between individuals, society, partners, nature, beneficiaries, and stakeholders), providing certainty and economic, social and environmental balance at the same time.

(Cajiga, J., 2016)

Social Responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act in the benefit of society at large. This responsibility can be passive, by not engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

(Organization for Standardization, 2015)

"The responsibility of an organization for the impact of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, through transparent and ethical behavior that: contributes to sustainable development, and the health and general welfare of Society; takes into consideration the expectations of its stakeholders; is in compliance with applicable legislation; is consistent with international standards of behavior; and is integrated throughout the organization and practiced in its relationships.”

(ISO 26000, 2014)