Is corporate social responsibility obsolete? | Experts’ Opinions

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a commitment made by private companies to behave ethically and responsibly towards both society and the planet, improving community life in various ways. In most cases, a company that chooses to be socially responsible integrates social and environmental issues within its activities. However, some say that meeting the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by relying on CSR is not enough.  Is this true?

Check-out experts’ insights below.

“Climate change is real. It is human-made. Worsened by global warming through greenhouse gas emissions, the change in climate is an emergency – life and livelihoods are in stress. The key determinants of good health are affected by climate change.  It is upsetting the agenda of sustainable food systems – making food less nutritious. The outcomes are deeply unfair. The inequities and adverse impacts of climate change must be fought together. CSR is not dead but the experience is varied. The business sector is both the victim of and contributor to climate change.  A number of top CSR groups are pledging for net-zero and transforming the hungry and warm planet into a safe place to live. But a large number of them are no longer good enough to compensate for the damage done so far and are not ready to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The contribution of the CSR and Sustainability sectors to overturn the ill-effects of environmental destruction is guided by a WIN-WIN proposition. They are searching for a business case. The question that drives CSR leaders today is how can business profit from being green? It is time to appreciate the value of investing in this ‘public good’ of global importance. The CSR sector needs to come together to control the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Let the people, specifically women, small farmers, and grassroot climate warriors, set the agenda. Systemic change, Jan Andolan (people’s movement) with women leading at the front, enabling policies, social watch processes, and accountability can be great enablers. The CSR and Sustainability sectors can restore faith in humanity by demonstrating evidence-based and public interest-oriented public policy, building platforms in public space and complementing people’s movements.”

“No, I do not think CSR has become obsolete, on the contrary: it retains all its importance. CSR may have had its day as the pioneering concept years ago, but now it can serve as an example of a rapidly evolving element of the general responsibility of any economic operator to all its stakeholders and globally. CSR needs to be seamlessly integrated into the deeper and wider concept of the responsibility of businesses for the attainment of global goals: these can only be attained by businesses that (have) put strong emphasis on CSR and are including it or complementing CSR with ESG principles and practices to develop plausible strategies and operational action plans, preferably with all the stakeholders concerned. In this sense, CSR needs to become an essential part of the quest for sustainable development, especially within the framework of the implementation of the UN Development Goals and the Green Deal for Europe.”

“Implementing a CSR project is always a dilemma, especially for SMEs. They mostly conduct a project due to in-house and self-serving needs where there is absolutely no pressure from the public although it’s highly beneficial for motivating the team and good for marketing the brand in a most prestigious way. That’s why CSR projects are a must-do for big companies where they cannot miss the opportunity for public visibility and brand awareness. Zero carbon is a solid CSR target for each individual and corporates. I truly believe that the majority will achieve the target by 2050 and focus on the next CSR goals in the future and for as long as living in the world creates new problems.”

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