As current and future social entrepreneurs, should we be concerned with the motives behind a company’s move toward social responsibility? For instance, our class went into a fairly lengthy discussion regarding the greening of Walmart. Walmart is not the first company to practice corporate responsibility, other examples include: McDonalds (Ronal McDonald House), Shell Oil Company (Flower Valley, South Africa), Starbucks (fair trade coffee), ExxonMobil (malaria prevention-insecticide treated mosquito bednets), Marathon Oil Company (malaria prevention-indoor spraying and drug therapy), and numerous others.
Oftentimes the above-mentioned organizations are accused of participating in corporate responsibility to draw attention away from questions regarding unethical practices, increase their public reputation, or to increase profits for their organization. For instance, in 2004 the reputation of Shell took a heavy hit when the public learned they had misrepresented their oil revenues. Since then, Shell has become involved in Flower Valley and numerous other projects around the world.
Should other social entrepreneurs be concerned with the motives behind corporate responsibility? Or, should they simply be satisfied with surface-value corporate responsibility? Is a greater good truly being served when selfish motives are involved? I cannot help but wonder if corporate responsibility can exist without selfish motives.
I think we should be concerned for a variety of different reasons - (1) as a consumer I want my spending money directed at the right business. Not just because of the right reason but also because of the right leadership within it.
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